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Post by Einstein on Feb 18, 2003 21:55:18 GMT -5
I just talked to his vet and the corrective shoer. He foundered 6 months ago! He also had 2 big abcesses in that foot, that are now taken out and he's all wrapped up. Help! I've never had a horse that foundered before. They said it was about 6 months ago, by the white line and the hoof. I'm so devastated! After all he's been through to find out this! I feel like once I solve 1 problem, another one, just as big, shows up. :bang: Poor Porter  |
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Post by Neeners on Feb 18, 2003 22:05:05 GMT -5
did the vet take xrays? was there any rotation? Molly foundered a long time ago, then had a bout of laminitis over the summer, unfortunetly we dont really know WHAT she foundered on though.. You need to watch his protien intake. Molly is not allowed to have alfalfa, she is on a 10% protien pellet for her grain. Smay's pony foundered as well, so she will have more info for you also. I just take extra notice of the pulse in her ankles and if there is any heat in her feet. If there is (knocking on wood hard, that there hasnt been) the best thing I was told to do is ICE her feet as many times during the day as possible to get them to cool down. Luckily with her episode this summer we caught it before any rotation or damage was done.
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Post by ZenRider on Feb 18, 2003 22:05:26 GMT -5
Oh no. Poor Porter, he just can't seem to catch a break can he. OK, the one break he did catch was meeting you.  Bet he's happy to have those absesses out. Is there any rotation in the coffin bone? What does the Vet think? Will send some good thoughts your way. :horsie: |
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Post by Linda on Feb 18, 2003 22:37:27 GMT -5
This may well not be a problem. It all depends on what the X-rays show for rotation. And even if there is rotation, that can be changed as well. The X-rays have to be taken a certain way to have any meaning at all. If the guy is sound, things are already looking good. Founder is often a reaction to health problems--heaven knows he has had his share of those.
Here is where you want to go. >www.hopeforsoundness.com<. You will find the directions there on how to take the X-rays. Porter told me that he wants to be a Natural Balance horse.
There are thousands of horses who have foundered at one time or another in their lives who have gone on to have very successful careers. Since this was probably a founder caused by his medical problems, I don't anticipate much of anything needing to change with his care.
Regardless, go to the founder experts. Everything you will find on that site is absolutely free--except things that have a very clear price tag (like their new videos). You can even have your non-existent farrier call and talk to them. That is free too. They will even look at your X-rays. They are in the business of helping horses, not in the business of helping you lighten your wallet.
Little Paco got his feet trimmed by Gene himself. As Lynne will tell you, these are very nice, kind and caring people. Brisco got his new lease on life from Natural Balance--and the help of magic farrier Mitch.
Linda
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Post by Einstein on Feb 18, 2003 23:07:49 GMT -5
Thanks everyone. Linda, the vet thinks it was due to care, not health, although I can't rule that out. This was back before CANTER had him, most likely in July or August, at the very end of his racing career. He's not sound, but hopefully taking care of those abcesses helped! I didn't even know they were there. That I feel horrible about. He does stand on his toes, like he's trying to get weight off his heels. They did xray him, but I just got the call after a 13 hour work day, it was long and horrible, I only saw sick or dying animals today I'll find out more tomorrow. I'm going to trust this vet, he is a colleague of Steve and basically save Porter's life in November. This is the best clinic in Colorado, in my opinion better then CSU. So I'm gonna trust them and what they say to do. I've must have put someone's kid through college by now! Right now he's getting alfalfa cubes. He's on a very high fat diet too, I don't know if that matter. I need to talk to the vet again tomorrow. I know he'll be in big time corrective shoes, and that should help with pain management. I'm just so disapointed. I finally picked out his show name too, and now he may not even be sound enough to ride |
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Post by Katie Jo on Feb 18, 2003 23:37:56 GMT -5
Welll... not to be a dummy.. but... It could be 'road' founder maybe? This is due to concussion only. One of our OTTB's had this.. the farrier looked at him and said "he's foundered before???" so I panicked, track everything down, nope no founder, its from concussion on the track. Once the 'line' grew out you couldn't even tell.
I don't know...
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Post by LynnC on Feb 19, 2003 7:22:38 GMT -5
Michelle, I am sorry to hear about poor Porter.  That poor horse has been through so much and so have you. He is lucky to have found you. I hope you get some good news regarding this. I don't have any first hand experience regarding founder to pass along. If I find any information I will pass it along to you. |
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Post by Skye Pilot on Feb 19, 2003 7:58:17 GMT -5
I am so sorry for Porter... Poor guy has been through so much!
I saw a show or read an article on correcting horses heels that had foundered. In 20 minutes, they had all the horses walking around by putting a natural hoof on the horse without the corrective shoes... don't remember if it was hoof talk, but it was working and opposite of current beliefs.... no wedges or bar shoes... they were cutting back the heal to put the foot back into natural position and getting the horse to walk to restore blood to the foot for healing.
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Post by Smay on Feb 19, 2003 8:42:48 GMT -5
...that he foundered six MONTHS ago and now the damage is growing out. The vet can see where the hoof may have separated a little bit from the laminitis incident, and that is how abcesses start to form in a foundered horse.... pockets can get infected where they once were inflamed, etc. It will be very important to keep his toes short while his hoof is growing back out. That keeps the stress off the white line where the hoof separated back when he had his incident. And the xrays should show if the coffin bone is still in the right position. I'm willing to bet that it is. He probably foundered due to some kind of dietary event with his stressed out system. It's a carbohydrate thing...fat horses, ponies, slow metabolism horses and Cushings horses can kind of OD on high carbs and that starts the domino effect of founder...all kinds of things go wrong, but it end up with the spasming of the blood vessels in their feet that causes them to go ice cold...then flood with blood and get hot. Actually once they are hot, the horse is already foundering bigtime. That digital pulse that Dineen talks of is also the clue that those horse is foundering. It pounds hard and you can almost see it, but certainly feel it. ANYHOW, Porter has started 6 months on the road to recovering from his incident, which I don't think he will ever repeat, since his system is all back in order and he's getting a proper diet. The high fats and the proteins shouldn't trigger laminitis...it's high carbs in grain and fresh spring grass and stuff that can trigger it...but usually NOT in a normal horse.. We have successfully fought off a repeat performance of our pony's founder by keeping him strictly off carbs and supplementing him with magnesium - but a pony is a completely different metabolism than an underweight TB. I really think Porter will shape right back up as his feet grow back out and his absesses heal! Good luck!
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Post by niaru on Feb 19, 2003 9:07:29 GMT -5
the farrier once told me that my Morgan had foundered before, while he was doing her feet. It never bothered her tho, and if he hadn't told me I just wouldn't have noticed it!!
So, take heart, it happened some time ago and he's probably over it by now. His abcesses were surely more of a hassle!! Here's to a speedy recovery and abcess-free feet for Porter. :coffee:
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Post by adcooper on Feb 19, 2003 9:45:48 GMT -5
I feel it in my heart. This is not going to be a big problem for Porter. He's going to be fine. He's got YOU!
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Post by chrisnstar on Feb 19, 2003 10:59:04 GMT -5
Hang in there! :horsie:
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Post by shelley on Feb 19, 2003 11:41:12 GMT -5
Sorry to hear of Porters troubles....I'd be glad to help you need  |
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Post by Lynne on Feb 19, 2003 12:02:52 GMT -5
Don't worry though (I know, easy to say). I'm with SMay on this one. It's GOOD news that it was g months ago and that he is really on the mend. I know its another headache but he is so worth it ;D Paco is a foundered fiasco and probably will always have "problems", but he's happy and healthy and ALIVE! I would che3ck out the site that Linda suggested, its full of info and they were THE NICEST people that podunk little white trash me has ever met  I have the Ric Redden Understanding Laminitis book which probably wouldn't be useful to you but might be? If you want I'll send it....its informative reading if nothing else. Good luck and give that Porter some kisses for me! |
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Post by MarePower on Feb 19, 2003 20:38:55 GMT -5
Geez..when it rains it pours, huh?  I have never (knock on wood) had to deal with founder so I am no help there...but I am sure that everything will turn out okay. You know we end up with certain animals for a reason...Porter needs you! Hang in there....everything will be alright and calm down soon. But yikes girl...you are having a time of it aren't you? |
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Bet he's happy to have those absesses out.
That poor horse has been through so much and so have you. He is lucky to have found you. I hope you get some good news regarding this. I don't have any first hand experience regarding founder to pass along. If I find any information I will pass it along to you.
