Was hoping to get some
insight on a problem I am having with my mare. She is 11, have had her
since January, she is QH mix (not sure what). Started conditioning her all
last year and competed in one LD last year, she did great, drank, pee'd, pulsed
down very well.
This summer has been very
hot in So Cal and between the heat and kids out of school, not much conditioning
happened over the summer. Have had mostly short rides 1-2x/wk, but
due to vacation and relatives in town, have not been on her for 2
weeks before this happened.
* Noticed last week
that she was walking rather sensitively (not very obvious at this point),
checked her hooves, OK. Didnt call the vet wanted to see if she improved
the next day, well "walking on egg shells" is the best way to describe her
walking.
*Called the vet, came
out- hoof test-negative, felt she had ?laminitis. Started her on Bute 1gm
BID (2xday), and isuxsuprine 15 tablets BID. In a few days, much much
better.
*Checked
in with vet 8 days later...looks good, tapered her off the bute,
continue the isuxsuprine. 24 hours off the bute, and .....egg shells
again.
*Called vet, came out,
pulled front shoes, hoof test with some sensitivity (right side frog area, left
side hoof wall?). Xrays (told I could choose from laminitis views to
full views to include navicular bone)...well, I am an nurse...better to get
them all while you can.
*Xrays show: mild
rotation of coffin bone, trauma to the coffin bone (pedal osteitis), and some
minor changes to the navicular bone.
*tomorrow the farrier
is coming to put on corrective shoes with pads, etc etc. Instructed
to increase bute to 2gms 2x/day, and isuxsuprine to 20 tabs
2x/day.
Her diet consists
of: 1/2 scoop of beet pulp (soaked in water for at least 30
min)
handful of O&M, handful
of rolled corn, and sprinkle of Select II, OH and
importantly her hay is Barley (not alph-alpha).
I am assuming, very sadly,
that maybe her short lived endurance days are over. ??Are they??
Anyone have experience with this, comments, suggestions, what should I feed her
now? (mixed answers from both vets)
