What happened?????

Question

my horse foundered on his way up to the hospital. we don't know what started it all. He also has Laminitis in his left foot. his left foot sunk and rotated so badly we almost had to cut the tendon. What could have possibly caused all of this???????

Answer 1

all i can say is it built up slowly over time. im very sorry about that. hes gonna need some painkillers. :(

Answer 2

A lot of things may cause founder, but here are some of the most common types of founder, and causes:

1. Grain Founder

A horse that gets excess feed, or gets into a grain bag and gorges itself may develop founder. All grains may cause founder, but the most likely are barely, corn, and wheat.

2. Grass Founder

A horse that graze rich pasture, like legume pastures, may develop grass founder. Ponies and fat horses are more likely to founder from rich feed than horses in normal weight.

3. Water Founder

When an overheated horse drinks water, in is very likely to come down with colic, but some horses may get founder instead. If water is frozen over or very cold, a horse may not drink until its thirst becomes almost unbearable. Then, the horse may break the ice and suddenly consume sever gallons of cold water. This is very likely to cause colic and/or founder.

4. Road Founder

When a horse is worked on hard ground, they can founder. Long rides in horse trailers without cushioning flooring may also cause road founder.

5. Postparturient Founder

After a mare foals, if the uterus retains some of the membranes that surround the foal, founder can occur. A uterine infection is also likely to develop.

6. Other Causes:

Founder may occur in horses that are under stress. Hormonal imbalances may induce it, and mares with abnormal or extremely prolonged heat cycles may become foundered.

Some drugs may cause founder.

Black walnut shavings may cause sever founder, so do not ever use any shavings containing black walnut wood as a bedding.

Horses that must stand in the same position without much excesses will usually develop founder. The reason for this is the legs get no rest and can become sore. Also, the horse with little exercise may become fat enough to put extra strain on the hooves. Stalled horses should have exercise every day, and those that are given little should have their feed carefully monitored. Sea faring horses are a good example, they get little exercise so they must be fed less than a horse that is ridden every day. Premarin mares, which are given a lot of food and little exercise, are extremely susceptible to founder, and it has been reported that many of them go lame.

A horse with a sever leg injury may develop founder in the other legs, if they put enough weight on them.

Some large-bodied or fat horses with small feet may come down with founder. Some halter horses, which are usually very fat, get founder because their feet are too small to support the huge, abnormal weight. Some horses may inherit tiny feet, and therefore be likely to develop founder.

Signs

Acute Laminitis:

Early on, the horse's trot may be stilted, and as the condition worsens, the walk too may be stilted, and the horse will be reluctant to move. He may stand with his hind feet up under his body, to take weight off the front end. The front feet too may be set forward. Over the fetlock joint, a throbbing pulse may be felt, and the hooves will usually warm or hot. The sole of the hoof will be really tender and painful, especially near the point of the frog. Anxiety and muscular trembling due to pain will probably be seen. The horse's temperature and respiratory rate will increase, and membranes may turn a brownish color. In grain founder, symptoms may not occur until 12-18 hours after horse has eaten feed, and diarrhea will probably develop. Rotation of the coffin bone may occur in sever cases only 12 hours after injury or ingestion of grain has occurred.

Death is rare, but not unknown.

Chronic Laminitis

Downward rotation of the coffin bone is usual, and in sever cases it may even push through the sole of the hoof, usually resulting in euthanasia of the horse. Rapid growth of the hoof wall is caused by chronic laminitis, and the horse's hooves may grow to be over 12 inches long, with a huge bend and a 'melted' appearance. Huge ridges will form on the hoof due to inflammatory changes at the coronet band. Affected animals will be in pain, and stand as mentioned above, to relieve themselves of some pain. Pulse and heat can be felt around the fetlock, and will show pain if tested with hoof testers. It is usually difficult to determine the cause of the founder.

I hope this helps!

Answer 3

a horse doesnt just founder like that. its not a snap of your fingers and bam. it had to have happened over a period of time.

is he on grass? if so, dont take him back on grass once he's better.

maybe YOU should read more about it. He probably had too much sugar intake.

Answer 4

So you're saying he foundered in his right front on the way to the hospital to get care for his left, which was already laminitic?

It isn't uncommon at all, for the sound leg to founder while the injured leg isn't bearing weight.  That's what happened to Barbaro.

It can be a number of causes, but the most common is dietary.  I'd guess dietary issues caused the left, then the overburdened right followed.

What degree of rotation?  I have a nicely recovered foundered mare with (I think) 12-14 degrees of rotation.  She is sound for light riding in easy terrain.  I'm hoping for good resolution for your boy.

Answer 5

Laminitis is caused by a stress factor in the hoof. This can be from high carb diet, bad shoeing or hard riding or a combination of all! Laminitis just means that the blood in the hoof was not able to properly move around the hoof and do the job it is supposed to and the hoof suffers from it. I bet it was from diet and a bad ferrier.