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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
    
Location: Kansas | When it's time to let a horse go? As in putting one down.....my roan mare has laminitis, and I've done everything the vet has said. She is dry lotted, only fed prairie hay, and on a senior feed/beet pulp for added weight. We have had my farrier come out every 8 weeks with her so she can grow some wall. The last trim 2 weeks ago looked promising, but now she has heat in her hind right leg.....and she's 3 legged lame. She is gimping around the lot, and I've buted her for a few days...and rubbed draw on that leg, but it doesn't seem to get any better. I've also checked for an abcess, but nothing has blown yet.
She just doesn't seem to be getting any better. I'm considering having the vet come out this saturday and put her down......I don't want her to suffer anymore than she is now :( |
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 Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| When everything you've done is not enough anymore.
I had a 28 yr old pony mare whose coffin bone was very close to rotated out through her sole. She got laminitis and was foundered at around age 23. We kept her going for quite awhile through supplements and good farrier care. She was in perfect health otherwise, but soon she wouldn't have had a foot to walk on. It was only the right thing to do, since she gave us so much. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1182
Location: Do I hear Banjos? | I have long held the belief that there are worse things in life for an animal than a humane end. Chronic pain is no way to live. When the bad days outnumber the good...or we can no longer keep them comfortable...the kindest thing we can do is to make that sacrifice and ease their pain and passing.
We often keep them going past where we should because it's so hard to make that decision and let them go. But I waited one day too long on my little dog Oliver years ago. He had liver failure and I should have done it sooner...but I didn't have the strength to let go. I won't make that mistake again if I can help it. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| I have a severely foundered mare. It takes a lot of time and effort to get these horses sound.
Mine I have been battling abscesses for 6 months, knock on wood, we are to the point of almost no limp and the last abscess is coming out.
What I have learned from my 3 year ordeal, is the least amount of stress the better, I have my farrier come every 4 weeks so he doesn't have to take much off, I also have him keep her toe very short, I also trim her heels every week if need be.
Don't let your horse go 8 weeks, that drastic difference can cause laminitis.
For abscesses, it takes time, I found the best luck with Epsom salt and glycerine poultice.
I would also suspect your horse may have bruised her sole, I had mine in old macs for 4 months, I kept soaking her feet in iodine tincture to toughen them up.
For the euthanization question, I'm bad as I will try everything first, mine has a very high vet bill to be a pasture pet. If she is eating and drinking well, I might hold off.
I would switch to banamine as it has better effect on the vascular system in the feet.
I would also start icing her feet a few times a day
And putting the hoof magic goop on her feet as it has shown by thermal imaging to reduce inflammation in the feet, it works well, I got my vet hooked on the stuff.
If you have any questions about foundered horses I live it every day feel free to message me. |
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 Certified Snake Wrangler
Posts: 1672
Location: North MS | Do you have pics of her hooves you can post? Have you booted her to ease pain? I'm with the other poster about do NOT wait 8 weeks between trims. Small and more frequent tweaking of the hoof makes it much easier on the horse than a radical change every 8 weeks. Have you had x-rays done? Do you know if there is coffin bone rotation? I would be expecting an abscess to erupt on the lame foot you mentioned. Is this a relatively new horse to you? Or was it sound when you purchased it? What caused the initial laminitis episode do you suspect? Did you change farriers during the time the issue came up? How long has this farrier been working on this horse? Could you try different farrier- also maybe post the general area you live so some people could make some suggestions. Have you tried going barefoot to let her feet "recover" somewhat?
It sounds like you have her diet correct if the hay is a low sugar hay. What about minerals? |
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