Re: sore, sore, sore

MA Sandy wrote:

> I think I mentioned before that I had a horse that had a bout of acute
> laminitis some 18 or 19 years ago; if I didn't, I should have and
> elaborated on what I observed back then.  He presented COMPLETELY
> differently than what Reason just did.  Patrick, the wonder Pinto was
> dull, depressed, withdrawn, just so totally in pain that I knew
> something was not right with this horse with the absolutely wonderful
> personality.  He WOULD NOT MOVE AT ALL (whereas Reason would move, but
> not very willingly.)  

Crumble, in the first round (stress & lost shoe, so lots of fencewalking
instead of moving out) walked and trotted somewhat reluctantly and took
on the laminitic stance for two or three strides when crossing gravel
(fine, though sore, on concrete, favoring one foot over the other). He
was fairly hyper in behaviour (his normal pain reaction), and never lost
his appetite at all. Nor did he lose his go - this was a horse who'd
move out even when he was lame, and after the first couple of days, he
was full of need to move.

In the second round (stress & too much haylage) he presented a little
stiff behind and unwilling to pick up his back feet, and standing just a
little bit more underneath himself than usual. Both times, heat and
elevated digital pulse, but the second time particularly you would not
have picked it up as laminitis if you had not known his history,
particularly as the fronts were fine that time round.


> This assumption I had NO clue about laminitis/founder is what made me
> cranky, and I apologize.  Yes, every horse presents differently in an
> illness, as do dogs and cats, but the main symptoms should be the
> same.  

They are very difficult, and a majority of people - even skilled people,
even people who've dealt with bad cases of laminitis before - tend to
miss the start of the illness, according to vets. My vet at the time
said it took most horses around four to seven days from the first signs
(that tenderfootedness, not quite moving out, a little bit of heat, less
comfortable on hard & stony ground) to developing the obvious symptoms
(strong heat/pulse, unwillingness to move at all, typical laminitic
stance). 

> Just checking, but laminitis will NOT
> cure itself, correct?  He wouldn't just get magically better without a
> vet's intervention?  Am I not seeing the forest for the trees?

If it's on the cusp, then removing a horse from the problem can make the
symptoms seem to disappear, but of course if the horse goes back on the
rich grass etc, they can come back. So I'd be paranoid by default and
keep the horse off grass for a while longer. 

If I've learnt one thing about laminitis it's that it's a very tricky
thing indeed - it can hit you when you really don't expect it, and it's
nowhere near as clearcut as the textbooks would make you believe. 
 
> I said right from the start that I screwed up about his feet and I
> NEVER said I HAD NOT noticed they were too long.  Those of you who
> have been following the perils of Reason's back know that he hasn't
> been in much of any steady work since this winter when his back became
> completely sore from most likely my saddle and/or its placement on his
> back. 

Crumble used to go lame if his back toes got too long. Unexplained,
vet-can't-find-reason lame the first time (which was when he went eight
weeks between trimmings), slightly-off later. Keeping his feet in good
shape will help his back.


Catja

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