Jun 13 2008
Prevention, Treatment and Maintenance of a Laminitic Horse
It is well known that springtime brings with it the threat of laminitis, there’s lots of information available on this disease along with supplements, and gadgets to help limit the risk of your horse suffering from it. As an owner of a horse who suffers from this condition myself, it is a subject close to my heart. My aim with this blog is to explain laminitis in a simple easy to understand way, whilst giving you links to investigate further.
Laminitis is a disease of the digital laminae of the hoof (foot of an ungulate). It is commonly thought of as a disease of small, fat ponies who have access to too much rich spring grass, and not enough exercise. This is not the case, it is a serious condition that can affect any equine (or cattle) at any time of year. My own horse is a lean thoroughbred cross, who at 19 contracted laminitis for the first time whilst in medium work on sparse grazing.
Knowing what triggers laminitis can help you to prevent the onset or deal with the early stages effectively. Although it is not known for certain what causes laminitis, there are common situations which seem to bring laminitis on in some horses; prolonged hard work on unsuitable surfaces, some corticosteroid drugs given to susceptible horses and most commonly overeating. Trying to prevent any of these triggers will help to keep laminitis at bay.
| Knowing your horse and what is ‘normal’ for him is your biggest tool in helping to prevent and catch laminitis at its earliest stage. If your horse seems to be not quite himself, unwilling to walk or turn in his usual way, showing slight colicky signs or just generally uncomfortable on his feet he could be experiencing early signs of laminitis. These indicators will all usually present themselves before you notice the typical ‘laminitis stance’, heat in the feet or change to the digital pulse. |  |
If you even suspect laminitis act immediately as delay can seriously hinder your horse’s recovery. If possible stable your horse on a deep bed of shavings, but don’t force him to walk. Allow him to lie down if he wants to as this will alleviate the pressure on your horse’s feet. Seek veterinary advice as soon as possible, laminitis should be considered as much an emergency as colic to prevent the condition worsening.
Preventing laminitis by careful management of your horse and his environment is vital. Slowly introduce him to the spring grass, starting with just an hour at first and gradually extending the time. Try strip grazing if you have a large field as this will limit the amount of grass your horse has access to. Make sure you also adjust your horse’s hard feed to allow for the extra nutrition they are getting from their grazing, many horses won’t need any more than grass at this time of year. If you do feel that he needs his diet supplementing be careful to choose a low starch, high fibre diet which is appropriate for his level of work.
The Laminitis Trust provides detailed information on the disease, look out for their Approval Mark on your horse’s feed bags. By being vigilant and with correct management your horse should stay healthy and happy throughout the summer months. Act quickly if your horse starts to show signs of weight gain by restricting his grazing or fitting a grazing mask. If you are at all worried about your horse’s health or you suspect the onset of laminitis ring your vet straight away. Laminitis is a serious disease which can cause long term damage to your horse’s feet. Careful management of your horse’s welfare will help to ensure that your horse stays safe and sound throughout the year.
Hello,
I have just read the blog on laminitis and would like to share my experience in hope that it may help someone else.
I have a 13.2 welsh x pony who is 11years old. I have owned her since i was at school and i love her to pieces.
I lost my confidence a couple of years ago and was just gaining it back when she went lame i never went to shows or did jumping everyone else i knew id it on her and always got placed i just couldnt do it it was me not her. I had the vet out and rested her for 2 weeks. 2 weeks to the day when i went to her paddock to get her in i noticed she didnt come to the gate as she always did.
As i got closer i could see her in the laminitis stance leaning back, she could hardly move i struggled to get her back up to her stable. When i did i called my vet straight away and she came out and diagnosed laminitis (she had never in the four years i have owned her had the vet out until then). She gave her pain killers and a sedative to help her rest over night. The vet said she would be better in a couple of weeks if she was on a deep bed and restricted food 24/7 which i stuck to strictly.
After two weeks she was no better we kept on and on like this until the vet suggested an xray. The xrays showed slight movement of the pedal bone but nothing that would cause as much pain as she was showing so she kept everyone puzzled.
A little while after i recieved a call from the livery yard to say rosie had become worse and was standing on tip toes grunting in pain. I raced up to the yard dreading the worst. After having the vet out she was diagnosed with having a foot absess and it had to be drained. I then had to hot poltice it and bandage it for another two weeks and she still wasnt better this was 7 months into the 2 weeks id been originally told.
A number of times i have thought it was time to say goodbye to Rosie but we hung on and she stuck in there, even when she was in pain and at her worse she still found the energy to winny at me when i came through the gate and that kept me going i thought all the time she seemed ok in herself i wouldnt give up.
We are now nearly 1 year into her treatment and she has just come off her box rest for just a couple of hours a day. She is still very pottery on her feet and after loosing nearly 200kg she is tiny and doesnt look very well, but shes out and there is light at the end of the tunnel. I am just waiting results for a cushions test which im keeping my fingers crossed for.
I just want people to know that throughout this whole experience and after nearly loosing my pony i have learned to make the most of what you have because it could be gone overnight, i was always worrying about my confidence - to scared to jump or do local shows and now after all this ive learnt that if/when she ever gets better to go and have fun because it might not be there tommorrow.
Regards
Kay
I beleive that the sun on the grass causes the grass to have a high sugar content that can make the situation worse for laminitic ponies. We brng our ponies and horses in during the day in summer. Have you any more info on this. Irene Barlow
Is it true that horses are more likely to contract laminitis through eating wet grass?
I have a welsh mountain pony(10yrs) and I live in the South of France he share’s a large field with my PBA 16.2 old boy (26yrs) this year was the first time he showed signs of laminitis. The typical stance , lying down a lot. I was really worried as the vet’s over in France are a lot different from our careing vets in uk. Well I was on my own a few old vet books . He didn’t have heat in his feet but they were very tender. So i massaged them with hoof moist every day ,his grazing was resticted but i didn’t prevent him from moving about, as it was raining a bit, the ground was quite soft which I think helped him. I had the blacksmith in (English !) he kept his feet in check. As there was little goodness in the grass I gave him fruit and veg pulp (less for him to break down, but had the goodness ) also a glove of fresh garlic - help the blood flow……I may have been lucky not sure , but it seems to have worked he’s not shown any signs of any come back….so fingers crossed, I still make sure his hooves are moist..and continue with the garlic ……also good for the flies. I hope my experience may help someone else, I’m not sure whether it will work for everyone , but it certainly worked for my old boy’s.
I’ve had horses for 23yrs & had never experienced problems with laminitous. I have a beautifull 3/4 welsh cob. It had alway been my dream to one day breed & bring on my own horse. The time came where i felt in a position to do this & i was blessed with a beautifull chestnut Thouroughbred cross filly which was exactly what i had wished for, she really was amazing, iwas there when she was born & she grew up beautifull, so willing to please in everything. At aound 4yrs old she would occasionally go short for a just a second or two & then be fine, i was consious of it but didn’t over worry, she would be fine for a couple of months & then just have a moment of it. I have apony who i manage for laminitous & she is fine, my mare was the last one i was expecting to get it, but one day she stayed looking mildly short for a couple of days,I dont know what sparked it but i suddenly thought Laminitous. She wasn’t looking that bad, but i just thought i would be safe & act, I brought her in & got the vet out. We keep her in & the vet came back a couple of days later as she had deteriated. She had got that dreaded illness. My grazing wasn’t at all rich & she was in good condition ( not at all overweight), even the vet was baffled by how she had got it. They took blood tests which all came back clear. every day she got worse, I was up the field 8times or more aday to check on her( i was lucky to have a very good boss at the time).she was on morphine amongst other things. we tried different bedding, her feet were bandaged & padded but nothing would work, she would have her ok day which would give me hope. The vets advised i have her put to sleep but as long as she was fighting it herself & with every visit would greet me over her door with her ears forwards & a winnie, i would fight with her. This went on for 2mths, then one day she was in agony, her pedal bone had come through both her front hooves & she couldn,t stand. I knew what i had to do. It was the hardest descision of my life. I called the vet & stayed with her. She was just 5yrs old to the month. She’s been gone 2yrs now & i still miss her like crazy. I’ll never know what caused it & thats the hardest part. I still have her mother & she is fighting fit at 19yrs old. I dont want to scare anyone out there if your horse goes a little lame, but just be concious that even the least expected of horses can fall victim to this horrible disease, we all seem to focus on the overweight pony & not the lean Thouroughbred.
For any clarity and to find out more about laminitis, definately refer to the laminits clinic website or contact them on their helpline as they will help you with any queries that you have. They are very polite and very helpful and can answer any questions you may have. It is important not to starve your horse when they are suffering with laminitis, they need nutrients to help recover from the illness. They need a high fibre diet in sufficient quantities - various feeds are approved by the laminitis trust.
I have a 20 year old Dales cross mare who contracted laminitis for the first time 5 years ago. I gained a lot of very useful information from the Laminits Trust website and know that there were a number of contributing factors - she was overweight; had recently been on Bute, was on a standard course mix and I had been working her on hard ground. It was most definitely a wake up call. As with the other stories I went to the field to bring her in and instead of her usual canter to the gate she stood and whinnied. I was very lucky that x-rays showed no damage at all to the hoof wall. I now have her permanently on restricted grazing during the day and she is stabled every night. Her only compound feed is Happy Hoof which is recommended by the Laminitis Trust. Her hay is always weighed (no longer ab lib) and she looks slimmer and healthier now than she has for years. It is a constant worry and battle to keep them laminitis free and I sympathise with any horse owner who has to deal with it for the first time - it’s a scary experience. It amazes me that people think it is only the little fat ponies that get laminitis - they are all susceptible and that is what makes the condition so very frightening.