Posted by leslie cober on October 09, 2003 at 23:16:11:
In Reply to: Re: Laminitis with no rotation posted by joel dudenhefer on August 08, 2003 at 20:14:24:
: : : : : : My horse got laminitis 4 weeks ago. Hadn't done so hot. No rotation though. Vet wanted the Vettac gel with screen stuff put on. Horse went dead lame as bad as the first week with it on. Horse has been on full dose bute and ace the entire time and could not back off on it - horse was in too much pain. Took horse to another vet who said to cut it out and just put lilly pads on. Horse started doing great - no drugs now.
: : : : : : Questions are
: : : : : : 1. How long to keep lilly pads on - how do I know when to not use them. One foot has mild heat in it.
: : : : : : 2. Horse is now wanting to run around and buck and kick - is it OK - vet said I could turn him out. I don't mind putting the pads on after he tears them off
: : : : : : 3. I hear about using hoof supplements, but don't they contain the bad protein the vet does not want me to feed my horse. He's only on 2 lbs straight oats.
: : : : : : 4. Say he continues to improve, at what point can I start riding him again. another month - 2 months, or what. How do I know it's safe and he's ready
: : : : : : Thanks for your help
: : : : : What caused the laminitis in the first place? If the cause is not known, and not properly addressed, putting this horse to grass might be a mistake. Also, feeding grain to laminitic horses is generally not done. Protein does not cause laminitis except perhaps when in extreme excess. It's more about carbohydrates.
: : : : : My website might be of help. www.safergrass.org
: : : : :
: : : : : Katy
: : : : Bad feed from a mill north of New Orleans. 6 horses so far have founded or gotten laminitis from it. Only letting him graze a couple of hours. Was told by a couple of horseshoers not to give him the supplements yet because of the high protein level in some of them. It's not a grass thing with him.
: : : : Still need to know about rest of questions - Anyone???
: : : Protein is usually NOT the problem.In the majoprity of laminitis cases in recent years, blood tests are revealing hormoinal and mineral imbalances in the horses which create a variety of problems, usually some amount of "insulin resistance"(typr 2 diabetes) ,or low thyroid, or both. Insulin resitance crreats an inability for the horse to properly process sugars in the feed(natural grass sugars and addded mollasses etc)
: : : Go to Yahoo.com, click on "Groups", and join EquineCushings. It is free. Even if your horse does not have 'cushings syndrome', there are deep discussions and references to resources there which will help you and your vets understand what to look for in the underlying cause of the laminitis. Much of this research is new and many veterinarians are not aware of it
: : : Also a terrific new book to help you understand laminitis better ,and learn some good ways to therapeutically shoe the horse is "Equine Laminitis" written by Dr Chris Pollitt, BVs, PhD. You can find it on Amazon com, and in most horse book catalogs.
: : : Patty
: : Either the first vet you used and/or the farrier arent educated in the treatment of laminitis enough to know NOT to put ANYTHING uder the apex of P3...that is Laminitis 101
: : Lilly pads are an OK temporary "fix" to transfer the load to the rear half of the foot and make the horse more comfortable......if the first vet is the one that diagnosed "no rotation" then I would have a 2nd set of x-rays done by someone qualified to read them and then use a farrier experienced in applying therapeutic shoes.......the feet will likely have to be shod with caudal support for a few shoeings and gradually eased back into flat shoes or barefoot
: : Derin
: I had the second set of xrays done by a different vet now at 4 weeks - still no rotation. He's the one that said that my particular horse could not take the sole pressure and said go ahead and use the lilly pad. Regarding the previous post to yours - Let's back up - I know what caused the founder - bad feed - but several farriers have now told me don't feed any hoof supplements or anything that might have something in it (extra protein) that might build him up. Today he was gimpy with the lily pads on - took them off for a little while.
: I keep reading on the internet, posts from vets and farriers - I have gotten at least 10 different ways of doing things for a horse with laminitis or founder, including differences of opinion by 4 vets now. I think what i need right now is just something in the medium range of treatment. One farrier told me to put a rubber ball on the frog, another told me he puts a egg bar shoe on, another told me he uses the Vettac gel (which the first vet recommended too) - that made him crawling lame. Cut that out and went to lilly pad based on 2nd vet's opinion after looking at xrays.
: Now what I am asking for is again - on a horse with NO rotation and apparently still inflamed laminae - how can I keep him comfortable (without trying something else expensive that does not work. Counting a vet trip the day before he became acute for something non related - I've spent $1,175 on him in 4 weeks alone between vet bills, drugs and special shoeings. How long can I expect him to continue to be sore. The vet does not want me to use anymore bute if I can help it cause he was on it for 3-l/2 weeks. Are we looking at until the hoof grows down some more or what.
I have a mare that foundered after a long trailer trip...treated with banamine, atravet, nitrogylcerine and bar shoes with packing...that was three weeks ago...now she is being turned out to a sand ring...some days there's heat in the feet some days there is none...when there is back on the bute and into the stall...mare gets no grain, only hay, vitamin and mineral mix, and beet pulp to hide the drugs in...am also going to try biotin and methothine supplement to help the foot growth...farrier and vet say 5 to 6 months before we can do anything else...