acute laminitis

[Tricia Wynn]

I am currently at a loss. My cousins horse is foundering - and as most of you know for 3 yrs we have been battling founder with Gun. Our biggest problem is we knew so little during his first attack and he was misdiagnosed and mis handled.
My problem is now that I feel her vet isnt taking some precautions I thought were kind of "standard protocol" but maybe there are other options? :confused:

1-I thought getting styrofoam / impression material on their feet asap - this vet left him barefoot - but in a deeply bedded stall

2-Blood work - I know being in Michigan and the cold nights and hot days have really increased the sugar levels in grass, but isnt blood work still important?

3- Bute - I know again some like bute some dont, but isnt it good for the inflammation?

4- During the acute stage, wouldnt you avoid shoes?

5- Do you really starve a laminitic horse? I understand no grain, but 1 flake a hay only?? How does one heal with no nutrition??

I dont want to contradict her vet, but it seems like they could do so much more.

[Red Amor]

Gday Mate
www.safergrass.com
www.founderguard.com
these should help you with the nutritional questions

the rest would depend on the serverity of the laminetic episode and
wheather or not its a cronic case as to how much work the vet/Farrier would need to apply
Ofen the K.I.S.S. system is all thats needed and very affective
It might be prudent for you to talk to the vet involved , give her the oppertunity to answer your concerns
Adios Amor

[Cloisonné]

1-I thought getting styrofoam / impression material on their feet asap - this vet left him barefoot - but in a deeply bedded stall

If the feet are barefoot, deeply bedding with straw or shavings won't provide enough support for his feet. Tape the styrofoam on or better yet, bed with clean, screened sand.

2-Blood work - I know being in Michigan and the cold nights and hot days have really increased the sugar levels in grass, but isnt blood work still important?

Well, yeah, for diagnosing the cause of the laminitis (Cushings, insulin resistance, equine metabolic syndrome). Treatment for the acute stage is the same, no matter what the cause is.

3- Bute - I know again some like bute some dont, but isnt it good for the inflammation?

During the acute phase of laminitis it is, maybe for a week or so. I find banamine works better. The horse shouldn't be maintained on NSAIDS indefinitely though.

4- During the acute stage, wouldnt you avoid shoes?

I would. Also need to be on the lookout for abscesses down the road. They don't always happen but it's important they're allowed to drain properly. This can be a problem if they're shod too soon with full pads and the abscess decides to exit in the sole area.

5- Do you really starve a laminitic horse? I understand no grain, but 1 flake a hay only?? How does one heal with no nutrition??

If that's what her vet is recommending, she needs a new vet.

I dont want to contradict her vet, but it seems like they could do so much more.

Of course there is. Not much you can do though if the owner believes in this treatment, except offer her suggestions. Poor horse. :(

Jan

[Tricia Wynn]

Thanks for the replies. I am not afraid to push her a little! I just dont want to see her horse suffer needlesssly like Gun did! I just didnt want to step on toes - if I was "missing" something in my thought pattern