Posted by Jan on July 10, 2003 at 14:45:44:
In Reply to: Re: Eggbars Vs. Backwards shoe? posted by TE Couch on July 10, 2003 at 07:40:57:
Jan - Please tell what were the going down hill symptons - pain? further rotation?
TE
TE, from day one after the shoes where removed the horse moved around noticeably less. I was told to expect some soreness as she had been used to wearing shoes. After a few days, the soreness was more evident, she would only walk slowly and kept her worst front foot (right) expended forward while standing, picking up the left every 10-15 seconds in order to "rest" it, as she was not bearing much weight on the right. Head bobbing lame at the trot and would only trot if "forced" to, which was only done for a few seconds to gage the amount of lameness. She would seek poop piles to stand in (the ground in her turnout was/is hard). The vet thought abscess for awhile, as she did not have much heat in the front and only occasional, weak pulses, and little response to hoof testers. He did not want me to use the styrofoam pads on her as he believes they cause too much heat and soften the sole, possibly creating more potential for a sinker. The trimmer discouraged me from putting sand in her turnout area, as she said that would reduce blood flow to her feet or some such thing.
Anyway, this went on for about 2 months with no improvement, indeed she became progressively more sore. No abscesses ever broke through. By the end of December she foundered again (was down, reluctant to move at all, and had little interest in food, other horses, or me). I tried the pads at that point and they provided noticeable relief (she would at least get up and hobble around). However, by shifting the weight to the rear with the pads, she came up very lame in the back and did breakout an abscess in the right rear foot through the white line. Then it snowed and she couldn't be turned out with the pads (way too slippery). I considered euthanasia at this point. It seemed nothing we did helped (diet issues had been addressed, no grain, no grass, low carb hay, minerals balanced with along with extra Mg, Cr, Se, trims every three weeks [her feet actually looked very good - too good according to one vet], etc.). She wasn't overweight at all, in fact has been quite ribby (although cresty) for years. She has been tested several times but does not have Cushings disease. Kicked myself in the butt for having her shoes removed.
My vet encouraged me to try pergolide again (we had previously tried it but it made her sick) and it was recommended that I start at a very low dose and increase slowly. It worked this time. She also seems to respond better to the brand name Permax. She has gotten progressively better and has grown new, seemingly healthy hoof about halfway down. However, a few weeks after this founder, severe rings appeared in three out of four feet, with the right front and back being the worst. It has been a struggle for my trimmer to get the right front to grow correctly (lots of bubble and distortion from dead, stretched laminae) since then but it finally seems to be doing OK. There is even some concaveness to both front soles which had never been there in the seven years I've owned her (they used to bulge out). She is not on any pain meds and is pasture sound, trots and even canters frequently. I don't plan to ride her until her feet have grown all the way out and her laminae no longer stretched, if that ever happens.
Jan