Severe High Scale Cases / Positive Results -

     As many understand, laminitis can affect any age, breed, or discipline of horses with varying degrees of severity. Here are 3 examples of patients with high scale laminitis that vary in age, breed, and discipline and are continuing to live a productive life. Although these patients are not the norm and aggressive measures such as tenotomies are typically only life saving procedures, we are proud of our success stories as we believe it proves that there is hope for patients that suffer from severe laminitis to return to performance. View more photos on our photo gallery page.

Maestro:

Maestro is a 15 year old warmblood gelding that had been suffering from severe laminitis for three months before coming to the podiatry center. Upon arrival he had a sole depth of less than three mm with exposed solar corium and draining abscess tracts. In October of 2006, Maestro underwent a bilateral tenotomy and subsequent derotational shoeing as well as debridement of necrotic tissue and aggressive antibiotic treatment for his abscesses.

Within a month we began hand walking him daily at increasingly longer intervals/ inclines. By July of 2007 Maestro was back under saddle and working back up to the level 4 dressage horse he once was. Since that day in October, Maestro has never looked back and is going to start competing again in the spring of 2008. Click here to watch video of Maestro. (11 MB file requires Window Media Player to view)

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Joy:

Joy is a 25 year old Conemarra Pony who competed in eventing and was a well known hunt pony in her younger days. Joys suffers from Equine Metabolic Syndrome/ Insulin Resistance and as many EMS sufferers do, she foundered.

Joy had a tenotomy and derotational shoeing in her left front foot first and two weeks later her right. Joy had several setbacks during the first eight months after her tenotomy and was completely immobile at one point. However, Joy never gave up the fight and with her owners behind her, she finally persevered.

Although she requires strict management for her diet to control her EMS and regular visits to the podiatry center for shoeing, Joy has never had another major setback and is now a happy pony who still takes her owners for the occasional trail ride. Click here to watch video of Joy. (requires Window Media Player to view)

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Blackie:

Blackie is a 8 year old Morgan who competed both in driving and under saddle classes. Blackie had been dealing with laminitis for 6 months before coming to The Podiatry Center at Reata.

When he arrived, Blackie was in severe pain and unable to stand for long periods of time. He had huge holes in his sole that communicated directly to the coffin bone with exposed corium, abscesses, and a severely prolapsed coronary band. A venogram helped define the prognosis and aggressive treatment began. Blackie’s feet were soaked, cleaned, and debrided. A partial hoof wall resection was performed in order to relieve the shear force on the coronary band, and he was placed in Redden Modified Ultimates. He was also placed on aggressive antibiotics and pain medicine. Over the next 10 days, Blackie’s condition stabilized, and the infection in his feet was clearing. Dr. Conklin performed bilateral tenotomies and subsequent derotational shoeing.

Within a month, Blackie was able to be turned out and trot around in a small paddock and was weaned off all medicine. Blackie now lives a pain free life, his feet have grown out and appear normal, and he has gone back to driving and riding on a regular basis. Click here to watch video of Blackie (requires Window Media Player to view)

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