Laminitis and mare heavy in foal

[Grippin&Rippen]

I have a mare that is due to foal on the 15th-ish of this month. She is VERY VERY heavy and has become very foot sore up front.

She isn't very motivated to move around much anyhow, but this last week and a half has been hell for her. She is standing normally, there is no digital pulse, she is not laying down excessively, but she is VERY sore and walks around like she's on egg shells. In addition, dirt and hay gets packed onto the bottom of her feet and just ***** up - looks like a snow ball - so I KNOW she isn't getting around enough to clean her feet out on her own, and it's obvious that this causes additional soreness.

Up until a week ago I had her on alfalfa and a good vit/mineral supp. No grain. I have never had an issue with her and this diet before (I've owned her for 4 years), but when she started getting sore I pulled her off the alfalfa and offered only grass hay. This hasn't seemed to make any difference.

I have been giving a gram of bute morning and evening and cleaning her feet out as often as I can get out there - at least the 2, sometimes more a day. I have talked with my vet about it, and he just says to keep on with the bute, possibly trying just a gram a day if that keeps her comfortable (but it doesn't).

I am feeling a little helpless here. I will probably put shoes on her fronts after she foals, but I don't see her standing well for them at the moment and I don't know that I want to put her under the additional stress of that right now.

Any thoughts? I do have some Boa's. Their too big, but maybe I can put some foam in the bottom.

Thanks.
Tami

[mwmyersdvm]

Foam would be good as would a heavily bedded stall. Type II diabetes secondary to pregnancy is a syndrome seen in humans and I have seen instances of it in horses. You do need radiographs of this mare to get her feet in optimal balance and support.
You may want to try Surpass topically and keep the phenylbutazone to a miniumum. It can have adverse effects on foal development.
Get an insulin test done to see if insulin resistance is an issue and test the hay. I have not experienced an issue with alfalfa hay, but it could be possible. Do not restrict protein on this mare and make sure her vitamin and mineral levels are adequate. You are growing a foal in there and nutrition is crucial.