We may sound like a broken record, but we see so many laminitis cases come fall! If we can educate and help people prevent laminitis… you, your horse, and even us, will all be much happier! It is really tough seeing horses miserable, and unfortunately laminitis is particularly painful!
So, what do you do if you suspect your horse has laminitis?
Call your veterinarian
Remove all access to pasture and grass ASAP
Minimize trauma by cushioning their feet with extra stall bedding
Do not move them, if possible, they are likely painful
A few methods of prevention:
Not allowing grass access when the grass is at peak production (A super safe rule of thumb is – If the sun is up, the grass is making sugar!)
If your horse is not used to having grass, do not allow long hours of unrestricted eating.
Understand the sugar content of your horses feed (Hay testing, treat ingredient list.)
Keep your horse a healthy weight with diet and exercise. Keep note of any fat padding along neck, tail head and shoulders. Weight tapes can be a good, generalized idea of your horse’s weight. More importantly, you can keep track if they are losing or gaining weight!
Cascadia Equine Veterinary Clinic was founded in 2007 by Dr. Chris Wickliffe. The clinic services the Willamette Valley from Keizer to Junction City and from the Coast to the Cascades. The clinic was fully mobile until the spring of 2021 when the Tangent facility was opened. Cascadia Equine currently has three veterinarians on staff, Dr. Chris Wickliffe, Dr. Kelsey Palsgaard and Dr. Sera Moran. Cascadia Equine has dual services whether you need fully mobile services stall side or can haul into the Tangent Clinic. Services include motorized dental floats, lameness exams, radiographs, ultrasounds, pre-purchase exams, reproduction services, therapeutic treatments and much more. Call or text 541-207-8308 to schedule your appointment today.