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By Linda CorbyHome
Laminitus and Bambie the Shetland pony: Avoid Laminitis.
There are of course many causes of Laminitus in horses apart from feed issues, but almost all Laminitus is caused by incomplete digestion in the hind gut. I rescued a Shetland pony called Bambie who got Laminitus regularly, Bambie already had it when I first got her and in her case is was caused by her eating too much rich food. My view is ‘prevention is better than cure!’ Horses/ponies can get Laminitus even easier if people feed them outside of what the owner knows they are getting, because then the owner cannot adjust for it. People had done this with Bambie because she was soo cute, pretty little thing she was. Laminitus causes horrendous stomach ache, so it is very painful for them to lie down as well and once a horse/pony has had Laminitus once, they can get it again quite easily. If the pony is very fat and you start working it too hard too soon, then the pony will run the risk of getting Laminitus, be very careful with it, and bring it into work gently, please don’t try jumping straight away, for you could ruin a very good pony if you do. Horse Horses don't run about all the time if they're in a big field, they are more crafty than they let on. You shouldn’t automatically presume your is lame due to Laminitus just because it is overweight, as it could be lame due to other medical issues like the coffin bone. Ideally your horse should be on box rest on a deep bed of shavings to support the feet when it does have Laminitus, and. if you horse seems to be getting worse or no improvement perhaps x-rays should be sought to see what’s happening with the pedal bone. Laminitis is a serious and very painful condition that can affect any type of horse, pony or donkey at any time and is particularly common when spring grass is coming through. If riders suspect their horse, pony or donkey may be suffering with Laminitis, they should contact their veterinary surgeon immediately. If only preventing laminitis was simply a question of keeping fat ponies away from rich grass, but every year horses and ponies of every breed and discipline contract this excessively painful illness. Sometimes the horse will be sweating, groaning and blowing giving rise to the misdiagnosis of colic. A lot of people are worrying is the unwelcome practice of feeding high calorie diets to horses and ponies in order to achieve so-called ‘show-ring condition’. What I found a very interestingwas the fact that horses can develop insulin insensitivity, which is linked to obesity and laminitis. Laminitis In its mildest form laminitis presents as a mild lameness, a reluctance to move, or the animal lying down to try and get some relief from its painful feet. Trauma to the feet caused by excessive work on hard surfaces can cause laminitis particularly in show jumpers and endurance horses. Sensible feeding and management is, in most cases the key to ending the unnecessary pain and suffering caused by laminitis. Obese animals also bear increased weight on each hoof, resulting in higher than normal levels of concussion, which also plays a role in laminitis. To avoid laminitis the main thing you have to do is to keep away from high-risk feedstuffs and feeding situations, namely high intakes of high-starch diets and lush grazing. Vet You will need the blacksmith and vet involved to treat laminitis. If you vet comes out on many occasions and just prescribes more painkillers find another vet. My advice is to take your horse/pony straight off the grass, reduce his/her hay intake and ring the vet if you suspect Laminitus and have it confirmed one way or the other. Do not let your horse/pony guts out on new pastures , if you see your horse is getting overly fat then cut its feed down , mostly grainy feeds, or high oil feeds. Make sure you have a special paddock with little or no feed for you to put your horse into if it’s getting fat. Providing a rehabilitative wet sponge or foam wrap with ice or cold water for a horse/pony’s dehydrated hoof for rehydration and to slow down the circulation for Laminitus can also help.
Bambie lived to nearly forty years of age, and had a great life, just being a pet, laughing, pretty, funny little thing she was full of character! |
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