Yet Another Head Shot of the Little Bay Hoss

I hope I am not boring everyone to tears with head shots of the Little Bay Hoss. In this case, I couldn't resist, because his ears were UP, and his expression so happy and contented and peaceful, which all spells 'the pain reliever is working,' which makes us all very, very happy!

I woke up this morning to the sound of Pookey nickering for his breakfast, and flipping over his feed tub, which he hasn't felt well enough to do for some time. He has been on his feet for much of the morning, even during the hours when he was filling his belly with hay, then receiving his GastroGard in preparation for today's dose of Equioxx.

Either yesterday's Equioxx finally kicked in and has provided him some pain relief, or he is transitioning out of the acute phase of this founder episode and into the chronic phase.

For those who are not familiar with laminitis in horses, it is a very strange beast indeed. While those of us who have had heel spurs or plantar fasciitis can relate somewhat to foot pain, the type of pain experienced in laminitis is really much more akin to a severe toothache--it is overwhelming, and unrelenting.

Laminitis can have many root causes, or triggers. Even most city kids know that a horse can founder from breaking into the feed room, or drinking too much cold water on a hot day, or pounding too hard on the pavement for too long. But recent research points to a number of other more subtle causes as well.

No matter the cause, the process, once set in motion, is usually the same--inflammation begins to occur in the hoof capsule, and when it does, it has no place to go.

It usually strikes the front feet, causing incredible pain. Over time, as the pain builds, the horse will tend to rock back on his hind end to support his weight, and to stretch his front feet out in front of him, in the classic founder stance.

Inside the hoof, the pain is intensifying as the laminae (the interwoven structures that hold the pedal bones stationary inside the hoof) begin to separate and lose their attachments. As separation progresses, and the horse continues to bear weight, the deep digital flexor tendon pulls on the third phalanx. Freed of its laminar attachment, eventually it will rotate downward. This is the dreaded 'rotation' that horsemen speak of. It is never a good thing; hence the lay term for P3, the 'coffin bone.'

Most treatment efforts in the acute phase are designed to reduce inflammation and pain, to prevent or minimize rotation, and to prevent collateral damage to other supporting structures. Treatment in the chronic phase usually involves corrective shoeing, pain control, and addressing various contributing factors.

More about that tomorrow!

Until then, Pookey's pain is at about a 5 today, down from a 7 yesterday.

For a special treat today, I am headed to the Sonic to get him a sugar-free Green Apple Slush!