Wagtail
Horse servant
I was thinking I might increase the dose in any case. But yes, will get her blood tested again this week.
What do you think of these hooves?
- Thread starter Wagtail
- Start date
I was thinking I might increase the dose in any case. But yes, will get her blood tested again this week.
Partridg3
Well-Known Member
I thought I was going to lose my boy earlier this year. He is nearly 21. I took his shoes off after a bout of lami, and he was so sore and poorly...but now, he is sound and happy and literally like a different horse to what he was. I've had to be v careful re grass and strip grazing and feed and I have a trimmer who does the slightest of touches and nothing radical and he is now acting like a 6 year old. I can't tell you how bad he was, he even had a terrible absess to boot after his shoes came off and he got the lami. We very nearly both gave up but I'm so glad we didn't. It's taken 6 months to get here though.
Wagtail
Horse servant
That is very good to know. Thank you.
Just been in to see her and she's really comfy in her pads. She gave me a good old wrestle, as she loves to do, so still full of high spirits.
BlackRider
Well-Known Member
I'm so pleased she's feeling a bit better x
Wagtail
Horse servant
Thanks. She's still very tentative when she takes her first few strides but then seems a little better with the pads supporting her. She has xrays booked tomorrow morning so I am on tentre hooks and absolutely terrified if I'm honest. Will post them here as soon as I get them through from the vets and have time. I'm so busy with vets this week. Two of my clients have their horses booked in. Tomorrow it's my girls xrays, followed by nerveblocks for a clients horse. Wednesday I am taking another clients horse to hospital for nerve blocks, hock xrays and back xrays. Then on Thurs or Friday I have xrays and ultra sound for the first client's horse, depending on what they find. Some how have to fit turning out and in and all the mucking out too!
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BlackRider
Well-Known Member
Hope everything goes ok this morning x
Wagtail
Horse servant
Thank you. The good news is there is no change in the rotation of either hoof. I will post the xrays up as soon as I get them. There is a bit of a nail stuck in the front of the hoof she is most lame on and some pockets of serum from bruising. Vet thinks farrier probably pricked her or shoe was too tight due to the damaged white line. Then that had caused laminitis in the other hoof because of it taking more strain and a flare up in both. She has taken bloods for cushings to check it is still being controlled (was okay in August) but if that comes back fine, will test again for IR as she thinks there is something else going on as she is slow to respond to laminitis treatment.
Meowy Catkin
Meow!
So glad that it was good news.
Queenbee
Well-Known Member
Oh wagtail, I have just caught up with this thread... Haven't been on here properly for a few days, so sorry she is struggling even more hugs and positive vibes for you and your mare x really hope it turns around for you both xxx
Wagtail
Horse servant
So glad that it was good news.
Thanks again for your support. It really helps me a lot.
Thank you QB.
She needs all the vibes she can get. Poor girl. I love her so much. I was so embarassed the other day when I broke down in tears when the vet came. I felt such an idiot and had done really well up to that point. I was loads better when the other vet came today. I told her that her colleague had to put up with me blubbing. She said they are used to it and the most experienced horse people who are hard as nails and sensible to the core can lose it all if it's their own horse, especially a special one. I know you had the same special bond with Ebony.
BlackRider
Well-Known Member
That's really good news about the Xrays - you must be so relieved
I hope she continues to improve, and you get to the bottom of the laminitis very soon x
I hope she continues to improve, and you get to the bottom of the laminitis very soon x
Wagtail
Horse servant
Thank you. She is improving a little bit day by day. Still on the 2 danilon though. Once she looks sound on that, I will reduce it. Vet says once she looks like she does now on the danilon, to put the imprints back on her one more time just to help her out, but the aim is to have her back barefoot. Luckily both vet and farrier are on board with this. Vet was very impressed by the styrofoam pads inside her equiboot trails. She said they often use the pads but that they slide around. The boots keep them nice and stable.
MiJodsR2BlinkinTite
Well-Known Member
Mmmm...... I'm not a farrier but this was what struck me too; although it may be the angle she's standing and/or camera angle.
You could spray her feet with Purple Foot Spray - will look funny as her feet will come up pink but my farrier advised me to do it with mine and (touch wood) it helped a lot with some of the cruddy bits where the old nail-holes were and where infection can easily get in. It won't do any harm and might do a lot of good with yours.
How does the horse move? If she generally uneven in her ridden work? Any back issues? Saddle checked? Has rider got any mobility/back issues (can be translated down) Sorry, back to the old chestnuts here!!
Wagtail
Horse servant
No she came to me with one boxy foot. Surprisingly it wasn't mentioned at the five stage vetting that she passed. Ridden, she is exceptionally straight and supple and works evenly on both reins. In fact, she is the nicest horse you could wish to ride. Really light in front and strong behind. Saddle has been checked regularly. She can be girthy but a sheepskin girth guard has helped a lot with that. I do have back issues which are intermittent, but being an instructor myself am well aware of any lobsidedness so that I make sure I sit very straight and correct. Arena mirrors help with this too!
Good suggestion re the spray.
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Wagtail
Horse servant
My mare is a lot better today in her boots. She is pretty much walking normally. I just walk her 15 metres or so in the morning whilst I muck her out. I have got the pro hoof now and started her on it last night and this morning. I am putting half a scoop in her feed. She was a bit 'sniffy' with it but has eaten it all. I am waiting for my mint and linseed to arrive. I should get that tomorrow. I also have the kevin bacon hoof balm which I may start to use once her hoof boots are off. I've taken them off for a few hours today to give her feet a chance to breath. She is on a deep shavings bed.
Meowy Catkin
Meow!
Good progress.
Wagtail
Horse servant
Thank you!
Here are her latest xrays. Vet said they show a piece of nail in the left front and some serum pockets at the front, but she was pleased with the fact that the rotation had not worstened in the and was still fine in the right. I had thought that the right hoof was showing a bit of sinkage but the vet said not. Also, there is a bit of remodeling at the tip pf P3 on her right hoof.
Here are her latest xrays. Vet said they show a piece of nail in the left front and some serum pockets at the front, but she was pleased with the fact that the rotation had not worstened in the and was still fine in the right. I had thought that the right hoof was showing a bit of sinkage but the vet said not. Also, there is a bit of remodeling at the tip pf P3 on her right hoof.
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Wagtail
Horse servant
Latest update for those who aren't dying of boredom!
Her Cushings test came back as being within normal limits which means it is being controlled with just one prascend a day. The vet wants to test her again for insulin resistance by performing a glucose test on her next tues.
Today she was 100% sound on the concrete! Yay!. Still on one danilon though so I will drop it off over the weekend and see how she goes.
Her Cushings test came back as being within normal limits which means it is being controlled with just one prascend a day. The vet wants to test her again for insulin resistance by performing a glucose test on her next tues.
Today she was 100% sound on the concrete! Yay!. Still on one danilon though so I will drop it off over the weekend and see how she goes.
Meowy Catkin
Meow!
Fantastic update. Fingers crossed that she stays sound without the Danilon
Wagtail
Horse servant
Fantastic update. Fingers crossed that she stays sound without the Danilon
Thanks, Faracat. Now my task is to get another 30 - 40 kg off her. I have started feeding her linseed as well as the pro hoof, but only half a mug full as I know it is good for putting weight on!
Meowy Catkin
Meow!
Once she's fully sound without painkillers, could you start some gentle exercise?
Wagtail
Horse servant
Yes, I think I will start some walking exercise with her and gradually build it up again over a few weeks. Hopefully she will stay sound. I am having the imprints fitted one more time once she is sound without the danilon, and Mum is doing me some padding for her door, so that she hopefully keeps them on!
LucyPriory
Well-Known Member
OP has the vet discussed the possibility of the glucose test inducing laminitis?
Wagtail
Horse servant
No, and that just occured to me today.
I will be chatting to her again before she comes because I am actually quite worried about it. I have spent hours soaking and rinsing hay, have banned carrots, apples and mints and so it would be a bit silly (and could be tradgic) when things are such touch and go.
Wagtail
Horse servant
My girl seems a little sore today. But she has now been off the danilon for two days and so I think it is all out of her system. I am a little worried about giving her a glucose test as she is still not fully recovered, so will talk to the vet about either delaying the test until she's been sound for a few weeks or treating her with (can't remember the name of the drug, met something?) as if she has EMS in any case as she has been quite slow to get over the lami despite being on a strict diet of soaked hay and a deep shavings bed.
Wagtail
Horse servant
Not such good news today. She has been off the danilon for four days now and is still sore (though not as bad as when the vet saw her last week and she was on two danilon). But I'm disappointed with the lack of progress over the past couple of days. I spoke to the vet and she is insistant on her needing the glucose test. She assured me that it would not trigger a lami attack, saying that it is frequently performed on lami prone ponies and they have never had it do this. Hmmm... Guess I have to trust her judgement. She will not prescribe metformin without the test as she said it would make it impossible to measure the effectiveness and adjust the dosage without the test. So I'm going through with it tomorrow morning. 550 g of powdered glucose in non molassed chaff 
. Keep your fingers crossed for my girl!
. Keep your fingers crossed for my girl!
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Oberon
Well-Known Member
Is there any way you can keep her hooves cold tomorrow?
Obviously you won't have a cryotherapy chamber at your livery yard - but maybe ice in the bedding? Or a really big puddle to stand her in with added ice? Or even just standing her in a water jump on her fronts at least?
http://www.johnthevet.co.uk/prev.php
Obviously you won't have a cryotherapy chamber at your livery yard - but maybe ice in the bedding? Or a really big puddle to stand her in with added ice? Or even just standing her in a water jump on her fronts at least?
http://www.johnthevet.co.uk/prev.php
Wagtail
Horse servant
I could put some crushed ice in her hoof boots. Will keeping them cool lessen the chance of laminitis?
Slightlyconfused
Go away, I'm reading
My vet tested for ems with giving pony the feed. Just no food for 12 hours then blood tested then he could have his normal soaked net.
It came back very high do we started on 30 tabs of metformin split into two feed.
It came back very high do we started on 30 tabs of metformin split into two feed.
Oberon
Well-Known Member
OOOh - good idea
.According to the research, cooling the hooves lessens the inflammation and staves off the lami developing or taking hold.
It's something you can use if you are at risk of lami (post surgery/grain bin incidents and glucose testing) and it has no ill effects to them. So I would say it's worth a try.
Thank goodness for our cold climate compared to Arizona etc
I'd also join the Yahoo group for some advice and back up - lots of experience with these types of problems on there.
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/EquineCushings/