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Post by ponydreamersmum on Mar 9, 2007 9:35:14 GMT -1
Poor Eeyore came down with his first bout of laminitis a few weeks ago. We moved yards from rubbish grass to good stuff and I never thought about it affecting him because it was winter etc. Im still on the guilt trip for letting him get so fat (he is just a good doer) and now he is paying the price. After being kept in for 2 weeks on 2 sections of hay a day as vet instructed I have started having to put him in the old school and he is in at night with 1 section of hay. The turnout has a little (very little) rough grass around the edges and he is being turned out for 12 hours with a section of hay and allowed to pick at the grass for the rest of the time. When I brought him in last night his crest was rock hard, when I turned out this morning it has gone back to being flexible. Im panicking now that even the tiny bit of grass he can be picking up is too much for him, it really is rough stuff and the school had been grazed for weeks before he went in as I was putting my new mare in there for the first couple of weeks she was with us. Can anyone give me any advice on long term management of laminitis. Eeyore has lost a load of weight but still has a fair bit to go, Ive bought him a muzzle but I know Breeze will make his life a misery if I put him in the field with it on and I dont really want to leave him in it for 12 hours at a time. Can anyone suggest a way I can get him back into the main field with the others for day time, would splitting the field to around an acre be adequate for all of them to graze together on etc. All advice gratefully received.
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Post by harveydales on Mar 9, 2007 16:12:15 GMT -1
I'm so sorry to read about poor Eyeore and I can imagine how worried you must be. I think this wintrer has caught a lot of people out because the warm but wet weather kept the grass growing far more than we realised. I had a false alarm with Quest a few weeks back, thinking he might be coming down with Lami again but it was bruising to his soles (although this in itself can bring on lami) and Bev has just been through a lami episode with Bobs so I'm sure she will give you support and advice.
There is so much we are still learning about this horrible condition and there seem to be so many triggers that it is hard to know what to do for the best. Why not have another chat with your vet and maybe have a look at some of the web sites such as the Laminitis Clinic? Was Eyeore prescribed Bute and ACP?
When quest had lami the first time I think I kept him stabled for at least 4 weeks and then on very restricted turnout for a long time. Now I keep all 3 of mine on a one acre patch during the peak growing season and let them have more through the winter. Maybe you turned Eyeore out a bit too soon? Could there be something in the grass in the school triggering it? Is he getting stressed and running about? I think when they are on the verge of getting lami or just getting over it, it only takes one tiny thing to upset the balance and push them into laminitis. For example, I don't worm Quest now when the grass is growing because I know it upsets his tummy and can bring on laminits. He is very susceptible to getting the runs and this can bring it on. So, I try and keep his diet as plain as possible and try not to make any changes. Also I am neurotic over feeling his digital pulses and if they seem in the slightest bit raised, I don't turn him out. Are you checking Eyeore's?
I know how hard it is. You feel like you are living on a knife edge but it looks like you caught Eyeore in time and it is a matter of sorting out a suitable routine for him now.
Do keep us posted on how Eyeore is getting on. Sending lots of healing vibes.
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Post by ponydreamersmum on Mar 13, 2007 12:31:35 GMT -1
Thanks for that, he seems to be lots better. The crestiness has completely disappeared and I do keep checking for the pulses, cant find anything so I hope it is because they are not there rather than me feeling the wrong place!! The vet did actually turn him out into the big field himself after 10 days, I moved him to the old school because I was so terrified of putting him back on the grass, Now Ive created a tiny 'starvation paddock' in the field and let the others graze it down, at least Eeyore can be out with them even if he cannot eat, he will be able to pick about for scraps of grass and Im just putting a section of hay in with him. He has settled very nicely into the routine of coming in and out and actually seems to like his stable. The herd dynamics have been changed beyond all recognition with the new mare being added whilst he was in 24/7 and Im not sure he is quite comfortable around them all, they seem to get on but I think he will be less stressed if he is a little separate but can touch them over the fence. He was put on bute but I only used it daily for the first week before reducing it to every other day for the second, he is off it completely now. I think more than anything I am so determined this will never happen to any of my ponies again and am thinking ahead to the management of them in the long term. What really upsets me is that I have always been aware that Eeyores weight put him at risk and only ever bought feed etc suitable for laminitics for all of them. I just cannot believe that I let him get so fat and he does seem much happier in himself now that he has lost a bit.
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Post by harveydales on Mar 13, 2007 16:42:27 GMT -1
I'm so pleased to hear that Eeyore is much improved and settled into his new routine. If you are anything like me, now you've got yourself organised into the new routine you will be feeling a lot less stressed yourself. Sounds like you've caught it in good time - Eeyore is lucky to have such a vigilant and caring Mum.
Don't beat yourself up over letting Eeyore get so fat. It is very hard to spot it happening when you see them every day. I was just the same with Quest the first time. I knew he wasn't thin but I had no idea he was verging on obese! I was at a competition with him a couple of weeks before he got Lami and some one came up to admire him and asked whether he was a stallion because of his big crest! Even then it never twigged and I just thought what a stupid comment to make!
He soon lst his excess weight though and I'm sure Eeyore will too. Sounds like you are doing everything right. I also had Quest on a very small, bare paddock and I know people say stressed grass like this is bad becasue it is high in Fructans, I reckon the tiny amount he can eat is nothing to the damage he would be doing consuming loads of "unstressed" grass (the Lami Clinic agreed i was right when I asked. Also I recently heard that all this Fructans panic was based on very limited research and may in fact not be a Lami trigger.
Good luck with Eeyore - sounds like he is definately on the mend.
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Post by bevbob on Mar 19, 2007 20:13:16 GMT -1
Oh sorry to hear about Eeyore, lami is such a horrid thing. Bobs has just got over it himself and was in for 5 weeks. Hes out in the day now and doing fine. There are two horses still with lami at our yard.
I have got him on lami prone by global herbs and there is restore which is good.
Hope you can manage him ok.
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