Acute Laminitis...flare up???

[JellyKross]

I have an 8 year old Morgan gelding who foundered 3 1/2 years ago after having a reaction to a cortizone injection.

We've gotten through months of stall rest and way to many abcesses and worked our way to having shoes put back on this past December. He was doing exceptionally well, starting back to work in small amounts until the good old New England's hot and humid summer hit. With the dampness in the air Jack developed a pretty good case of white line. We did some minor resectioning and I was able to keep everything under control since. His foot is growing well, although the shoe was removed and he is now being wrapped with a lilypad which he has been sound on.

About 3 weeks ago he came down with a virus (103 fever and a good run of colic). He received 3 days of intervienous Tetracycline and then went on a 7 day oral dosage. Since he first got sick, he's been a bit off (some good days and some pretty sore days). I put him back on bute (1 gram am and 1 gram pm). He did well on this but as soon as I started to cut him back, he's become sore again. he seems to be walking ok (soundness wise), but just isn't motivated to walk....lots of stopping and looking around. I uped his bute again to 1 gram am and pm and started to give him some banamine in case of any inflamtion that may be making him uncomfortable.

I guess that I'm looking for some input as to whether or not anyone has seen something like this before. Am I doing what I need to med wise? I know that the chances of him rotating more because of the fever and meds into his system are there. I'm just wondering if he might have rotated more and he's just not showing any lameness? Pulses are not any different than they normally are...I'm confused. I'm calling my vet out on Monday to re-xray but want to know before then if I'm doing everything that I can be doing.

[Jeanette James, CESMT]

Believe me, I can totally sympathize. They have good days and bad days. Most anything can set them off again. Mine foundered 3 years ago from illness. This is the only horse I own and she not only rotated but sunk. She can go long periods of time without bute, but there are times that's not so. Seems the cold, damp days can bother her and so forth. I've had her on bute lately. Getting xrays and your vet is a good idea. Some of these horses founder, come out of it and go ahead with good management. Others take a lot more to keep them going and still others never fare that well.
If I suspect anything or feel that she needs the bute for any reason, I give it as you are doing. A call to your vet may give you some insight until he comes out.

Jeanette Crowe, CESMT
www.JeanetteCrowe.com

[calshoer]

In my experience I have never seen a horse with laminitis recover who was either stall confined or on bute for long term. All of those eventually died. There are real bio-chemical reasons for this, including possibly elevated cortisol levels due to the stress of confinement, and possible gut lining and irritation with gut toxin 'leakage' from long term bute.
I recommend discussing with your vet the possibility that the antibiotics and bute combined may be causing some gut bacterial imbalances ,and perhaps gut lining inflammation,which can lead to the recurrance of the laminitis. There has been good information from the veterinay community that Bute creates a real 'catch 22 'problem if used very long after the initial stage of the laminitis. This is exacerbated when it is combined with oral antibiotics. Some of the veterinrians I know use an 'on and off' approach with bute ...a week on, then four days off or something like that.
I presonally have discovered that laminitic horses recover better and faster if they are kept off the bute altogether after the initial inflammatory stage,(48 hours or so) and allowed to lie down in response to the pain. Pain is nature's way of protecting the feet . Of course this means the need to be bedded REAL deep so they don't get bedsores , with free access to the outside if they want to get up an go out. Com[pany helps reduce the strsss levels a lot, like a companion pony, or quiet horse next door . Less stress means less cortisol.
And of course bone support and protection as you have already done is essential if they do get up and move about.
They will lie down if they hurt to much, and better protect the feet from further mechanical damge than if the were standing up too much due to pain relieving meds. Some of vets also use a product called "gastro guard" or a probiotic to help mainain a healhy gut while the horses are on meds. So l run this by your verterinarian and see what he or she he sugests.

Patty

[Katy Watts]

It is just now starting to freeze in New England, which will cause ac***ulation of sugars in grass. With a recent course of antibiotics, the gut micro organisms that aid digestion may be compromised. An increase in sugars, combined with the inability to digest/ferment them can cause increase the possibility of carb overload and production of endotoxins.
Decrease grass or other high carb consumption, and consider short course of probiotics to repopulate gut bugs. I don't believe them necessary long term, but this is just my opinion.
Katy
www.safergrass.org