Posted by Patty Stiller on May 21, 2000 at 21:32:34:
In Reply to: FOUNDER posted by Geri Gillihan on May 21, 2000 at 14:20:00:
: HELP!!! ANYONE.....last fall my little Paso Fino mare foundered; it was my own fault! Since then every time she get trimmed she goes through agony. She was trimmed on Wednesday and this morning she can hardly walk...I'm so afraid she will go down and it'll turn into a much bigger nightmare then it is. Is there anything I can do to help her? Does this sound nomral? I mean, to be in so much pain like she is after a trim...........I gave her some bute amd also painted her hooves with a hardener. I kept her up in her stall since I have mats down on the floor...what else can I do? Please help me.........
If trimmimng her is making her worse( rather than better) then she either needs a different approach in the trim/maintainance procedure, or she is in need of supportive shoeing.Trimming a cxhronic founder foot is often VERY different than trimming a normal one. You need to do several things. 1) get your vet to come evaluate the feet, including X rays, to determine exactly the position of the coffin bone inside the foot.X rays will also reveal how much sole is left under the tip of the bone, and help the farier evaluate what there is and isn't to trim. Every founder is different and this X ray evaluation helps the farrier to perform the best "custom shoeing for her case. The vet and farrier shouls be working together on this.
2) order the instructional video from EDSS, here in the website, on the applkication of the EDSS system.It also includs instruction i nte appication of styrofoam in a sopecific manner to help her recover to a point that she will be shoeable.EDSS has styrofoam available in prepared blocks, but if you want to do something today, go a building supply house and get some 2" thick blue styrofoam , and apply it to the bottom of the feet with duct tape, as per instructions that I think you can find here in the website. Even if you and the farrier choose to use some other type of shoeing, it will give you and the farrier a better idea of how a foundered foot needs to be prepared for shoeing.
3)While you wait for the vet and the video, get the mare into an area where she has the option of lying down in deep bedding. if she is that sore, she will want to get off her feet and that is important, while still leaving her the option of moving about a pen if she wants. A stall with attatched corrall, or a corral with deeply bedded shelter is great.
The phone number for EDSS is (406) 892-2977 The people there can help you purchase the instructional video, and the supplies you need should you and your vet /farrier team choose to use this system. Patty