We need jingles

[dacasodivine]

I’m driving her about 2 hour away to a vet clinic to meet a farrier who has experience with laminitis. He has seen the x-rays and is talking about putting her in 3D pads.

I’ve talked to another farrier and a couple barefoot trimmers. So far they are not holding out much hope. While I know this is bad, I don’t want someone working on my horse that starts out with the thought that what they are doing is useless.

I have reduced sugar. She was mostly on a forage based diet anyway. I cut out the handful of grain I was throwing in her beet pulp and I’m rinsing the BP before soaking. I have not soaked her hay yet but plan to start. She’s confined to the barn so no grass. My vet didn’t suggest any diet change but both Facebook groups did even though this was not caused by metabolic issues. I figure it can’t hurt.

[Kyrabee]

Massive jingles coming your way.

Susan

[cayuse]

Thinking of you and your mare this afternoon and still jingling.

[keh]

I’m sorry to read this. You’ve certainly provided excellent care. I’m hoping for some good luck.

[WNT]

Sending all the jingles your way.

[barnesthenoble]

Sending you all the jingles. Thinking of you both.

[ATXmom]

Jingling for you both!

[Fiesta01]

Jingles for your sweet mare and hugs for you. I’m so terribly sorry you’re both going through this.

[Ghazzu]

Jingling like mad.

[BrownDerby]

Sending jingles. Walking that tightrope is so awful.

[luvmyhackney]

Jingles and jingles and more jingles.

[ATXmom]

OP - thinking of you and your mare today

[dacasodivine]

Thanks all for continued jingles and prayers and healing vibes. We are back home.

To give you some idea of what a fighter my mare is, when we walked up to the farrier, he asked if the leg had been blocked. He couldn’t believe she was walking that well with nothing more than bute for pain.

She has shoes with 3D pads on now. She’s a bit more ouchy since the support is pushing on the sole. But she is not reluctant to walk at all.

As I said before, as long as she wants to fight, I will fight with her. If she gets so painful she doesn’t want to move and is laying down a lot, I will let her go.

[sascha]

My mare survived mechanical founder after bashing the shit out of a leg. Mine recovered to 100% after many, many months of therapy.

I don’t know whether yours will recover similarly, but I would caution you to keep an eagle eye on the opposite foot, OR start booting it now. Once the originally injured leg is ‘good enough’ to take some weight off the currently foundering foot, you may find yourself in my position with a horse with an injury and 2 nearly devastatingly laminitic feet.

Listen to your gut. Listen to the people (vets, farriers, alternative therapists - I was really lucky to have access to a DVM who practiced ALL the other off the wall modalities) who have the most experience SAVING these horses. Listen to them. Do what they say even if your naysaying regular vet tut tuts and says you’re not doing it right. My personal examples were forced exercise (little bits of hand walking twice a day that nearly broke my heart at first) that seemed to help, keeping shoes on for 12 weeks cycles (my horse does grow incredibly evenly and pretty much maintained that during the founder) with foam and boots on as well, and throwing all the crazy stuff at her.

That said, if your heart truly sinks and you see something suddenly different and alarming - please make the final call sooner rather than later. I watched a mare last year suffer unbelievably and have to be put down on an emergency call. That said, recently, I saw another with 7 degrees rotation recover beautifully.

[sascha]

@dacasodivine

If she gets so painful she doesn’t want to move and is laying down a lot, I will let her go.

Adding to my post above - my horse was one who chose to lie down as much as possible. She recovered fully - back to barefoot, walking across gravel as though she wears 4 shoes.

The two other recent ones did not lie down at all during their worst pain - not even at night. One came through great, the other did not.

[beowulf]

Continued jingles. It’s good to be home.

[ATXmom]

I’m sure you’re glad to be home! Continued good thoughts for both of you.

Do keep a eye on her pain level and whether she’s eating. The boy that I lost never laid down, even when the laminitis spread to all four, I guess maybe he knew he wouldn’t be able to get up

[dacasodivine]

She has the same shoe and 3D pad on the opposite hoof but I will be keeping an eye on it.

X-rays were also taken of that hoof and no signs of founder so far. Knock wood.

[dacasodivine]

@ATXmom

I’m sure you’re glad to be home! Continued good thoughts for both of you.

Do keep a eye on her pain level and whether she’s eating. The boy that I lost never laid down, even when the laminitis spread to all four, I guess maybe he knew he wouldn’t be able to get up

I absolutely do keep an eye on her pain level. If I thought she was suffering, I would have had her PTS the other day. She’s bright and happy and has a good appetite. She does lay down at night but that’s her usual sleep routine.

[ATXmom]

So glad to hear she’s happy, bright and eating!