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Kharif
New Member
27 Posts |
 Posted - 10 Aug 2010 : 11:11:36 PM
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ARRGGHHHHHHHH, I'm so stressed!!
I have a yearling newforest X TB who recently came down with laminitis. He was lame in his front offside that then went to his rear nearside. Then sore on all four. The vet confirmed laminitis gave him a painkiller and left me to it 
I put him in a small area soft underfoot for around a week and a bit, he was badly lame for around a week of this, the vet then came back and said it was fine for him to be back out grazing again. He seems to be fine, his digital pulse is now stronger but I have noticed that his hoof's have split up near the coronary band. I called the vet but they werent too concerned as he wasnt lame.
I'am, feel like ive been pretty much left too it with a million questons. So these may seem silly but as they say no question is a silly one.......
1. Digital pulse, I can still feel it when I didnt before. Should this be the case, will it always now be more noticable? It this a sign that it is going to flare up again?
2. The splitting of the hoof (I have added pictures) Is this normal? I'm paranoid about rotation ect.
3. Is at the first signs of laminitis the best course of action to remove them from grass?
4. How the hell did he get this in the first place? The grazing is pretty poor, he isnt being fed much, he isnt overweight (pictures added) has had no recent stress or change and hasnt been on hard ground.
5. Is there anything else it could be other than laminitis?.
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pintoarabian
Gold Member
Scotland
1242 Posts |
Posted - 11 Aug 2010 : 07:14:29 AM
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| Laminitis can be caused by a variety of factors. We had a yearling filly come down with it 2 years ago. It was caused by a bacterial gut infection, picked up from the grass, possibly from animal(fox) or bird droppings. The laminitis was caused by toxins leaking from her gut. We nearly lost her and would have done so if we hadn't asked for a second opinion because the eminent vets at the large university animal hospital who were treating her for the gut infection, dismissed the laminitis. Her front feet separated at the coronary band and her pedal bones rotated. There is definite separation showing in your photos but this will grow out as long as there is healthy new growth coming from the coronary band. Do not let it get worse! Your yearling is not over-fat so I would suggest the laminitis was caused by another factor. My advice would be to seek a second opinion, if only to answer all your questions. Will try to add more later but have to go and tend to my lot. |
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Edited by - pintoarabian on 11 Aug 2010 8:07:06 PM |
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kath
Gold Member
United Kingdom
943 Posts |
Posted - 11 Aug 2010 : 07:23:16 AM
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| Your vet sounds extrememly unhelpful - i'd be getting a second opinion quick smart, get her off grass & onto a deep shavings bed, and give her acp & aspirin to dilate the blood vessels & so increase the blood supply to the hoof |
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NatH
Platinum Member
England
2695 Posts |
Posted - 11 Aug 2010 : 09:00:39 AM
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Change your Vet as quickly as you can.
Laminitis is a killer and your Vet needs shooting.
You are absolutely right to be worried
The split in the coronary band could be an abcess trying to break out, I have seen this before so please act now.
I don't want to seem dramatic but as with all laminitis cases time is crucial.
I lost my boy nearly 4 years ago now and that was with immediate veterinary attention.
As Kath says get your boy in off the grass, into a deep bed ideally of shavings or something similar as this will support the underside of the foot. DO NO STARVE YOUR BOY. Give small amounts of hay or straw to eat on a regular basis. Allen & Page do a mix called 'L' Mix worth trying to get some of that.
I wouldn't dose him up with anything until the Vet has seen him because you don't want to mask the symptoms your Vet will need to assess him 'naturally'.
As Pintoarabian said laminitis can be caused by many things.
Please change your Vet, take immediate Veterinary advice and PLEASE keep us posted. |
Natalie
Chapel Lane Arabians
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pinkvboots
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3290 Posts |
Posted - 11 Aug 2010 : 09:12:00 AM
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As Pintoarabian has said horses dont have to be fat to get Laminitis and it all starts in the stomach, she should have been given acp as well as pain killers, my mare was given both two years ago with her Laminitis they also x rayed her feet after about 2 weeks once she was comfortable enough to have it done, she was in her box for 7 weeks so one week off grazing doesn't sound long enough to me. U
Unfortunately my horse went down with colic just before I was going to start turning her out again and I lost her, but many horses recover from Laminitis so I would find another vet to look at her now so no further damage is done, if you need any other help just ask no question is silly, everyone on here will try and help you as much as we can. I hope you get it sorted soon let us know how you get on. Good luck x.
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Zan
Platinum Member
Scotland
3213 Posts |
Posted - 11 Aug 2010 : 09:18:42 AM
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| Change your vet---I can only repeat what others have said. Your vet should indeed be shot as NatH says. Laminitis is always potentially life threatening and should always be taken seriously. Get an equine vet out ASAP. |
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Kazzy
Platinum Member
England
3335 Posts |
Posted - 11 Aug 2010 : 09:41:48 AM
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Yes, change your vet immediatelty like from today!!! Have you knot got a stable to put him in so he cant walk around, the more he walks or tries toshuffle around the more damage will be done and the more chance of rotation.
After all this very very dry weather we have had and then all this rain Laminitis is rife!!! I know of people that have big horses that they ride coming down with it, some people forget that this time of year especially after a drought and then rain Laminitis rears its ugly head. The new grass that is shooting though is a killer even if it is not lush all over, the amount of sugar in the grass is lethal.
Please change your vets likes been said and try and box him in on a soft bedding ie shavings, peet or whatever prefably not straw he needs support in his feet.
Good luck and keep us informed.
Janet |
     
Sunny Cheshire |
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pintoarabian
Gold Member
Scotland
1242 Posts |
Posted - 11 Aug 2010 : 10:01:32 AM
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Good advice from all but will also echo Kath's advice about deep shavings bed and aspirin. Our filly was about the same size and weight as yours and she was on 15 soluble aspirin a day for months on second vet's recommendation (got them in bottles of 1000 from the vet as most stores/pharmacies only let you buy 2 packs at a time). Also consider a probiotic if it has been caused by toxins leaking from the gut and add biotin to his feed to promote healthy hoof growth. The vet recommended we feed ours soaked Spillers high fibre cubes and low cal chop, as recommended by the Laminitis Trust, with a little Top Spec Anti Lam. We also had to take her off haylage and soak last season's hay for 12 hours before feeding. Will add more as I recall it.
By the way, our filly made a 100% recovery but we were within 2 days of losing her. |
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Edited by - pintoarabian on 12 Aug 2010 09:39:21 AM |
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nikki83
Silver Member
427 Posts |
Posted - 11 Aug 2010 : 10:17:10 AM
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| hi just thought i would add my own experience of laminitis. My old tb mare had laminitis, she too was not overweight and it was the back end of summer so grass wasnt great. The vet diagnosed it as mud fever that had got in through an absess in her heel and caused the laminitis. At the time i thought he was talking complete cod but after doing research it made sense that bacterial infections can cause it. About a week after the vet had been, the absess broke through pretty similar to your pic but at the back of her hoof. She had box rest for about 2 weeks and was totally fine. Never happened again, just one of those things! Hope your horse feels better soon. Nikki x |
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nikki83
Silver Member
427 Posts |
Posted - 11 Aug 2010 : 10:21:34 AM
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| just to add, i agree, get a 2nd opinion and of the grass into a deep bed x |
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alison
Platinum Member
Wales
1810 Posts |
Posted - 11 Aug 2010 : 12:00:19 PM
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I would certainly get a second opinion, the split at the top looks like an abscess trying to get out! have you noticed any discharge as it may have already burst. I would also be careful about bacteria getting in through the split. Good luck I'm sure with a different vet you will get on top of it.
Alison |
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garnet
Platinum Member
2382 Posts |
Posted - 11 Aug 2010 : 3:49:31 PM
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Agree with what has already been said - you must get another vet ASAP; either ask for an equine specialist from the practice you usually use or call a different practice - the treatment you have received sounds appalling; no wonder you are stressed.
You need a deep bed of shavings or similar - Easibed is supposed to be very good as it packs into feet well to support pedal bones.
Red has been on box rest since 19/5 with lami apart from a week and a half when he had daytime turnout but then came in lame, so I do sympathise with what you are going through. He wasn't very overweight and has lived in the same field for 7 years so it has really caught me out. I have been advised to use soaked hay and he is also on Alfa A, HiFi Lite and Happy Hoof.
Best of luck - keep us posted. |
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pintoarabian
Gold Member
Scotland
1242 Posts |
Posted - 11 Aug 2010 : 5:13:50 PM
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| Our filly was also on a sachet of Danilon twice a day initially and gradually reducing. The remedial farrier was also called by the vet to work in tandem with him but she was so bad initially that he could do nothing because the separation at the coronary band was so great and there was also the danger of the pedal bones coming through her soles. We had to make self-hardening putty slippers and vet wrap them on, literally to stop her front hooves falling off. We also had to put ice cubes in a plastic bag and then in a sock bandaged to her pasterns every two hours initially, until I had the idea of filling long, curved balloons with water and freezing them. That gave us about 8 hours. She was in a more critical condition than your yearling at the time but the last thing you want is for yours to get a setback. Everything was thrown at her to bring her back from the brink and it worked. To see her gallop about the field now fills my heart with joy because no-one ever expected her recovery to be so full. Even the farrier who treated her says her feet are excellent and show no trace of laminitis whatsoever. We owe it all to the vet from a different practice because I had the courage to demand it. On the positive side, younger horses tend to make better recoveries because new growth is a normal part of their development and they are lighter thus not bearing as much weight on their feet. When our filly turned the corner the rate of growth in her feet was phenomenal and the hoof was harder than normal. |
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Edited by - pintoarabian on 11 Aug 2010 8:10:17 PM |
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Callisto
Platinum Member
6905 Posts |
Posted - 11 Aug 2010 : 7:25:54 PM
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| Just to echo everyone else, please change your vet to a specialist equine vet with a good reputation. We lost our beloved homebred boy to laminitis at the premature age of 12 due to an incompetent vet, by the time we realized he didn't know what he was doing and got a second opinion it was too late. I will never make the mistake of blindly trusting a vet again. My fingers are firmly crossed for your youngster. |
  Zahkira (GR Amaretto x Taffetta)
Linda
East Sussex |
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kirst
Silver Member
Scotland
460 Posts |
Posted - 11 Aug 2010 : 8:40:01 PM
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| My fingers are crossed for your youngster too. |
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xsara
Gold Member
822 Posts |
Posted - 11 Aug 2010 : 9:16:11 PM
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| If he was lame on the one foot was it the one with the crack as if it is could have been an abcess and the stress of it and the extra support on the other three legs trying to keep weight of the bad foot would be enough to give a horse laminitis. I would also like to ask how long have you had him as i would not be totally happy with the shape of the foot you have posted pictures of it shows a typical lamintic foot as the heels are high the foot is boxy and it has the curve from the cornorea band like the slipper effect lamintis causes and just wondering if he has had it before |
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angel2002
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
2502 Posts |
Posted - 11 Aug 2010 : 9:40:52 PM
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Hi Kharif
I was thinking the same as xsara, the shape of the hoof/foot does not look good and I would suspect that this isn't the 1st time this little man has had a problem. From what I see I would say he is rather well covered for a yearling (photo of his rear) can I ask what you are feeding him?
My advice is to get him out of that muddy paddock and into a stable on a thick bed of shavings.
I would be calling a different vet in the local area and if there wasn't one I would be demanding a second opinion/referral to my nearest vet hospital as a metter of urgency and I mean like yesterday!!
A very very good friend of mine is going through hell at the moment with her 9yr old boy who has just been diagnosed with sugar intolerance induced laminitis, he had none of the usual signs of this condition and it was not caused by anything she was doing, his pedal bone has rotated and fingers crossed it has not moved any further over the last couple of weeks, to her each day he is here is a bonus at the moment so please make that call URGENTLY!!
I will cross my fingers for you and please keep us updated xx |
Angel
Passion Arabians
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Kharif
New Member
27 Posts |
Posted - 11 Aug 2010 : 9:53:47 PM
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Hi all,thatnks for the replies. The worse crack is on the foot that he wasnt as sore on to begin with. I had a good scrub about tonight and there is a small puncture on the side with the little crack down the hoof wall on the outside. I'm going to get my farrier out asap to get his opinion. I'm guessing there was some kind of abscess that started it off? He was on 2 danalon a day which was reduced down.
He is on safe and sound, my concern is that he isnt getting enough now with still growing.
I have had him since weaning and this is the first time he has had any issues.
I have an equine vet with a good rep, my usual vet was on holiday so the partner was the one that attended. I have spoken to who I usually deal with today and have sent some pictures across to him.
Can I add that he is no longer lame, I wouldnt have him out if he was still hobbling about, he was never shuffling about even at his worst.He is standing fine, with even weight on all 4 feet and back to his normal self. When I left tonight he was dancing about on his back feet showing off.
It's just totally stumped me. |
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angel2002
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
2502 Posts |
Posted - 11 Aug 2010 : 10:02:30 PM
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Please don't think me rude but I wouldn't be impressed with my farrier if my horses feet looked like this... Especially on a yearling.
I hope you get this sorted out sooner rather than later. Personally I would not have him out until he has been seen by a competant vet, my friends horse wasn't lame either, as I said he had none of the usual signs of laminitis and look what has happened to him 
Again, all crossed for you x
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Angel
Passion Arabians
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karen d
Gold Member
United Kingdom
847 Posts |
Posted - 12 Aug 2010 : 09:31:48 AM
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i have to say i have had to re read this post numerous times to make sure i have read it correctly!!!!
As angel 2002 as said i have been battling for the last 4/5 weeks to try and save my horses life from this terrible disease and i am absolutely horrified and appalled by your vets
no equine vet in their right mind, if laminitis is suspected, would not have a horse in on a deep bed with frog supports and x rays to see what is going on.
you said the vet suspected laminitis in all four feet, gave you a pain killer and left you to it!!!!!!!!!!! then after a week, said it was ok for a suspected laminitis case to be grazing on grass again!!!!
are these people for real!!!!! if that was my vet, i would have shot him by now. im sorry if i sound harsh, but good god, get PROPER experts to see to your poor horse ASAP. also agree with the others about you farriers skills too!!!!
please forgive my rantings but i am extreemely worried about my boy, and extreemely tired, and to come on here and see a post like this horrifies and saddens me |
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angel2002
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
2502 Posts |
Posted - 12 Aug 2010 : 7:36:40 PM
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Hi Kharif
Has your vet been out and seen your yearling yet?? |
Angel
Passion Arabians
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Cinnypony
Gold Member
1160 Posts |
Posted - 12 Aug 2010 : 9:54:51 PM
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Again agree - new vet needed quickly, Would rather pee off a vet than lose my horse.
Also think that the hoof looks wrong, maybe as well as a new vet you should consider getting a qualified barefoot trimmer as some of them are very good at assisting with vets if mechanical laminitis or if caused by diet and environment they can help with that too.
Good luck to both of you. |
    
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Kharif
New Member
27 Posts |
Posted - 13 Aug 2010 : 12:11:38 AM
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I have spoken with the vet today and was advised to keep the crack clean and allow it to grow out.
Should every case of laminitis be xrayed? The vet advised that it was caught early enough not to have caused major problems. He has went from being sound to lame and back to sound in around 10 days. How long would it be advised to keep him boxed once the symptoms and lamness cleared up?
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peg
Silver Member
United Kingdom
349 Posts |
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NatH
Platinum Member
England
2695 Posts |
Posted - 13 Aug 2010 : 09:10:16 AM
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Kharif, I had my Vet out within 1 hour of my boy going 'footy' - 7 months later I had him PTS.
I really don't wish to frighten you to death but Laminitis is a killer, thankfully not in all cases.
If you want proof please read my stallions story on my website.
You really can't act quickly enough with the dreaded 'L' |
Natalie
Chapel Lane Arabians
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pinkvboots
Platinum Member
United Kingdom
3290 Posts |
Posted - 13 Aug 2010 : 09:25:57 AM
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Please Kharif listen to the others on here, it sounds like you caught the Laminitis early but I would still want the feet x rayed so you know what your dealing with, I also have to agree the shape of the hoof is very upright and needs sorting out now before its to late, its easier to correct when there young.
I would use another vet it doesn't sound right to me he should have given acp to increase the blood flow along with the danilon, he should have told you to bring the horse in and put a very deep bed down to cushion the feet.
If he has gone lame after being sound I would not be happy, we are not vets on here so we cant tell you how long the horse should be in for, that's why you need a vet who knows what there doing my horse didn't have any rotation just slight sinking in her feet and she was on box rest for 8 weeks with turnout in the sand school for the last week, and I lost her to colic the week after please don't leave this I would want someone else's opinion.
Edited to say: I would get him off the grass with all this sudden rain the grass sugar levels will be high. lethal for Laminitis. |
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Edited by - pinkvboots on 13 Aug 2010 09:29:37 AM |
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Laminitis
