FOUNDER!

[Carole AM]

Please refresh me on the treatment of founder. I haven't dealt with it in so long! We had the farrier out yesterday to trim our mares, and Misty had foundered. I don't know how I missed it! I knew she was sore, but thought it was from trimming her feet. I tried soaking with epsom salts, but the crazy thing wouldn't stand for it!

 

[justusnak]

Wow, I dont know. sorry...I am going to have to look this one up!

 

[patandchickens]

Wow, sorry to hear it. Unfortunately you absolutely NEED to have the vet out to do xrays -- and *right soon* too -- otherwise there is no way to tell how serious the situation is and (most important) what the coffin bone may be doing. Since the goal of treatment is mainly to bring the foot and coffin bone back into proper alignment and it is absolutely impossible to do that without knowing what the coffin bone *looks like* on the inside, you just gotta have xrays. And the sooner you can get this done, the sooner you and your farrier can start treating whatever damage has been done and preventing further damage.

Management-wise and until the vet comes, cut out any and all grain or other hard feed that Misty may be getting, and preferably keep her off of grass as well (just feed hay). Potentially losing a little weight isn't nearly as bad as having the laminitis continue and worsen! The other thing that can help limit damage is to transfer pressure to the sole instead of the hoof wall, either by putting her in a stall or roundpen floored with something like very deep loose dry sand, or by packing the whole underside of both forefeet (or all 4 feet if they're all affected) with a great big ball of Play-Doh and securely taping it in with vetrap and duct tape.

Soaking isn't likely to do much of any good, unless the original laminitis actually occurred some weeks ago and she is abcessing -- but if that is the case you *really really* need a vet and xrays to define the exact problem. Neither are the old-time tactics of cold hosing or standing the horse in a stream or mud.

Best of luck and good vibes,

Pat

 

[chickbea]

I'm just getting on to agree with Pat - this is a condition that can go from bad to worse in a very short time. A vet needs to see the horse pronto to determine the best course of action.

 

[blue90292]

carole, if it is founder, get this stuff QUICK!

http://unitedvetequine.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=45620010a&Category_Code=

pay the extra money to have it overnighted. your horse will get better in one day, two at the most. i promise. i swear by this stuff. it's expensive but worth EVERY PENNY.

my horse went lame, his foot and ankle inflamed, etc etc. it happened after his buddy suddenly died and he lost his best friend. my horse was actually unable to walk and just laid on the ground but would eat. within 2 days, he was actually walking and in less than a week, all his symptoms were gone. i kept him on it for two more weeks. my horse owes it's life to that stuff.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
If you have the extra money to spend on this supplement after having a full veterinary workup and pricing founder-recuperation farriery, by all means try it...

...however, as nifty as this may be for *helping* a horse recover, it has to be an ADDITION to vet care, not a substitute.

blue90292, sounds like your horse had a hoof abcess, not founder. Sometimes hoof abcesses can be really dramatic and scary like that -- suddenly the horse won't even put the foot to the ground, then a few days or a week later *bing* he's fine. Sometimes the ankle is puffy, sometimes not. You won't always see where the abcess drained out either, though sometimes there is some evidence later on in hoof parings when the horse is trimmed.

Actual laminitis is almost always in *pairs* of feet (only exception is the pretty rare cases that are due to rare types of injuries, or overweighting the sound leg when its partner is seriously hurtin' for a long time e.g. what happened to Barbaro). You don't generally see any swelling, although in some stages there may be a heavy pulse in the ankle. Founder (which is laminitis that progresses to the point that the coffin bone starts to detach from the hoof capsule) is absolutely NEVER going to resolve in a week or such -- though with good luck and a good vet and farrier on the case, you may indeed be able to get the horse sound in a matter of months (sometimes a year or more).

I'm not pointing this out to criticize; it's just important to be able to tell the difference because even though they may sound sort of similar, the treatment (and outlook) for a hoof abcess is WAY WAY different from what a horse with laminitis/founder needs.

BTW, Carole AM, if you don't know of it already, www.thehorse.com is a good place for articles on health issues such as founder. I think they now make you register but it is still free. Hope your mare is doing ok,


Pat

 

[Standard Hen]

I agree with Pat. Get the vet out there for x-rays. Isn't it awful that when something happens to our animals our minds go blank??? I know mine does. No grain and bed her deep until the vet can get there. Just fresh hay and water for now. Is Misty a pony or horse?
Good luck and sending good wishes.

 

[ratlummountain]

hope this link helps a little ...

http://www.keithseeley.com/Founder.htm

and i agree call your vet pronto

 

[Carole AM]

I don't think it is founder--maybe its the hoof abcesses. Shes doing better today.

Misty is a horse. No grain, no work, just pasture for years! Nothing has happened till this new farrier came into the picture.

 

[equine chick]

One way to tell if your horse has abcessed is to look by your coronet band and if you see an opening like a sore than it's an abcess. IF you have a hoof tester try taping their foot. Abcesses can be pretty bad as well, a friend of ours lost their horse last year, the abcess went to the hip and they had to put her down. We had a horse with an abcess about a year ago, we did have the vet out because she was so lame and could barely walk. We treated with antibiotics, epsom soaks and stall rest. It took about a week to cure.