Laimintis, lost horse

[mclain hitchin post]

A customer of a year recently lost her horse (6 y.o. aribian gelding). The horse bruised his foot about late winter or early spring. About late summer it looked as though it was healed and after a trim the owner went for a ride. She called and said her horse was lame due to my trim. Being out of town for a few months she got another farrier to shod the horse. I deemed not a good idea (he wouldn't stand for a basic trim). The owner was made to leave as to not see what they were doing to her horse. He also told her her horse was foundered and had founder fat on his neck and rump. He did not shoe for a foundered horse, he put reg. shoes on. After I returned to town I was called back to remove the shoes because he was lame again. I had a hard time trimming due to the last farriers abuse. There was not much to trim (8 wks. since last trim). The horse had flat feet in the front and I advised a vet check, suspecting laminitis. The vet came out and said the horse had foundered due to over feeding over a period of time. No x-ray was taken. He prescribed some kind of pill 25 at a time 2 times a day to help with blood flow. The horse died about a week later. The vet did not examine the horse and told the owner he died of colic. I am wondering about the pills prescribed has anyone heard of this treatment? I am looking for other methods of treatment of laminitis and founder. Also signs, the horse didn't have basic founder signs. Any help would be appreciated.

[mwmyersdvm]

I have discovered through the years that any time you see a bruise or an abscess you need to consider where that came from. You may try to justify a rock, stump, stick or whatever, but try to come up with a "differential diagnosis list". Laminitis will always be on this list. I see many "abscesses" that turn out to be laminar tears from low grade chronic laminitis. I have a great set of venograms depicting this event from a chronically abscessing Morgan that the veterinarian finally diagnosed metabolic laminitis. (I was not the attending veterinarian).
It is a shame that this horse was lost. It is likely he had low grade chronic laminitis all along and this could havebeen a factor in his resistance to farrier intervention. It is no wonder you couldn't handle him after he got his hooves pounded on by someone else.
The drug was likely isoxuprine and the "colic" may have been a perforating gastric ulcer. The chronic stresss these horse's undergo with their inability to adequately deal with it can often result n this scenario.

[Phil Armitage]

That is very disturbing to hear. I think this should be a lesson learned by the owner and the other farrier. I would want both party to learn that they caused this horse undue pain and poor qaulity of life and have no buisness being around horses.

[joan cameron]

Sounds like the pills were isoxuprin (not sure if I've spelled it right) which is commonly used in laminitic horses. The research on it is controversial, some studies saying it makes no difference, others saying it works but has to be injected not in pill form. I used it on a foundered mare I used to own, can't say I saw any improvement with it. The theory is that it's supposed to open up the blood vessels and increase blood flow/circulation in the foot.

[BeachShoer]

This just sounds like everything went wrong. I'm a little confused why the vet didn't take any x-rays. If i even suspect laminitis in a case i always insist on x-rays. It's the only definitive way to diagnose it. I also can't believe the owner left to not watch what was done to their horse. My clients would order me off the property if i asked some of them to do that. :eek: I have seen a few horses go on isoxuprin but like everything else sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. It's always about trying to find the right combination of treatments thats why i love this job.

[Phil Armitage]

This just sounds like everything went wrong. I'm a little confused why the vet didn't take any x-rays. If i even suspect laminitis in a case i always insist on x-rays. It's the only definitive way to diagnose it. I also can't believe the owner left to not watch what was done to their horse. My clients would order me off the property if i asked some of them to do that. :eek: I have seen a few horses go on isoxuprin but like everything else sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. It's always about trying to find the right combination of treatments thats why i love this job.

I agree with your point on takeing X-Rays, however not all Vets are created equal. I have seen founder and the Vet say to the owner the horse is not foundering because there is not rotation. What about sinker??????? What do you do when that happens, I have argued the point before, sometimes I get the owner attention sometimes I do not. Problem is, if the Vet says it is not founder alot of horse owners will believe the Vet.

[BeachShoer]

SO true so true not all vets are created equal but we must not elevate ourselves because the same could be said about us