Laminitis | Mumsnet

Owlyhedgehog · 2023-08-30T20:11:29+00:00

I think my pony might have it and I feel so stressed. Shes on box rest (day 5) soaking hay, overweight. Need a handhold 😥

Justmemyselfandi999 · 30/08/2023 21:38

Has a vet confirmed? 5 days is a long time to have a lame horse and no diagnosis?

RatherBeRiding · 31/08/2023 09:58

As PP said - have you had the vet out? if she has it she needs to be on bute and possibly frog supports and a big deep bed. it can be a perfectly manageable condition but it's not one to be ignored. Going forward, you need a plan - get the weight off (at least we are heading into autumn/winter so best time of year to get weight off) - I assume, being overweight already, she is on no feed? You will need to manage your grazing.

EeesandWhizz · 31/08/2023 15:14

Is box rest the thing for laminitis now? I thought that movement on gentle ground was encouraged? We have a pony that has a history of laminitis but just massively reduce his grazing on a long thin strip around the edge of the field.

Lastqueenofscotland2 · 31/08/2023 15:51

If a horse is having a laminitis flare up box rest on a very deep bed is still what is recommended. They would be far to sore to be out.

But echo the others, you need a vet and you need his feet X-rayed… yesterday

Newuser75 · 31/08/2023 19:29

How is your pony today? I have a laminitic horse and it's a nightmare. Keeping their weight down is a big effort.is she on pain relief?

You are doing the right thing keeping her stabled. She will need to be on a deep bed to support her feet and soaked, weighed hay at 1.5% of her body weight.

Good luck! It's not easy. This year has been a nightmare with it

Original poster

Owlyhedgehog · 31/08/2023 23:02

Hi everyone, thank you for your replies.
I havent had vet out yet. My yard owner has helped me alot, she is on a deep bed, 1.5 % of soaked hay a day (which really stresses me out cos shes always hungry and grumpy when hungry!) Shes been on box rest for 5 days now.
My farrier is coming to check her tomorrow and will then go from there.
We originally thought it was tendon related but now treating as lami.

OP posts:

Original poster

Owlyhedgehog · 31/08/2023 23:04

She also has pain relief

OP posts:

Lastqueenofscotland2 · 01/09/2023 08:24

If it’s lami she NEEDS a vet.

andrainwillmaketheflowersgrow · 01/09/2023 08:54

Why haven't you had a vet out over the past five days?

Lastqueenofscotland2 · 01/09/2023 09:21

andrainwillmaketheflowersgrow · 01/09/2023 08:54

Why haven't you had a vet out over the past five days?

honestly I am shocked… leaving a horse that sore for 5 days with no vet.
The standard of horse welfare in this country is appalling

RatherBeRiding · 01/09/2023 12:29

Is there a reason you've not had the vet out? It's pretty poor tbh - no excuse for leaving it this long. A farrier is NOT a vet and while I have every faith in mine as a farrier, he would be the first to tell me to get the vet out.

RatherBeRiding · 01/09/2023 12:30

And if she's stressed and on limited forage you realise you're risking colic?

MrsSlocombesCat · 01/09/2023 12:34

It’s not you that needs a handhold it’s the poor pony you’re neglecting. It needs a vet visit and treatment plan immediately. Imagine if your child was suffering and you didn’t take them to the doctor?

Fannyfiggs · 01/09/2023 17:36

My horse is also in the middle of lami. She had x-rays within 24 hours of lameness (no movement / rotation of the pedal bone thankfully) hoof dressed with frog supports and huge bed.

OP like most PP have said, please please get the vet asap. Your pony will be in so much pain.

Postapocalypticcowgirl · 02/09/2023 10:22

Owlyhedgehog · 31/08/2023 23:02

Hi everyone, thank you for your replies.
I havent had vet out yet. My yard owner has helped me alot, she is on a deep bed, 1.5 % of soaked hay a day (which really stresses me out cos shes always hungry and grumpy when hungry!) Shes been on box rest for 5 days now.
My farrier is coming to check her tomorrow and will then go from there.
We originally thought it was tendon related but now treating as lami.

So, you and the yard owner are unsure as to what's causing the lameness, but you haven't tried to get a vet out? I know it's tricky, especially if you work full time, but you really need to get a vet involved. Some farriers are great at diagnosing, but if it's not caused by a foot issue, they aren't experts.

If it's not laminitis, then you're basically starving your horse for no reason?

twistyizzy · 02/09/2023 18:16

Sorry but this is neglect, pure and simple. Why are people happy to put their horses through pain rather than call a vet?
Get the bloody vet out now!

SoupDragon1066 · 02/09/2023 20:11

Also, what pain meds are you giving? Doseage? If the animal is still lame and in pain 5 days on, then it’s still in dreadful pain. When mine developed laminitis, the vet (out of hours by the way) gave her an injection, aspirin, paracetamol and Danilon. She was in so much pain. Turns out she has EMS, despite not being overweight. She spent 2 months on box rest, 3 trims later she can now go out at night in a bare paddock. She won’t be ridden until a whole new hoof has grown out.

Laminitis is an EMERGENCY, not a wait and see. Please, please call your vet.

SpanishSummer · 02/09/2023 20:50

A laminitis flare up will not settle without vet prescribed medication. Please call your vet unless you want to cause damage which could lead to long term lameness or worse.

Original poster

Owlyhedgehog · 03/09/2023 20:33

Fannyfiggs · 01/09/2023 17:36

My horse is also in the middle of lami. She had x-rays within 24 hours of lameness (no movement / rotation of the pedal bone thankfully) hoof dressed with frog supports and huge bed.

OP like most PP have said, please please get the vet asap. Your pony will be in so much pain.

Vet has been out and hes had xrays, no movement or rotation.

Thanks everyone. He is very overweight though

OP posts:

nancypineapple · 05/09/2023 00:18

Glad to hear there's no rotation. Our little Welsie developed lami 3 weeks after we bought her last year. She was terribly overweight when we took her on and spent months on box rest and soaked hay. She lost nearly half her bodyweight and we have spent the past 9 months rebuilding her muscles back up. There's a great Facebook group for lami with lots of advice on feeding and supplements once you have got the weight off. Magnesium helps reduce cresty necks. Our pony is out in a starvation paddock for 6 hours now without a muzzle- I can't chance her being on grass any longer and don't have a yard nearby that allows a track system.
Just to add its worth getting bloods done to check for EMS and cushings to rule them out.

twistyizzy · 05/09/2023 06:35

You are very lucky there is no rotation or damage.
Please use this as a warning to take it a lot more seriously. Get weight off the pony ASAP and change the management of the pony to keep it a healthy weight. This may mean permanently limiting access to grazing plus soaking hay etc.
Laminitis is now linked to other underlying conditions eg EMS and PPID so worth speaking to the vet about testing for these.
Laminitis is an emergency situation so please call the vet immediately if another flare up occurs.