Where did I go wrong..?

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AshTay

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I wasn't going to post this as I feel so awful and I'm not really after advice as such, just need to talk about it.

My mare went down with laminitis on Tuesday :(

Background - 9 year old Arab mare, unshod, never had laminitis before, lived on same fields 24/7 for the last 4 years, fed hifi lite and pro-hoof. I've loaned/owned her for about 2 years. Back in September she suddenly went lame in near fore while riding in school, just in trot. Vet out, box rest, didn't go away so x rayed. Nothing found in that foot but noticed lameness behind when front was blocked and x rays of hind feet showed slight upwards rotated pedal bones. Remedial farriery. Came totally sound - vet very happy, back out she went. Then I noticed (November time) that she was a bit footy on off fore - farrier looked and said thrush and frog quite damaged so sore and just to get rid of thrush and she'll be fine. So did. Seemed to help although every now and then on slopey hard surfaces I noticed she seemed a little off but fine in every other respect. Then over Christmas she seemed totally fine so I rode her out on the road in walk (with some joggy trot because she was so happy to be out, but mostly walk) and she was great!! But then last Sunday she seemed a bit footy on the stoney drive but fine on road. Monday I only brought her in for a feed and fuss and she seemed fine. New Years day I thought she looked to be favouring the near fore when I went to fetch her in and she was reluctant to come in but followed me (across the mud) fine but hobbly across yard and into stable. I then got her out again to ask my YO to look and she could barely walk. Vet called. Laminitis.

I'm gutted. Even the vet was surprised - she's not overweight, she's not been obviously stressed and she's not been pounded about on the road.

My thinking (which I've been doing a lot of the last 48 hours) is that either:
a) The earlier lameness issues were warning signs of early lami that neither myself, vet nor farrier recognised.
b) The earlier lameness issues weren't lami but were causing her more pain than she let on and she has in fact stressed herself into laminitis not helped by...
c) This bizarre weather which is making the grass grow even in December and it's just pushed her over the edge as she's out on it 24/7.

She's currently on deep shavings, bute and sedalin and will be going for xrays in a week or so or when it's settled down.

Sorry so long - deep appreciation to any who have made it this far. xx
 
I'm so sorry to read this. Shy had a lami scare last year, and he was on box rest and bute for about two weeks. I was really worried, BUT it cleared up, and now I am so careful.

There will be lots of advice to follow, just want to send you hugs. xx
 
Get her tested for ems and cushings too. Might be one of them causing it rather than anything to do with you as to be honest your management sounds perfect.
Xx
 
*hugs* sorry to hear this :(.

My guess would be number 1), which is why we barefoot nutters bang on about investigating footiness, instead of shoeing straight away (I'm not trying to make you feel bad - we've all made mistakes like this; I know I have. Just pointing it out in case others in a similar position are reading). It's an awful situation to find yourself in. All you can do now is put her on the emergency diet and manage her very carefully. Perhaps a cushings test, to rule out early onset?

Good luck, really hope she recovers well.
 
Thanks everyone xxxxx
TwoTurtleDoves - she's still unshod - the farrier did a fairly radical re-trim based on xrays. Her feet were awful when I got her - but they were improving.
 
Could it be traumatic laminitis and hence not caused by the grass/feed at all and instead is a result of possibly being barefoot or having bashed her foot/feet on stoney ground? Maybe her feet have been over-softened by this constant wet weather which has resulted in the issue.
 
ladyt25 said:
Could it be traumatic laminitis and hence not caused by the grass/feed at all and instead is a result of possibly being barefoot or having bashed her foot/feet on stoney ground? Maybe her feet have been over-softened by this constant wet weather which has resulted in the issue.
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Possible. Would that manifest in all 4 feet in an attack like that?
 
Ah, I misunderstood the remedial farriery bit.

No harm in testing for metabolic disorders - may help you manage her in future, if there is something else going on. We have had a very wet and mild year though, maybe the constantly growing grass has gotten the best of her?
 
TwoTurtleDoves said:
Ah, I misunderstood the remedial farriery bit.

No harm in testing for metabolic disorders - may help you manage her in future, if there is something else going on. We have had a very wet and mild year though, maybe the constantly growing grass has gotten the best of her?
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Something has. She did pork up a bit more than usual this year for various reasons but she'd lost weight again over the autumn. She lives in a herd of 9 (I think) mares which includes arabs and welshies of various ages and no one else has had any problems (and she's never been the fattest and is one the longest residents!). They actually had less land this year than previous years and they've even stopped going into the other field for a couple of weeks as the gateway got so boggy and so they've mostly trashed the one they're in. She's always hungry when she comes in (by contrast, the field my gelding is on still has grass and he's only just started wanting his haynet as soon as he comes in).

I'm definitely going to ask vet about testing her for metabolic causes. I suspect the vet will suggest this anyway.
 
Laminitis can be triggered off by so many different things. The issue is to find out what caused it. For instance in one of my horses it was caused by encysted emerging small red worms. (They do not show up on a worm count - only if blood is taken). While your horse is suffering from Laminitis it should have a very thick bed, have rubber frog supports fitted and be provided with pain relief medication by a vet. Also cut out all hard feed and only feed one slice of one hour soaked hay every 4 hours to keep the gut moving.
Take a look at the Laminitis Trust web site.
www.laminitis.org
Good luck and I hope that your horse makes a quick and full recovery.
 
AshTay said:
Possible. Would that manifest in all 4 feet in an attack like that?
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Sadly I am no laminitis expert but I do know it can be caused by trauma - ie kicking a stable wall or something like that can cause it. I am just thinking all the wet ground, softening feet, thrush and walking on stoney ground. Could be a possibility that's all i am thinking. If you get a horse with a sore foot and are favouring that, they can also cause traumatic laminitis in another foot if they are putting more weight on it as a result. As I said, it is just something to think about. Maybe try some hoof boots?
 
TwoTurtleDoves said:
*hugs* sorry to hear this :(.

My guess would be number 1), which is why we barefoot nutters bang on about investigating footiness, instead of shoeing straight away (I'm not trying to make you feel bad - we've all made mistakes like this; I know I have. Just pointing it out in case others in a similar position are reading). It's an awful situation to find yourself in. All you can do now is put her on the emergency diet and manage her very carefully. Perhaps a cushings test, to rule out early onset?

Good luck, really hope she recovers well.
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When my boy was barefoot (5 years and with a very reputable trimmer) he went down with lammie, spoke to the trimmer and she claimed that he just needed to be reconditioned as the ground had been very wet and his feet had softened. The result was stage 4 lammie with pony being very close to PTS. Remedial farrier got him through and I would never again take him barefoot. Barefoot is not always the best.

Back to OP - I am sure that your mare have a good recovery. Take it slowly and keep her in for longer than you think you need to.
 
Dont beat yourself up over it if she is not obese she may have other problems like cushings or ems as someone else mentioned is a proven fact now that many laminitic attacks are linked to either mentioned, some horses can show little symptoms so just speak to your vet and get her tested and if she is positive for either at least you will know and be able to manage it, I know its a horrible thing I have had one with lami but sounds like you got it early so maybe not much damage done, keep strong and I wish her a complete recovery x
 
EllenJay said:
When my boy was barefoot (5 years and with a very reputable trimmer) he went down with lammie, spoke to the trimmer and she claimed that he just needed to be reconditioned as the ground had been very wet and his feet had softened. The result was stage 4 lammie with pony being very close to PTS. Remedial farrier got him through and I would never again take him barefoot. Barefoot is not always the best.

Back to OP - I am sure that your mare have a good recovery. Take it slowly and keep her in for longer than you think you need to.
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My warning was about ignoring the possible implications of footiness, so we actually agree on that :).
 
Thank you everyone. I really hope we can find some sort of reason why this has happened. Then, as said, I can manage her properly so it doesn't happen again. She's lived out in her little herd for so long and is such a tough little cookie usually that it's horrible to think she is facing a future of restricted grazing and muzzles :(

EllenJay said:
Back to OP - I am sure that your mare have a good recovery. Take it slowly and keep her in for longer than you think you need to.
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I won't - I want to take her home and keep her safe on the sofa.
 
run the bloods for cushions/ems/espm she is young for these but if she has access to grass and is still hungry (versus what you said re the gelding at the same place) it could be one of these. not the end of the world and easily managed. download a free blood testing voucher from allaboutcushions.com or similar. good luck
 
also the temps have not been consistantly below 6 degrees so the sugars and proteins havent been stilted yet. so the grass althoughy sparse or under water is still growing.
 
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