|
|
Discussion on Cause of founder?
|
| Author |
Message |
Member:
martina
|
Posted on Sunday, Aug 29, 2010 - 2:54 pm:
In reading articles about causes of founder, I see that it can be caused by various types of toxins. I recently had the pin oaks in my horse pasture sprayed with the pesticide Onyx. The recommendation was to remove the horses for 2 days. We kept them in another pasture for 7 full days. About 2 weeks after returning them to the treated pasture, one gelding foundered in 1 front foot. We (including my vet) are puzzled because, other then this potential cause, there was nothing in their environment that "changed," nor any foot/hoof trauma. This particular horse is extremely healthy, always 100% sound, and has never had a previous laminitic incident. I'm wondering whether I inadvertently caused this by treating the oak trees?
|
Moderator:
DrO
|
Posted on Monday, Aug 30, 2010 - 9:14 pm:
Tina I don't believe so. If a toxin had caused the founder it should have effected more than 1 foot.
DrO
|
Member:
martina
|
Posted on Wednesday, Sep 1, 2010 - 8:55 am:
Thanks - makes sense. How common or uncommon is founder in just 1 foot? He rotated 10 degrees.
|
Moderator:
DrO
|
Posted on Wednesday, Sep 1, 2010 - 2:33 pm:
With the exception of a unilateral mechanical rotation in a sound front foot because the opposite lame foot is non-weight bearing on a big horse, it is uncommon Tina. Even if there was some severe local event that caused the laminae of one foot to become diseased. painful, and weakened, the shift of weight bearing to the sound foot would normally prevent rotation. I would wonder if something else caused lameness and the rotation was preexisting. Did you radiograph both feet? Is this foot's conformation usually normal?
DrO
|
Member:
martina
|
Posted on Thursday, Sep 2, 2010 - 6:39 pm:
Yes, the foot's conformation is usually normal. This horse has (or should I say had?) the best feet you could ever want for. I've owned him about 10 years and he has never been lame, which is why this is so perplexing.
He showed signs of discomfort 2 full weeks prior to the episode. I would hose his legs, apply liniment, use magnetic bell boots, keep him quiet, etc., suspecting an abscess. He would be "off" one day and then gallop around the field the next. Then he would be "off" again, then sound enough to ride the next few days... only on the day following his last shoeing did he become totally immobile, at which time I called the vet.
We radiographed both feet. Only the right rotated (10 degrees).
You can imagine why I want to discover the cause, although I'm not certain I ever will. It's been 2 weeks since he's been stall-bound and, at the moment he is doing much better.
|
|
|
