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Wyllow
Platinum Member
 United Kingdom
2885 Posts |
 Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 5:15:07 PM
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As some of you will know, Milly, the little Welshie mare we took on following a bout of acute laminitis four and a half years ago, had a bout around nine weeks ago ~ the first she has had with us. It was very frightening and clearly VERY painful and distressing for her.
My vet, always one for a multitude of novel and unique ideas, told me to replace her bedding in the box with sand.
For a little girl with small feet and unshod for the last couple of years, he suggested builder's insulation polystyrene ~ type foam for custom made frog supports, taped with duck tape to her feet and changed every couple of days.....and complete box rest and a hay only diet.
The frog supports, I have to say, worked a treat and stayed on for eight weeks.
The sand was also INCREDIBLY good!!!!!!!!
With each step, the weight was gradually let down on the floor and the grains then moulded to her foot as her full weight was taken ~ again ~ support for soles.
We put a small amount of shavings on top and mucking out has been the easiest it's ever been!
Wetness drains through the sand and leaves the surface relatively dry.
Damp patches can be dug out , the sand left on a patch of grass to be washed and "recycled" by the rain for further use.
Poops just develop a light dusting of sand to be easily separated and forked up ~ brilliant!
All in all, the bedding cut down the HIDEOUS amount of work box rest usually entails and made life a LOT easier.
We put Milly a light sheet on so her coat wouldn't get itchy when she lay down and all has worked SO well, I'm considering this a "normal" bedding for the others!!!
Around three weeks ago, Milly went out in a sand covered paddock and leapt about like a spring lamb ~ no possible harm could come to her feet through concussion!
She is still on her diet and still in her [paddock and this may go on until the winter rain softens the ground and the grass goes "off" a bit....possibly december in Jersey)......but I have to say that ~ for Milly at least ~ SAND has saved the day.....and a FORTUNE in bedding!!!!!!
Just thought I'd mention this and see if anyone else has been reccommended sand for laminitics?
Have you found it to be useful ~ or has it caused problems we haven't experienced?
Any views, please?
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Grey Girl
Platinum Member
England
1554 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 7:49:54 PM
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Wow, thanks for the tip! I'll mention to my vet next time they're round and see if they've heard of that one.
Glad to hear that your little one is doing well, laminitis is such a beast.
Grey Girl |
 Said the little eohippus, "I´m going to be a HORSE"  |
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Arabian Girl
Platinum Member
England
2893 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 8:13:28 PM
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....I have heard of using sand ,,as i am aware its the usuall routine with badly affected laminitic ponies/horses. My freind had her horse on sand ,,but sadly her horses pedal bone had rotated and nothing more could be done for her horse and had be P.T.S ....its so good to hear that your Milly has responded very well to her treatment and i hope she soon makes a good recovery Lynne |
   
Posting from Billinge Wigan |
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Nuttybabez
Gold Member
England
522 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 8:23:11 PM
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| An arab at my yard has been on a sand bed for years now as he has severe repetitive laminitis. It seems to relieve his symptoms but I think we all know he will sadly never recover. His owners have been told to have him PTS several times but they battle on and he has had numerous operations, shoes, diets, you name it! Bit sad really. |
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Wyllow
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
2885 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 10:55:50 PM
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Thanks for your kind words for our little Milly.
She is doing well and hopefully may be able to go for a few short walks in the not too distant future.
When I think that there was so little advice given when we first had her on how soon she could go onto grass or work.....but oddly enough, we used to take her walking on the BEACH!!!
My sympathies to anyone battling the dreaded laminitis ~ truly a ghastly condition. |
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NatH
Platinum Member
England
2695 Posts |
Posted - 05 Oct 2006 : 11:09:43 AM
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I am so glad that someone appreciates how terrible this disease laminitis is.
Great idea about the Sand Wyllow
My horse went down with laminitis on the 21st May and we are still battling it now
Both his pedal bones rotated in his front feet and just when we thought we had got that under control his near-side fore suffered medial rotation (rotation to the inside). This has been followed by abscesses, seromas & granulomas you name it, he's had it
The only reason we carry on with our fight is that despite all the pain and suffering and the constant box rest my horse still has his Arabian spirit He is still as grumpy in his stable as he has always been, trying to chase me out when I am trying to muck out
I don't think that most people realise what laminitis is and what a dangerous condition it really is. I have but my horses laminitic diary onto my web site (with some very interesting photos) so people can see what these poor horses go through.
Oh, by the way, he only was only out on grass for half an hour in the morning and a couple of hours on a night, yet still got struck by the dredded "L".
When I can get Khasim out of his box so I am able to muck out completely I might try the sand. Great idea.
My thoughts go out to all that are looking after horses that are, have or will suffer from this debilitating disease. |
Natalie
Chapel Lane Arabians
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Moosie
Gold Member
United Kingdom
717 Posts |
Posted - 05 Oct 2006 : 12:18:22 PM
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| Im using sand. My horse too has been in since May with the whole dreadful scenario from an unknown cause (already posted here a couple of times and I got great support). When it became apparent that, if there was to be any hope for him, he would be remaining in his box for up to a year it was obvious to me that he couldnt stay in the slightly small box he was in. He was having trouble getting up, knocking himself against the walls etc and it was too hot. I was able to convert half my barn into a very large, well aired stable and moved him when he was nerve blocked and sedated (only a dozen yards at most). But the barn has an earth and gravel floor so I put a very thick layer of sand down, topped by a thick layer of shavings and thats working really well. I should think that sand on its would be fine too, normally, but he was in such a bad state that he needed something softer on top. Now he can roll and get covered with shavings and still have the firm sand base underneath. Best solution and at the moment things are going well.I think they use sand in USA for laminitics. |
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Moosie
Gold Member
United Kingdom
717 Posts |
Posted - 05 Oct 2006 : 12:21:28 PM
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| Nat, Im sorting out some pics of the foot for you - havent forgotten! |
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Kazzy
Platinum Member
England
3335 Posts |
Posted - 05 Oct 2006 : 12:51:47 PM
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Laminitis is horrendous and would not wish it on anybody, but my
problem with it is she doesnt get it through grass or diet, she gets it through stress, concusion or weight bearing. Managed to keep it
under control for a few years my farrier did an excellant job with her (She needs heartbars permanantly) but last spring that blasted
Cheshire Hunt came past and she went beserk in the field, galloping round and headed straight to the gate at flat out gallop and skidded,
held her leg up immediately and hobbled back to the stable, she had
done her tendon in again.
Anyway, after a few weeks box rest she went worse in the second week
and the bl**** lami had come back through weightbearing
Box rest again for a month ACP, Bute, Aspirin in the 1st week and her
Global herbs, she didnt improve she went worse, I was devasted, got
the vet out and he said she had rotated to the point were she nearly
has foundered.
Anyway, to cut a long story short my Farrier who is a remedial and
surgical farrier along with my vet did a Dorsal Wall Resection on her, only because he said she was tough enough to cope with the pain,
my concern was if she was to have a quality of life afterwards and he
said hopefully she would, but if it didnt work then there was no option but to have her PTS anyway he did it, she did suffer bad
for about 2 days she was buted up, I had to hibbiscrub her feet has
many times has possible and droppings had to be removed immediately,
she was on 2 bags of shavings a day (on top of her normal bed) and
within a month she was back walking and in a little paddock I had made her, still on bute but at least getting out.
She is now back in the field with my other, on no bute whatsoever being
a total sodpot and having a quality of life.
The downside is the cost she has to have her feet filled with
this plastic foam type thing for total support, along with her heartbars, and changed every 4 weeks, hopefully by Xmas the foam will
no longer be needed and just have her heartbars on.
It took a lot of my time up and a lot of money spent, but I was not
bothered in the least, I love the bones of the little horse and she
has given me so much pleasure (and Pain) over the 16 years I have had her, and it was time and money well spent.
So she is now back to her normal grumpy arl self again, biting me
when I put her rugs on and pulling her face when she has to come in.
So there is hope.
Janet
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Sunny Cheshire |
Edited by - Kazzy on 05 Oct 2006 12:54:06 PM |
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heatherr
Platinum Member
England
1882 Posts |
Posted - 05 Oct 2006 : 1:10:55 PM
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Hi Willow
Glad that Milly is more comfortable. I haven't been able to update Trio's situ much as work are SERIOUSLY restricting my web time But to cut a long story of 4 month of suffering, 2 bute a day etc short, a new farrier and plastic imprint shoes transformed Trio's life ( and I believe saved it)overnight. She is 8 weeks down the line from her fitst fitting and is completely sound and off the bute. If I ever get the time I will document her story on a thread here as it may be of help, or comfort to others. I have heard of sand being used as bedding, but Trio is on soft and quite literally bouncy rubber matting (it's rather like foam) and a really deep woodchip bed. The imprint shoes aren't cheap @ £100 each, but provided her with immediate comfort and have saved her life. I am hoping that come her next shoeing - due in about 3 weeks, she will go into regular heart bars and be back out in her field (restricted grazing of course) for over an hour a day as that's all she currently gets.
It is unfortuneatly not until you see a horse with an acute bout of laminitis that you realise the true horrors of this condition. |
Heather
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SEZ
Gold Member
England
1101 Posts |
Posted - 05 Oct 2006 : 6:29:55 PM
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| I have never had a horse suffer with lami (touch wood) but reading your experiences has made me even more afraid of it. I am interested in the sand idea - I was not aware of that. Is there any danger in keeping horses on sand? I was led to believe it could cause colic if accidently ingested. Is this true, as I have always wondered. |
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suneagle
Gold Member
England
727 Posts |
Posted - 05 Oct 2006 : 8:03:16 PM
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my friend has a ex jumping pony who suffering with lami at the moment and my farrier (also theirs) surgested sand bedding, has really help the pony as it keeps their feet cool and surported.
yeah there is a posiblitly they can get colic if eaten or drank(if in a river) but its if they really eat not just accidently alittle bit. bit like salt water with us if we drink a little of it, it tastes horrible but if we galped it, it would make us sick. and as horses cant be sick they will get colic. |
clare xxxx |
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