If your house has suddenly started walking oddly, you may have to check him for laminitis or founder. Founder in horses are common and arise at any age. The disease needs to be watched, as it is a very painful condition that affects the feet of the horse. It occurs due to the inflammation of the laminae of the horse, which are the fold tissues that connect the pedal bone to the hoof.
Founders are caused by a repeated physical trauma on the feet of the horse, usually during riding and jumping on hard ground. It can also occur after overenthusiastic hoof trimming.
Treatment
Initially, founder needs to be treated by calling in a vet. The vet will prescribe a cold wash on the horse’s feet before it is taken into the barn. You can put the horse in ice boots if you have them as well. Give the horse the medication the vet prescribes, and give the horse vasodilators to make the blood flow to the hooves easily, along with the antibiotics and antiendotoxins serums to fight toxin buildups. Place the horse in a confined stall with a nice shaving bed. Do not feed the horse grain, but only grass or hay.
Get in touch with an orthopedic farrier for horse consultation. A good farrier is more important than a vet in managing the horse’s disease. They will place pads on the horse’s feet or Styrfoam, so as to relive the pressure buildup in the hooves. They will trim and apply shoes to the horse if possible.
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