Thought I'd update you on Fiddle.....
Last message I think we were presuming a case of "gravel" and treating 
accordingly.  Well, last Thursday (7/3), she seemed much worse...hesitant to 
walk, etc.  I FINALLY got the farrier out here to pare her down to take a 
look...he found nothing in her hoof that resembled and infection, fungus, 
abcess, etc.  I walked her around and he watched her stand, etc.  After 
hemming and hawing, he told me he thought it was a mild case of laminitis.
She is now sore on both feet (instead of just the right), actually a little 
more sore on the left now.  She shifts her weight from side to side when 
she's standing, and is putting most of her body weight toward the back.  She 
does not, however, have all the classic signs of acute laminitis, such as 
heat in her feet (they're just a little warm), fever, very strong digital 
pulse (it's there, but not banging around), but since we've eliminated just 
ab out everything else...vet concurs.  He hadn't seen her since last week, 
and agrees with the farrier with these new symptoms occuring.  Anyway, we've 
got her on bute and an antihistimine and hot soaks 2xday as well as a pair of 
"lilly" pads (they support the frog).  Neither the vet nor farrier think this 
is a severe case, but the vet is going to take more x-rays today and run some 
blood work.  He's a little concerned about thyroid levels...
As you all know, Ms. Fiddle tends to be a porker on almost no food...she gets 
almost no grain and grass hay.  But, she stays really chunky on just this.  
She also has a pretty cresty neck, and the farrier says her feet are more 
like pony feet than horse's...not sure what he means by that.
I'll keep you posted...she's a lot more comfortable this a.m. after her first 
course of bute, and it's just a relief to me to know what we're dealing with 
and at least have a treatment that seems to be giving her some relief.  Both 
the vet and farrier seem optimistic about her recovery, so I won't get 
hysterical yet.....
If anybody knows of any good articles, etc. on laminitis (founder), please 
let me know.  I've checked the Internet, but our computer is out of order at 
the moment, and I'm finding conflicting information about treatment in the 
things I've been reading.
Ever have one of those days when you think you should get out of the horse 
business!!!!!!!!!
Meg  
 
---
---------------