Steroid induced laminitis

[ladipus]

Is steroid induced acute laminitis considered endocrinopathic/metabolic laminitis?? My mare never had any issues or laminitis prior to the steroid induced acute laminitis episode over 2 yrs ago ?? I’ve been treating her as if she’s IR/EMS ever since …at the time of laminitis her insulin and glucose were elevated but I believe that was because she was in a crisis /pain & inflammation from the laminitis…ever since recovery her numbers have fallen in the normal range with the exception of an elevated acth about a month ago -which we believe is most likely due to seasonal rise. I would love for her to be able to go back to her normal lifestyle which was out on pasture (muzzled) if at all possible…I believe she was slimmer & happier mentally when muzzled on grass than dry lotted on soaked or low sugar hay fed in nets

I’m also wondering if because she’s still getting the ECIR recommended “emergency diet” if that has anything to do with her lack of energy now that she’s been back in full work quite some time now?? I touched on this in another recent post of mine . It would be a lot easier and less money if she could go back on Triple Crowns 30% RB as opposed to soaked Timothy Balance Cubes/Vermont Blend/Flax /Vitamin e etc

[candyappy]

What does your vet say?

My mare had an extremely mild bout with laminitis due to the stress of a long distance move. I caught it immediately, called a vet and she was back to normal in a day or 2. We didn’t have pasture at that place but moved 4 years later and she has been on pasture ever since no problems.

She wears a muzzle at least part of the time unless the grass is lush and then all the time but she does fine.

I think it is dependent on the individual horse and their issue.

[Arlomine]

You can do a personal consultation with Eleanor Kellon. Just contact her through Ukele. I think this would be a good way to go.

[ladipus]

My regular vet says that it’s probably fine to put her back on grass(muzzled)my sport horse vet that does her injections says she wouldn’t risk it …and the ECIR group vet specialist/Dr Kellon they seem to be very against any IR/Metabolic type horses to ever have any grass

[ladipus]

I’ve gone back and forth with Dr Kellon /ECIR group and they are very strict and seem against any metabolic/IR horse having any grass

[Arlomine]

That’s the protocol I follow. Just not worth the risk for me.

[Pico_Banana]

My mare has a very similar history to yours. Laminitis a few years ago, cause not really determined but the possibilities were steroids, overall inflammation caused by an incredibly severe allergic reaction (hence the steroids), or something like Potomac horse fever. We tested her for IR at the time and she came back negative. She was a bit heavy at the time and we put her on a diet to lose weight for the founder, but not because of metabolic reasons.

Since then, she’s been out on grass wearing a muzzle with no problem at all. It’s been so good I’m wondering if next grass season I might even try her without a muzzle and see how she does. Her weight is actually better, and she is much much happier, on grass with a muzzle than in a dry lot with hay nets that she still hoovers through in about an hour and then loafs around bored out of her mind until her next meal 4 hours later.

So in my mind she’s not metabolic, but she just tends to be on the heavy side and I just manage her weight. She’s on something very similar to the emergency diet (mostly hay, v/m supplement that includes magnesium, vitamin e, flax). So I suppose I manage her as if she were metabolic.

My vet, on the other hand, thinks that she is definitely metabolic based on her breed, conformation, and founder history. We just discussed this recently actually. Her take on the matter is that I just manage her really well and that’s why she’s doing fine. But the takeaway for your query, I suppose, is that muzzled on grass is working really well for us.

My mare’s energy level is good with this diet, but she was only getting back to work. (And now has a different injury. Sigh.) Previously, I noticed less energy when I was upping her workload and we increased her protein, which worked at that time.

[ladipus]

Wow …your story does sound very similar to ours Pico_Banana ! I’m really glad and feel optimistic that I can transition her back to grass -gosh it would make life so much easier …it’s really been so tiring and overwhelming dealing with these issues.

[candyappy]

@ladipus

I’ve gone back and forth with Dr Kellon /ECIR group and they are very strict and seem against any metabolic/IR horse having any grass

Well the mare I mentioned would also easily be a metabolic nightmare if not muzzled when the grass is good.

She has been that way since she turned 5. She just turned 18. The weight just comes on fast.

I just adjust the amount of time she is muzzled due to grass conditions and how she looks. She goes out when the grass is dormant unmuzzled.

[ladipus]

What breed is she

[candyappy]

@ladipus

What breed is she

100% Appaloosa. Just built like a tank.