maya2008
Well-Known Member
So...
Grizzled old shetland's been recovering from laminitis since the spring. X-rays show gradual improvement over time. Vet has no answers for why it's taking so very very long for her to get fully better. I think there has to be a reason for it but the best he can come up with is doing the Cushing's test again (which was negative in the spring).
Concerns:
- It's been SIX MONTHS on low sugar tested haylage and shavings bed with box rest. Recently swapped over to straw and that made no difference, she's still improving at the same rate.
- She's been slowing down for two years. X-rays are clear in front for arthritis so vet suspects maybe been heading this way for laminitis gradually - yet in that time she's gone lame twice and spent time resting in the field, no muzzle, and IMPROVED. Surely if it was all due to low grade laminitis, a month off in August at grass would have given us a full blown episode, not a recovering pony?
- I manage all mine as if they are laminitis prone, all the time (because they're all natives). She started to want to slow down in full work (so 5-6 fast rides a week with plenty of cantering), on low sugar haylage, negligible low sugar feed, in the winter... not ideal 'getting laminitis' conditions.
- She's lame behind coming out of the stable in the mornings, until she's started to move a bit more. Being in so long made her really stiff, so we started taking her on gentle walks while I muck out (with vet approval). So moving as much as she wants to basically. In contrast to what I expected, she chose to move more each day and THE MORE SHE MOVES, THE FASTER SHE IMPROVES. Surely that shouldn't be the case? Anyway, when new pony arrived, she wanted to come on new pony's short 'getting used to traffic' walks down the road and back. In two and a half weeks she's gone from footy as anything and almost hobbling on the yard entrance stones/gravel, to only slightly footy on them. Vet said yesterday she's the brightest he's ever seen her, and the x-rays were still an improvement from last time, so the movement isn't hurting her recovery.
Needing the exercise makes me think EMS or something similar - but I'm getting nothing from the vet except 'give it time'. I can give it time, she can stay off the grass forever if needed, but it's no life being stuck in a tiny pen or stable day after day after day. At least now she has her little walks, but we really do need some answers. If it's not Cushing's, what else would explain her not improving at any reasonable rate despite low sugar/starch diet and being nice and slim (+ she's had all the rest and Bute recommended, correct deep bed etc etc). She shows no other signs of Cushing's - no fat pads, no curly coat, sheds normally etc.
Grizzled old shetland's been recovering from laminitis since the spring. X-rays show gradual improvement over time. Vet has no answers for why it's taking so very very long for her to get fully better. I think there has to be a reason for it but the best he can come up with is doing the Cushing's test again (which was negative in the spring).
Concerns:
- It's been SIX MONTHS on low sugar tested haylage and shavings bed with box rest. Recently swapped over to straw and that made no difference, she's still improving at the same rate.
- She's been slowing down for two years. X-rays are clear in front for arthritis so vet suspects maybe been heading this way for laminitis gradually - yet in that time she's gone lame twice and spent time resting in the field, no muzzle, and IMPROVED. Surely if it was all due to low grade laminitis, a month off in August at grass would have given us a full blown episode, not a recovering pony?
- I manage all mine as if they are laminitis prone, all the time (because they're all natives). She started to want to slow down in full work (so 5-6 fast rides a week with plenty of cantering), on low sugar haylage, negligible low sugar feed, in the winter... not ideal 'getting laminitis' conditions.
- She's lame behind coming out of the stable in the mornings, until she's started to move a bit more. Being in so long made her really stiff, so we started taking her on gentle walks while I muck out (with vet approval). So moving as much as she wants to basically. In contrast to what I expected, she chose to move more each day and THE MORE SHE MOVES, THE FASTER SHE IMPROVES. Surely that shouldn't be the case? Anyway, when new pony arrived, she wanted to come on new pony's short 'getting used to traffic' walks down the road and back. In two and a half weeks she's gone from footy as anything and almost hobbling on the yard entrance stones/gravel, to only slightly footy on them. Vet said yesterday she's the brightest he's ever seen her, and the x-rays were still an improvement from last time, so the movement isn't hurting her recovery.
Needing the exercise makes me think EMS or something similar - but I'm getting nothing from the vet except 'give it time'. I can give it time, she can stay off the grass forever if needed, but it's no life being stuck in a tiny pen or stable day after day after day. At least now she has her little walks, but we really do need some answers. If it's not Cushing's, what else would explain her not improving at any reasonable rate despite low sugar/starch diet and being nice and slim (+ she's had all the rest and Bute recommended, correct deep bed etc etc). She shows no other signs of Cushing's - no fat pads, no curly coat, sheds normally etc.
