My grandma’s horse was just diagnosed with laminitis today. She is on stall rest, getting bute twice a day for pain, Probios twice a day, Thyro-L per vet to get weight off her, soaking feet in cold water twice a day, switching from small amount of grain to timothy pellets. They did take some toe off of her hoof, farrier is coming on Monday. Also recommended Soft Ride boots.
Anything we’re missing to help keep her recover and keep her comfortable in the meantime?
Ditto the Boots but until they arrive: get some of the neoprene garden kneeling pads. Cut them to fit the bottom of her hooves and duct tape them on. This way she has total sole/coffin bone support without too much pressure. If she can be turned out in a small paddock, let her move as long as she’s comfortable moving. Movement gets the circulation going. Yay on the ice water–good for the first 72 hours.
To help with the weight issue, Remission–cheap, effective magnesium.
Bute didn’t help my horse and can interfere with healing and cause abscesses. Turmeric worked much better for my mare. Probios contains sugar, which isn’t good for a metabolic, laminitic horse. I prefer Gutwerks myself. I never used Thyro-L, but the combination of Platinum Metabolic Support and chia seeds have gotten a lot of weight off my mare. Plus a strict <10% NSC diet.
My mare did a lot better in a small pen with soft footing and shade. Moving as much as she’s comfortable doing is good, since it helps healing. But they shouldn’t be allowed to move that much if on bute.
SoftRides were torture devices for my mare. Both the angle and frog pad caused her a lot of pain. She was much more comfortable in EasyBoot Transitions. The EasyBoot Cloud has a similar insole to SoftRides, but its flat.
I’d make sure the farrier knows how to rehab a laminitic horse. Most of the ones here don’t know how to back the toe and lower the heel, even in obviously distorted hooves.
Get that light blue foam insulating sheet at Home Depot, cut to shape and tape it on.
If you find a sheet that is damaged, they will sell it to you cheap, you only need a bit, but may have to buy the whole sheet.
Best would be maybe those plastic bottoms that look like tennis shoe soles, better than the boots, that the farrier can just screw in, not nail in.
If you have a place to put it, a load of very small gravel, but not sand, will help her stand at whatever angle fits her pain best, as they can move the foot around in that until it is just right.
There is a new protocol for some horses where they perfuse the hoof with prednisone and that helps very much, if it helps.
Did they x-ray and was there rotation and how much, what sole thickness, etc.
That could depend how long it may take for her to feel better, when to start tapering the bute off.
It helps to put peat moss under the shavings - makes it nice a cushy for them.
I would get the Softrides and wouldn’t shoe while in the acute phase. Bute is used for pain and inflammation. Controlling inflammation helps control the damage done as does the ice.
[QUOTE=JBD;8765416]
I would get the Softrides and wouldn’t shoe while in the acute phase. Bute is used for pain and inflammation. Controlling inflammation helps control the damage done as does the ice.[/QUOTE]
Yes, I forgot to say, the plastic cloglike screw-in pads go on after two or three weeks, once stable.
[QUOTE=JBD;8765416]
I would get the Softrides and wouldn’t shoe while in the acute phase. Bute is used for pain and inflammation. Controlling inflammation helps control the damage done as does the ice.[/QUOTE]
Agree. My horse is recovering right now from laminitis. Softride boots with the purple/turquoise orthotics were a Godsend for him. I do believe they may have saved his life by stopping the pressure/pulling of DDFT on coffin bone. He is stalled and almost sound in boots walking, turning.
I second DEEP bedding and we are not introducing shoes, nails, glue ons until he is better…and really he is SO comfortable in the boots and orthotics we aren’t rocking the boat right now.
Soaked hay as well for mine. FWIW I had my Timothy tested - it was 13.2 % unsoaked, and only soaked an hour in cold water in my barn in this heat, it tested at 7% NSC. Nice reduction for just an hour.
If they didn’t XRay yet, I’d do it NOW. Mine was clinically doing pretty well but Xrays were horrid. Also monitor heart rate for pain.
Good luck - I know how hard it is 
PM me if you want to chat more about the boots.
Just got the SoftRides today. She instantly seemed to move more comfortably, so very thankful for that. Decreased bute from BID to SID today and she stays on that for a few more days, then vet wants her to start Pentoxyfylline.
They did do xrays, fifteen degree rotation in both front feet, although digital pulse is increased in right more than left. She has also been more sore on the right.
She is eating meds well, with poison (aka bute) syringed into her mouth. She is in good spirits and definitely more comfortable. Fingers crossed that we keep gaining!
[QUOTE=chalice18;8770352]
Just got the SoftRides today. She instantly seemed to move more comfortably, so very thankful for that. Decreased bute from BID to SID today and she stays on that for a few more days, then vet wants her to start Pentoxyfylline.
They did do xrays, fifteen degree rotation in both front feet, although digital pulse is increased in right more than left. She has also been more sore on the right.
She is eating meds well, with poison (aka bute) syringed into her mouth. She is in good spirits and definitely more comfortable. Fingers crossed that we keep gaining![/QUOTE]
Jingles she keeps improving.
I lost my gelding to founder rotation started out at 16 degrees, and just progressed till coffen bones penetrated the soles. Vet & farrier couldn’t stabilize him. Spent Big $$$$ and in the end had to let him go.
[QUOTE=2miniB;8765050]
Bute didn’t help my horse and can interfere with healing and cause abscesses. Turmeric worked much better for my mare. Probios contains sugar, which isn’t good for a metabolic, laminitic horse. I prefer Gutwerks myself. I never used Thyro-L, but the combination of Platinum Metabolic Support and chia seeds have gotten a lot of weight off my mare. Plus a strict <10% NSC diet.
My mare did a lot better in a small pen with soft footing and shade. Moving as much as she’s comfortable doing is good, since it helps healing. But they shouldn’t be allowed to move that much if on bute.
SoftRides were torture devices for my mare. Both the angle and frog pad caused her a lot of pain. She was much more comfortable in EasyBoot Transitions. The EasyBoot Cloud has a similar insole to SoftRides, but its flat.
I’d make sure the farrier knows how to rehab a laminitic horse. Most of the ones here don’t know how to back the toe and lower the heel, even in obviously distorted hooves.[/QUOTE]
I used the EasyBoot Trail when my gelding had laminitis and they worked great, but that was before they made the Transition. They were also considerably less expensive than the SoftRides. I started with the soft pads, but then moved to the medium-density because he was wearing out the soft ones too quickly.
I think it is super that you are helping to care for your grandmother’s horse, and glad you got the Sift Ride Boots. Hope things continue to improve.
[QUOTE=newhorsemommy;8770462]
I used the EasyBoot Trail when my gelding had laminitis and they worked great, but that was before they made the Transition. They were also considerably less expensive than the SoftRides. I started with the soft pads, but then moved to the medium-density because he was wearing out the soft ones too quickly.[/QUOTE]
Our vet actually had a pair of SoftRides that he’s loaning to us which is incredibly nice! So thankful! Otherwise, I may have looked at Easyboots. Good to know that they also work well! 
Just wanted to mention - Regarding the Softrides, the laminitis inserts were key for my horse. (they are the purple/turquoise orthotic inserts)
Best wishes for your horses, chalice and tpup. Been there, done that, lost the horse. What a total nightmare it was.
Well, she didn’t keep her boots on overnight… Suggestions?
[QUOTE=chalice18;8771091]
Well, she didn’t keep her boots on overnight… Suggestions?[/QUOTE]
Duct tape
[QUOTE=chalice18;8771091]
Well, she didn’t keep her boots on overnight… Suggestions?[/QUOTE]
My horse hated the Soft Rides. He removed them within 30 minutes every time I tried to use them. I used the insulation that Bluey mentioned to make hoof support pads.He was comfortable enough in these to be able to be hand walked for short periods of time. He recovered with a 5 degree rotation in one foot. Here is a video that shows how to make them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzUeYjYe5yE
[QUOTE=chalice18;8771091]
Well, she didn’t keep her boots on overnight… Suggestions?[/QUOTE]
Do they fit? I think I saw you had borrowed them so wondered if they are too big. Or is the horse taking them off by pulling on the straps? Mine did that and we rubbed the straps with a bar of Irish Spring and that solved that issue.
In acute laminitis cases …bed the stall very deep with shavings …either Softride boots or styrofoam board duct taped on …the trim is what’s going to be essential in comfort level …the toe needs to be taken way back…you need Xrays to determine how much of any rotation and to know your sole depth…Arquel(Meclofenamate) helped more than Bute for my boy with laminitis …Metformin, Isoxsuprine, Pentoxyfylline and Thyro L initially …also you need to follow the emergency diet …,which means no grass/pasture …he must get low sugar hay -if you don’t have tested low sugar hay then you need to soak it in cold water for 1hr then drain water …and only feed low nsc feed such as a ration balancer like Triple Crown30 or Triple Crown Lite which starch/sugar content is under 10%
was any bloodwork done? IF not you need to check Insulin,glucose, acth, Leptin and a lyme panel to Cornell
once things are under control…ideally you should have your hay tested and balance the minerals based on your hay analysis
my boy is doing the best he’s been since foundering this past winter since I took him to New Bolten Center and had Pat Reilly trim him and apply special glue on shoes …he’s on no meds anymore and is sounder than he’s been since before foundering!
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