Horse Status Report #2

Dr. Chapman has checked Lizzie out and she says she  does have a mild case of laminitis in all four feet, probably from having been put out on that really lush spring grass/clover while we were up in Ohio.   

When I got back out there this afternoon to meet the vet, it was much more obvious that she was in pain than it had been last night.  And when I turned her around, she did that typical "pivot with the back legs in place" thing that they do instead of stepping across when they're hurting.

Treatment:  Dr. C. put frog supports ("Sideline Cushion Support") on all four feet.  Interesting stuff.  Looks like play dough.  You take equal amounts from the red jar and the white jar, mix them together, then just apply them to her hoof around the frog and all the way out to the walls.  Then you put her foot down on something clean and flat (the back of the doctor's clipboard in this case) for three minutes until it hardens to the shape of her foot, then fasten the pad on good with duct tape (Elasticon is better, but we didn't have any).  Here's how it's described online:

Two Part Silicone Putty provides support and protection for horses with thin soles. Also used in acute laminitic cases. Cushion Support can be used under pads, under eggbars and heartbars, and as a full support pad.

A box of two 1-lb. containers that you mix together costs about $60.  Expensive, but not THAT expensive really.  You remove the pads every couple days, clean the hoof, treat it with Coppertox, then wash the pad, reapply it, and retape it.  The pads are good for about a week or so, then the foot conformation changes enough that you need to make new ones.  

Dr. C. recommended boots for trail riding, at least for this year, since her feet will probably stay too sensitive to go barefoot and I refuse to put shoes on her.  If the boots aren't enough protection, I can always apply some more of the Sideline before putting the boots on.

So for now, Lizzie's on daily Bute until Dr. C. comes back on Thursday to do x-rays of all four feet and flush out her tear ducts.  (Her eyes, especially her right one, have been getting kind of "gloppy" lately.  Dr. C. says the tear ducts are probably blocked but she didn't have the equipment with her to deal with it today.  No big deal since she has to come back to do the x-rays anyway. )

Oh - and they drew blood to check her insulin/glucose levels while they were at it.

Looks like my little girl is going to be one of those "bargain horses"  who will cost us a bundle.  But I can live with that -- she's worth it.