Icing for possible laminitis case-exactly how to?

[hillary_again]

A fellow boarder had the vet out Friday and was told her horse may be developing laminitis. Boarder was told to ice the front hooves. She didn’t get much in the way of instruction.

She came out Saturday and didn’t really know how to do this. Me either - no experience with this!

I helped her get the horse’s legs into a rubber feed tub (he was good about that). Added about an inch of water, and a bag of ice, then more water, and another bag. At this point, the water’s ice cold (as you can imagine) and the horse seemed a little uncomfortable with it.

In case I get to help with this again: how much ice water is needed? I know colder is probably better, but I was afraid if it was too deep, and too cold, the horse will try to get out, knock the whole thing over, etc. Do you have to submerge the entire hoof? Or even higher?

Hope there is some experience out there. BTW, it was 109 in Phoenix yesterday, so this is not a case of hypothermia risk, not at all.

[Scribbler]

I’ve never had to do this but soaking in ice water tub is the obvious way.

You could also get those flexible frozen picnic cooler strip that are similar to the inserts for ice boots, and vet wrap them to the hoof. They aren’t as cold as water ice but might be enough.

I assume you just need the hoof in the water, below the coronet band. I’ve done my share of soaking for abscess in hot water and Epsom salts and that’s how it’s done.

Okay I see a new post says up to ankle for cold water.

The horse will be uncomfortable from hoof pain as well as temperature shift. I wonder if you could dig a six inch depression in a paddock, stand horse there and pile cubes around his feet if he fusses with the tub.

[Highflyer1]

Yes, you want to do the whole hoof and then a bit (so roughly ankle deep at least) and the colder and longer the better. Hypothermia from icing feet is not really a risk for the horse even in bad weather-- they are designed to stand in snow for days at a time.

But many horses won’t like it/ won’t stand indefinitely. That’s just part of the fun (and why they make some ice boots that cover the hoof). Sometimes a hay net or hand feeding hay or grass can help.

[clanter]

we had one mare we needed to ice, she just stood in the ice water watching TV

[hillary_again]

Thanks for the tips! That’s lots more ice water than I expected. Good to know for the future!

[Texarkana]

If you have some large, heavy duty bags, like 5l fluid bags or heavy duty soaking bags, you can fill them with ice and duct tape them on.

Also, you can get creative with vet wrap/duct tape/leg wraps/bags of frozen veggies (ask me how I know).

Of course, I don’t recommend either with a spooky horse (again, ask me how I know).

Really, what @clanter pictured is generally the best way.

[clanter]

we also used small water troughs that are rubber, set up snack bar with fans for comfort

[No1]

The easiest way to ice feet is to ask the vet for two empty fluid bags. You can place the bags over the feet, add ice (no water needed), and tape or tie around the fetlock. Horses can be left loose in the stall with them on and someone can come by every couple of hours and drain off some of the water and add more ice. Most horses tolerate this well, even if they are a bit snorty at first.

[hillary_again]

That rubber trough is exactly what we used.

[hillary_again]

Wow, I would not have guessed that horses would tolerate that setup. Thanks for the tip!

[walkinthewalk]

The lameness vet I used when my horse foundered, said to duct tape bags of cheap frozen peas to the hooves. Frozen peas in a bag eliminate the risk of softening of the soles when using water.

Ice Horse also makes ice hoof boots. I bought one after I got tired of taping peas to his hooves. They work great.

[ASB_Stars]

Go To CVS and buy yourself the ice therapy packs that they have for human injuries. You’re going to want at least two for each foot so that you can trade them out at 12 hour intervals. It’s better if you do three so you trade them out at eight hour intervals. There are blacksmiths and veterinarians who will tell you that soaking the foot in water can cause additional damage to particular layers of the foot and I tend to agree. The ice packs can be held in place at the coronary band with vet wrap. you need to make sure that they are around the coronary band and the back of the pastern where the blood vessels are. That way you’ll get enough cooling effect to actually make a difference. I’ve unfortunately had to do this a few times and the system seems to work the best on all horses. You can make sure that it is on for a long period of time rather than only when you can supervise soaking them as well. Good luck!

[2DogsFarm]

Great advice from @ASB_Stars
Science marches on

OP: I hope your guy gets relief ASAP with no lasting damage.
I had that scare with my mini 3yrs ago, but no icing was required.
He’s sound today, wears a muzzle ~15hrs a day.

@clanter When my TB sloughed half his sole (subsolar access from He**) & required 4mos of twice a day soaking, cleaning, wrapping - then unwrap & repeat the process… …
He got so comfortable I could just leave him in my aisle, unhaltered, untied, to eat his grain, hoof in the rubber feedpan of epsom salts & hot water, then I’d do the clean/medicate/rewrap.
If he finished the grain, he’d stand while I got him a flake of hay.
Good Times. For me, NOT!

[SusanO]

Well, yes. But that is a smarter horse than most. Smarter than mine anyway.

[Pico_Banana]

When my horse was at Tufts for laminitis they used these

https://www.doversaddlery.com/ice-boots/p/X1-04584/

They work really well. Put boot on, add ice, and the melted water self drains. The hoof gets wet, of course, but it’s not like it’s in standing water. I add ice about half way up or more, so I can leave them on full time and not have to refill as often.

My horse is 100% okay with these. The first time it was nice to have someone hold her but now no longer needed. Do up the straps first, then zip. I also added a loop of twine for the strap so it would break under pressure.

But seriously, my horse would rather wear these than regular ice boots. And they can move in them, unlike standing in a bucket.

[ladipus]

You can put a bag of ice /cold water in a bucket and put the horses feet inside or my vet told me that ice boots that go on the legs and cover the top portion of the feet is also sufficient

[cnd8]

For horses not wanting to stand in a tub, you can get the XL ziploc bags (they are bigger than a gallon) and fill with some ice and a tiny bit of water, then put the hoof in a bag and use Vet Wrap to wrap the bag around the fetlock. The horse can move and the bag will stay on the hoof.

[hillary_again]

Thanks for all of these great tips. This gelding’s got a long way to go, but his owner was able to catch the reaction quickly, and she’s hopeful about his future.

[EmilyM]

When my horse went to New Bolton for laminitis they used regular ice boots. They told me you don’t actually have to ice their feet. If you ice their legs it works. The added benefit is that it’s easier and you can slap those on in the stall and not have to move the horse. We did four ice boots all around. Ice as many times a day as possible. Use bute for inflammation. You can also use acetaminophen for pain. I don’t remember the dosage. They put my horse on trazadone to make him sleepy and encourage him to lay down and get off his feet.

There are ice boots made for hooves. There are lots of options. IV fluid bags work well. I always saved mine and did use them before the horse I mentioned went to new bolton for treatment.

[SashaBast]

Article from Cornell with link to research that shows the Jack’s boots are effective for laminitus.

https://www.vet.cornell.edu/news/20190515/equine-cryotherapy-device-likely-be-effective-treating-laminitis

“Joy Tomlinson, D.V.M. ’10, research associate in the Van De Walle Lab of the Baker Institute for Animal Health, was part of a team that confirmed that the commercially available and popular Jacks Ice Boot is clinically effective in treating laminitis. This research was included in the 2018 Kester News Hour at American Association of Equine Practitioners in 2018 as one of the year’s most important findings in equine medicine”