Poor Dan

**insert string of expletive's here* its bloody laminitis, I am 99.9% sure 😭 got there at 3.30 yesterday, to a sweaty, very uncomfortable Dan, he'd been laid down but was up when I got there, trying to turn we got the classic rock back onto the heels. I gave him half a bute. Went back at 8.30 to find him little improved and laid down again, HR 56, resp 40, so gave him the other half a bute and that seemed to quickly get him comfortable.

Poor little sod, I feel so bad. But, he was bright and cheerful, when I was checking stats he was diving in my pockets looking for any treats I may have and fussing that I might feed him again, so although he's in pain, his spirits are quite high. He was much more comfortable this morning, I didn't dare give him more bute but have a call in to the vet to check how much he can safely have.

I'm racking my brains about what has changed, he's not as fat as he has been in the past, he's on the same haylage I've used for the last year or more (though we did have the blip a month ago when they sent the wrong type), no grass to speak of. I hate to say it, but I think it could possibly be the arrival of my friends chickens. They are between houses so they asked if the chickens could come to my coop temporarily, the night they dropped them off they went to empty the chicken food out of the crate in the paddock (the coop is right on the fence line, just outside) and I caught them and explained it would give Dan lami......I'm wondering if they have been spilling it by the fence when they have been coming to feed them and Dan has been hoovering it up.
 
Oh noooo! Poor little Dan, and poor you, it so sucks looking after a laminitic.

My trimmer tells me that this year he has seen untold numbers of cases of unexpected and unusual laminitis. The weather has been very odd and it seems to have done weird things to the grass.

I do hope little Dan rallies soon and hasn't got a severe event.
 
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He’s bright tonight, still pottery but happy in himself (still calling for his dinner) and moving a little bit more.

I think he may actually have been a bit colicky on top of it last night, he had good gut sounds but he’d dug in a few patches and there wasn’t as much poo as I’d have expected this morning. I thought he was down a lot because his feet hurt yesterday but today he’s not laid down at all since 4am so am now leaning towards colic, which is not uncommon from lami pain according to my vet.

My trimmer tells me that this year he has seen untold numbers of cases of unexpected and unusual laminitis. The weather has been very odd and it seems to have done weird things to the grass.
I could understand it if he’d been on grass, but he hasn’t, their track is just dirt.
 
Poor Dan, poor you too, I’ve heard there’s a lot of lami and colic about just now. Sending lots of my best vibes your way.
 
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He couldnt have got to any wet, mouldy hay or hayledge that youve discarded out of nets could he.

Im 90% certain thts what chunkys colic was caused by a few years back.
 
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He couldnt have got to any wet, mouldy hay or hayledge that youve discarded out of nets could he.
No definitely not, he’s been in the Hank hut with a tiny pen on the front since Sunday and i don’t normally feed or bed in there so there nothing to get to. He had good gut sounds and was pooping (just not as much as normal) so likely a spasmodic colic from pain.
 
I've only just seen this, what a nightmare.

I've dealt with laminitis for years and I wouldn't be surprised if this was triggered by the weather. Ok mine were metabolic problems but the weather would give me real headaches, even if they were stabled or on bare patches it upset their bodies and then feet. And it can come out of the blue - no pulses and fine to crippled in a few hours.

With any autumn/winter laminitis, unless the horse is a real youngster, I would nowadays say test for PPID.

Fingers crossed you can get him comfortable and he makes a good recovery.
 
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Yep the farrier came at lunchtime and confirmed lami. I had him trim him (I normally do him myself) in the hopes he could make him more comfortable, unfortunately it’s gone the other way, I was struggling to manage his pain last night. My vet gave me the dosage for paracetamol to add to his bute so we’ll try that this morning.
A picture from yesterday morning, still looking bright
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The farrier wants his area made bigger so he can move about, but I’m a bit torn with that while he maxed out on pain relief, I don’t want him making matters worse.

I’ve already spoken to the vet about running a metabolic panel but obviously we can’t do that until he’s better.
 
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