Kathleen wrote:

7 years old, 6 laminitic attacks, not IR and not Cushing's? Clearly, something is driving the laminitis, but what?

Helen Benoit wrote:

He's thin
soled and seems to get worse when there's mud and lots of rain.

About 3 weeks after I started him on the diet he
got really sore again. So I switched him to the balanced cubes.
Slowly Toby was getting less and less sore. A couple weeks into that
my farrier came to trim Toby and the next day the pony could barely
walk. It's been 3 weeks and he's slowly getting better with times
during the day of heat and pulse alternated with cool and no pulse in
his feet.
So all this points to either something my farrier is doing or some
structural problem within the foot that makes him more sore when my
farrier trims him.

Helen I'm thinking a couple things ...

1) Since Toby is (at least according to the diagnostic tests) not Cushing's and not IR we should probably move him to the EChoof list, which is our sister list for off-topic hoof related discussion - I'm crossposting this there. (not on ECPhotos, because it really seems he has a hoof problem of some sort ...)

2) I would like to see some very minimal, very focused trim techniques used on Toby to see about getting him more comfortable. We'd need a new, *complete* set of hoof pictures to do that, and because of the detailed info & length of follow-up involved, you'll probably want to arrange a consult with Eleanor or one of the hoof gurus on the list.

3) I'd also like to see you try hoof casts for Toby, mostly because they can't hurt and might help, but also because if they do or don't help it might help us figure out what's going on.

4) If the trim techniques & the casts don't help I would recommend you contemplate the possibility of having an MRI of his feet.

-Abby


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**************************
Abby Bloxsom
www.advantedgeconsulting.com

Why is this pony thin soled?     What's  causing this if the farrier isn't taking any sole off?
Do you watch this farrier work?   Any paring away of the sole?    
IF   the farrier isn't taking it off,  then nothing is being produced within.  

This was the problem with my own gelding, due to lyme disease metabolic screw up.  
This  lyme disease also pushed him into IR and Cushings,  with iron overloaded liver,
but the end result was no sole growth.   All of these problems had to be resolved  and
it included  good farrier work done.   That was 2 yrs ago now.    I watch him like a hawk
for any steps backward in his condition.

I have my gelding in Soft Ride boots now, with 6"  of bedding shavings when in at night
and he is barefoot.    But initially he penetrated both front feet. 
You need to get some support now,  irregardless of why he  has thin soles  currently or
you will make this problem alot worse.  

The mud and  frozen ice are terribly rough on feet and with think soles "Yikes"...
Judy-PA


Abby Bloxsom wrote:

--- In ECHoof@..., J Amick <happyday23@...> wrote:

Why is this pony thin soled? What's causing this if the

farrier

isn't taking any sole off?
Do you watch this farrier work? Any paring away of the sole?
IF the farrier isn't taking it off, then nothing is being

produced

within.

This was the problem with my own gelding, due to lyme disease

metabolic

screw up.
This lyme disease also pushed him into IR and Cushings, with

iron

overloaded liver,
but the end result was no sole growth. All of these problems had

to be

resolved and
it included good farrier work done. That was 2 yrs ago now.

I

watch him like a hawk
for any steps backward in his condition.

I have my gelding in Soft Ride boots now, with 6" of bedding

shavings

when in at night
and he is barefoot. But initially he penetrated both front

feet.

You need to get some support now, irregardless of why he has

thin

soles currently or
you will make this problem alot worse.

The mud and frozen ice are terribly rough on feet and with think

soles

"Yikes"...
Judy-PA


Abby Bloxsom wrote:

Kathleen wrote:

7 years old, 6 laminitic attacks, not IR and not Cushing's?

Clearly,

something is driving the laminitis, but what?

Helen Benoit wrote:

He's thin
soled and seems to get worse when there's mud and lots of rain.

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------

Well with help from the Cushings sister list, and after posting

some pics the consensus seems to be that Toby's heels are way too
high causing pressure on the toe. Toby was tested for all you
mention: IR, Cushings, Lyme and everything is negative. Right now
he'll stay on his special IR diet until we resolve his feet. Diet
is ODBC with flax and salt and vit.E I have an appointment this
weekend with a natural trimmer and we'll see what she says of his
feet. Will also post before and after pictures.
Helene

Helene,  pls keep us posted on the farrier's  visit.   

My gelding has/had  a good  farrier all along with low heels, 
and a rolled toe.    But  he still had the thin soles.   
Judy-PA