LAMINITIS

Laminitis is a serious condition that lots of ponies suffer from. It is more common in spring, summer and autumn when the grass is lush and rich. The reason you need to learn about it is because the more you understand about it, the easier it is to stop your pony suffering from it or to spot it early if your pony does develop it.

WHAT IS LAMINITIS?

Laminitis is a common condition mainly affecting ponies’ feet. Inside your pony’s hooves there are sensitive tissues called laminae, which attach the bone inside the foot (the pedal bone) to the outer shell of the hoof (the hoof capsule). If a pony has laminitis, these tissues become inflamed, which is really painful and can lead to the bone in the foot rotating, or even sinking through the hoof in severe cases.

WHY DO PONIES GET LAMINITIS?

Any pony can suffer from laminitis, but ponies are at higher risk if they are overweight or have had laminitis in the past. Similarly, ponies with metabolic or hormonal diseases, such as equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) or pars pituitary intermedia dysfunction (PPID, also known as Cushing’s disease) are also at higher risk.

On top of this, there are lots of possible triggers that can set off a laminitic episode. The most common triggers are:

Eating food that is high in sugar and starch. This may include eating rich grass or munching lots of concentrate feed or consuming too many treats!

Suffering from a severe illness, such as a serious infection or certain types of colic.

Putting extra weight onto one leg because the other one is painful or injured.

Doing lots of fast work on hard ground.

TOP TIP:

Weight loss must be done gradually. You must never starve a laminitic pony because it puts them at risk of a condition called hyperlipidaemia which is VERY serious.

THE SYMPTOMS

The main signs of laminitis happen because your pony’s feet are sore. These include:

Lameness or walking in a funny way

A reluctance to move, especially on hard ground

Shifting weight from one foot to the other

Standing in a rocked back stance, with his front legs stretched out in front of him to relieve the pain

Lying down more than normal, and struggling to get up

Sweating and having an increased breathing rate even at rest

Other signs can include increased hoof temperature, where the hoof wall feels very hot if you put your hand over it. You may also be able to feel an increased digital pulse, which is a pulse that can be felt around your pony’s fetlocks.

If the laminitis is severe or chronic (so has been going on for a long time) a pony’s feet can become an abnormal shape with ridges that you can see on the outside of the hoof.

WHAT VETS CAN DO

If your pony starts showing any symptoms of laminitis, treat it as an emergency and call your vet immediately. The sooner they can treat your pony, the better the chance of preventing complications and permanent damage to the hooves.

If your pony is in a lot of pain and is finding it difficult to walk, do not move him before your vet arrives. Instead, focus on preventing him from eating any more food until the vet gets to you. Once your vet has given some painkillers, your pony will need to be put on box rest with a deep and very comfy bed, and perhaps some rubber mats underneath. This helps to keep him as comfortable as possible in his feet, and reduces the risk of his pedal bone moving.

Your vet will then probably give your pony anti-inflammatories, that you will need to give every day, and possibly also extra pain relief and sedation to keep him calm and comfortable, particularly in this early phase. Your vet may also recommend a blood test to find out if your pony has any other conditions that have caused the laminitis. These conditions usually need specific treatment.

Your vet will then give you some feeding advice. A pony with laminitis, or who has had laminitis in the past, will need a high-fibre and low-carbohydrate diet, and they won’t be able to have any hard feed (apart from perhaps a sugar-free balancer in certain cases). On box rest, your pony’s diet will be mainly hay and this often needs to be weighed to make sure it is approximately 1.5% of his body weight. To keep him eating throughout the day to prevent ulcers, he will need a hay net to store this hay. Your vet may also advise soaking the hay for at least six hours to remove even more of the calories from it. However, it’s best to discuss the specifics of diet with your vet as each pony is an individual.

Your vet may also suggest taking X-Rays of your pony’s feet to monitor the position of his pedal bones. Then your farrier or vet may fit supports to keep him comfy, and sometimes remedial farriery is needed to correct any pedal bone shift in the hoof.

TOP TIP:

Stress can contribute to laminitis. Therefore, if your pony has previously had laminitis and you need to change his routine for some reason, make sure to do it gradually.

PREVENTING LAMINITIS

Prevention is always the best option! Luckily there are lots of easy management changes you can make to help keep your pony laminitis-free:

Keep him at a healthy weight, which will also help avoid other health problems. Monitor his weight weekly using a weigh-tape, or body condition score him, then adjust his feed as necessary.

Control grazing all year round. Use track systems, strip grazing and muzzles to help stop him eating too much. Remember to be very careful when the grass is very green and rich, or when there has been a frost, because at these times the grass contains much more sugar.

Give him regular exercise, which helps keep him in shape and improve his metabolism. Always increase the amount of work your pony is doing gradually, and don’t do too much on hard ground.

Book regular farrier visits to help keep your pony’s hooves in good condition.

Keep a close eye on your pony and, if you see anything that worries you, call your vet for advice immediately.

CAN PONIES RECOVER?

If your pony suffers from laminitis it can take weeks, or even months, for him to fully recover. During this time, it’s really important to keep in close contact with your vet, because your pony’s management and medication may need to be adjusted and he may need regular hoof X-Rays and ongoing specialist farriery.

He must be kept on strict rest until he’s recovered and pain-free. Once he gets the all-clear from your vet, you can begin an exercise programme to help keep your pony’s weight in check.

If your vet says your pony can return to his paddock, his grazing will need to be gradually re-introduced and carefully controlled. Your vet is the best person to advise on how to do this safely.