# Mild Laminitis..how long until it should clear up?HELP!



## karenjj (7 July 2009)

Hi, quick summary!:
My mare was diagnosed with Navicular, turned out to be mild laminitis (I say mild because she was still trotting around field but was lame but wasn't unable to move etc.), she was put on bute and has happy hoof and just hay to eat. The farrier came last week and trimmed her feet right back at the front to re-align the pedal bone and put normal shoes on her. Since then she seems worse. In all it has been nearly 2 months of her hobbling around, I'm not sure what to do from here..wait for a while longer, get the vet out again or get the farrier out again?? I've put her back on bute to stop the pain, I just don't understand why she is getting worse, how long does it normally take them to recover, she was never in a typical laminitic state to start with?


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## misst (7 July 2009)

So far touch wood I haven't had experience of this but I am sure your horse should be on box rest with a big bed and only fed soaked hay. They need to have complete rest until they have no pulses and the vet gives the go ahead for them to go out even if it was only mild laminitis.

Sorry that is a bit vague but I know it is important to do things properly with this. Someone else on here will give better advice.

Try contacting the Laminitis Trust they will give you excellent advice and speak to your vet.


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## touchstone (7 July 2009)

My mare was like this when she had laminitis - hardly lame at all but just not quite right.  Vet didn't think it was laminitis initially but after a few months of not being right I had x-rays taken which showed that her pedal bone had dropped slightly.  

Careful trimming, diet and exercise brought her right though, although the vet did recommend heart bar shoes rather than normal shoes.

I would also soak the hay as it takes lots of the sugar out  and not give bute if she is  out at all as it will mask any pain and may cause damage through her moving too much.  I've also heard that some laminitics react badly to Happy Hoof even though it is laminitis trust approved, so maybe trying a different feed might help.

Another gelding had laminitis which seemed to take an age to get rid of, although it did clear up eventually.  

I think lots of patience and introducing work carefully on soft surfaces to begin with helps.

If she still has digital pulses I would just carry on treating laminitis, but if they have been settled a while I think I'd be looking at getting some x-rays taken.  

Hope she's soon better!


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## kellyeaton (7 July 2009)

it could be the farrier cut her a little bit to short put personally if it has been going on this long get the vet out. IS she on box rest what feed hay/ hayledge supplements medication etc? what weight is she age etc?


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## Honeypots (7 July 2009)

You don't say whether she is on box rest or not but if she is lame she should be on box rest and should stay on box rest for a month AFTER she is sound WITHOUT painkillers.

This website has alot of useful info on it and has helped me to rehabilitate my lami pony 
	
	
		
		
	


	





http://www.laminitisclinic.org/Timescales.htm

http://www.laminitisclinic.org/index.htm


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## CPW (8 July 2009)

My horse developed mild laminitis from a new farrier taking too much toe away when shoeing him combined with hard ground he became quite sore on both front feet.  He had one months box rest on bute and acp and he had pads put in both front feet.  

He was then turned out in a small paddock and was on field rest for a couple of weeks off bute.  Once he was able to turn in circles on concrete without being sore I started riding - only on the arena and no circles - we are three weeks in and so far so good.  

The box rest is imperative, as are the pads in the feet to act as supports - there is a variety you can use including plastic supports or there is putty stuff which my horse has.

Good luck.


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## Jericho (8 July 2009)

It could be that your farrier has trimmed back a lot which they will do when dealing with laminitis. Either way, whether she is feeling sore from this or is still suffering lami your girl definitely needs to be on box rest on a thick supporting bed of shavings for several weeks if not a month.

No carrots,  just soaked hay, maybe an antilam supplement to get the toxins out of her body and something like pink powder / other priobotics.  If she is in pain she needs a painkiller but needs to be restricted in movement (i.e. box rest) and ideally ACP to encourgae her to lie down more.

Good luck, laminitis is so painful for them and you have to keep constant watch. My little Welshie developed it after eating frosty grass then again in the following spring, she was then clear for 2 years but this year despite being on virtully no grass I saw the early warning signs so she is penned in the field shelter and 12 by 20 peice of dust!  Farrier reckons it because we have such hot weather followed by rain - fructons in grass are going rampant!


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## karenjj (8 July 2009)

Thanks everyone, the vet didn't recommend box rest as she was quite agitated being left in the stable on her own spinning round while all the other horses were out, vet said as she was only a bit lame she can be turned out in a small bare paddock with her soaked hay. babybells..she was slightly overweight but is now correct weight and is 17. I am going to ring the vet tonight and ask about putting her on box rest, possibly with ACP to keep her calm? Having read all the lami websites, even though hers is only mild, I think this is the best option to get this cleared up because it seems to be getting worse rather than better?!


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## MagicMo (8 July 2009)

[ QUOTE ]
T I am going to ring the vet tonight and ask about putting her on box rest, possibly with ACP to keep her calm? Having read all the lami websites, even though hers is only mild, I think this is the best option to get this cleared up because it seems to be getting worse rather than better?! 

[/ QUOTE ]

I really think this would be the best option, lots of good advice above and the laminitis trust is a great source of information. I'm quite surprised by the advice your vet has given you - I would say that if you turn a horse out with even mild laminitis you are quite likely to end up with more severe laminitis.


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## Honeypots (8 July 2009)

When the horse is in pain it means the laminae are inflammed and therefore weak. Any movement while these laminae are inflammed could result in the pedal bone rotating...

Here is a list of dont's 
	
	
		
		
	


	





http://www.laminitisclinic.org/What%20not%20to%20do.htm


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## gemma.matteson (4 April 2012)

Hi I've also got a horse recovering from laminitis. One of the most important things is to get your horse off grass completely, I find a dirt yard is better than a stable as it allows the horse to move around more and increases circulation. I'm not sure what type of hay you're feeding your horse but I was told to stay away from lucerne as it is too rich and can make them worse. The best type of hay I've found so far is last seasons meadow hay. If you can't find this though, then wheaten chaff is a good replacement.


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## ILuvCowparsely (4 April 2012)

In answer to your question  of how long 
 it depends on

 type of horse
breed
 feet
 able to put up with pain
able to be box rested etc


* get the horse in a stable 
soak its hay 12 hrs then rinse it through 
 thick bedamax bed at least 1 foot
 give high fi /fibergy and high fiber cues and speedy beet only
 no treats what so ever

 get the vet to do xrays 



*
*

I must be one of the longest current laminitic on recovery on this web site   hers started in april last year but only confirmed in august. She has been on box rest 8 months. 
is now down to 12 bute a day

 I have uploaded loads of info and sites on this website  about laminitis
http://equinecare-and-control.weebly.com/l.html

 my blog  about my mares recovery is there to tho need to update it 
 first I would recommend you vet does an xray to find out the damage then go from there 


 MY mare was also not the typical laminitic  16 hh ID?TB in full work 6 days a week *
*
 I have had a very long journey to this point ups and downs. 
 you need to treat this serious  dont wait for vet to say box rest just do it 
*




.


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## ILuvCowparsely (4 April 2012)

Honeypots said:



			but if she is lame she should be on box rest and should stay on box rest for a month AFTER she is sound WITHOUT painkillers.
		
Click to expand...

 This is a hard one as my mare has arthritis in her knee and fetlock  which makes her stiff and slightly lame on turns as she been in so long . If i wait till she is sound she wont  ever be while box rest she needs to be out walking when time comes to get joints working .
So there must be exceptions to this rule


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## ester (4 April 2012)

ermmm *whispers* 3 year old post.....


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