I don’t have a lot to add but would 2nd, or 3rd or whatever to not only test for Cushings but perhaps start treating based on symptoms. I also agree with antibiotic therapy given the frequency and severity of the abscesses.
I am so sorry this has all been so hard and frustrating for you. Kudos for all you are trying to do for your guy.
My thinking too. Would you treat a horse with negative test results?
(I’ve said this before but I increased my pony’s dosage despite “normal” ACTH results and he improved. He was still having regular episodes of laminitis even though on Prascend. I figured it couldn’t hurt to try an increase dosage since he was pretty miserable and I was considering euthanizing.)
I found with mine that even when the trim was done to re align the coffin bone, the new laminae attachments are simply not as good as they were before the founder episode. Not as strong, flaws in the growth of the hoof, more likely to result in multiple abscessing. I gave up with mine after 4 years, put her down. Mine was a mechanical founder, the result of an injury on the other leg. And further complications.
Just reading all the replies and want to address a couple of things:
1.)The films were taken AFTER I pulled him from his lease, NOT before.
2.) The initial pictures I posted were taken about a year ago, the day his shoes/pads were pulled…NOT CURRENT, I will upload some current ones that I took Friday shortly.
So, it seems l need to have films retaken and some additional BW done in order to rule out some things.
What about the glue on shoes…Eponas?
The trim is really crucial. Try to find someone that understands Pete Rameys protocol.
I understand that Pete Ramey does padded boots for critical cases, and glue ons for recovery stages, so really it depends where your horse is at. But nothing will help as long as you are going with a farrier that lets the toe grow out like that. Those pictures aren’t of overgrowth from one trim cycle.
I would have another Cushings test run. Read the Cornell website and make sure the sample is being handled per their recommendations. If the vet clinic can’t spin the blood immediately and then freeze it and ship it overnight shipping, offer to do it yourself. I went to the vet clinic, got the blood centrifuged, and shipped it overnight, as I didn’t want it sitting in the vet truck for hours.
i would try a low sugar diet and try having him shod again, possibly with rim pads.
if he keeps abscessing, I would have him put down.
Good luck. Laminitis is awful.
I’d fire everybody. This is completely embarrasing to the vet/farrier industry. Do you happen to have any pics of the feet in shoes?
Not really anything that shows you anything. I have lots of pictures in diaper/ductape booties.
ok. Get someone in there to get the coffin bone away from the ground.I think most people take heels too low but those are excessively high. Get someone that will remove some heel. And get someone who can place a shoe where the toe should be in an x-ray or slightly back. I’d say you’re looking at a glue on shoe at this point with a reasonable trim and good shoe placement and you problems will be solved for the most part.
What does the vet th but only covering the bottom of the foot just before the tip of the frog . He kept pulling heart bars off and this has kept him comfortable and growing foot better and the farrier was able to balance him better with the weird hoof growth caused by the laminitis.
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The x-rays show a coffin bone too close to the ground.
Pics show a severly distorted hoof capsule and frog.
Vets aren’t taught about this at school and we all know the problems in the Farrier industry. It’s a messed up situation
She tells me the abscesses are a product of his conformation and environment, but that’s all I get.
The prior farrier, who worked on him during his lease, was at the round table/clinic, and worked on him after was a CJF and was highly recommended…which is why I kept him. I think the concept of full pads was right…protect the sole, but something wasn’t working and the abscesses continued. I kept asking to try something else but was met with “no, that’s not it”. From the vet I get “that’s not it”.
well, if it wasn’t the shoeing or the trim, or cushings, or some infection, or some immune difficinecy, or a metabolic thing…what IS it?!? Because it has to be something…
If you break this stuff down it becomes a bit simpler and you might be able to find a solution quicker.
Laminitic changes - good to know, nothing can really be done about that.
Coffin bone changes - that could be a problem, we can’t change it, might be something to deal with the horses’ whole life.
Coffin bone close to the ground - that is a problem. We can change that. Get the coffin bone away from the ground.
Hoof capsule torn away from coffin bone - That’s a problem. Could be due to coffin bone changes. We can reduce leverage on the hoof capsule at the toe.
Frog migrating forward - Not good. could be due to laminae attachment problems due to coffin bone changes.
Excessive heel length - not good. easily fixed.
So just from a Farrier stand point you can put the horse in a better situation. Once you get those things out of the way, you can continue to evaluate to see what’s going on. Lot’s of good posts here. You need to get the obvious out of the way so you can zero in on the real issue if it’s not the feet.
thank you for explaining it this way and I appreciate the time everyone has taken. THIS is what I feel I’ve not been getting…ill do whatever is I need to do, I just need pointed in the right direction!
now…how do I get you to GA to fix him?!?
LOL! I could run down and get him on the right path but that would be a short term fix. You need a reasonable Farrier in your area for a long term solution.
If you want to give me your location, maybe I know someone or could make some calls.
In reality, you get your vet to take x-rays and determine you want the toe of the shoe placed in x spot. And you say you want the coffin bone at a minimum 10mm from the ground. 15 would be better! Then find a Farrier that can accomplish that.
As my primary vet and I said several times, we keep doing the right thing but not getting the right results. Your vet seems to be basically saying there is nothing she can do. Time for a second, more expert opinion. You may want to ask her “do you think it would help to get a second opinion?” My vet consults specialists and refers me when necessary. Even then we have to keep doing a level set to determine if I need to be patient or do something else.
If you want to PM me, I’ll be happy to give details. If your budget allows and your horse is still barefoot, I highly recommend ordering a pair of SoftRides. That should make your horse more comfortable while you try to find the right people and protocol.
I went through several highly recommended expert farriers before finding one who made him comfortable. It been a journey and we’re not done yet.
I’ll map it and let you know.
Interesting pics. With the shoe on it looks like a difficult foot. Shoe off it looks like it could be a nice foot.
Once in awhile I come across bad shoeing and the feet turn out to be great feet. I get the idea, with all the problems you’ve been having, you need to get the feet in order and be happy with a sound horse.
And that may be the point the vet is trying to make…the shoeing is/was making things more complicated and overall the foot is “better” unshod…but his pain hasn’t decreased any.
i don’t care if he’s rideable…but he has to be pasture sound. Otherwise, there’s no point in continuing.
If you’re talking about putting him down I’ll stop by on my way up from fl at the end of winter.
Unfortunately the vet doesn’t know enough aboubt Farriery to correct the problem. And the Farrier doesn’t seem to know much about it. Anyway, hope I helped a bit in your situation.
You did and I appreciate it very much.
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