I used vagisil, the female human version to clean sheaths
--
- Frances C.
December 2017, Washington & California
Case history: https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Frances%20and%20Phoenix
Phoenix's Photo Album: https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/album?id=12382

Kirsten, there is a link within the CH hay section. It links to the google drive document that Daisy is referring to.

Daisy, DE, digestible energy, is a calorie calculation for this hay for horses (as opposed to cows or sheep).  Combined with background information about Tiko's level of activity, current weight, ideal weight, and other feed Tiko gets, it is the basis for calculating how many pounds of this soaked hay should be fed daily. That is one step in hay balancing. You still need the minerals in this hay to balance the diet.

--
Cass, Sonoma Co., CA 2012
ECIR Group Moderator
Cayuse and Diamond Case History Folder                
Cayuse Photos                Diamond Photos 

Hi Nina,

Our gelding was just like that and when the vet came out for his dental I asked her to clean his sheath.  He had a large bean as expected but she said he also had a yeast infection!  I treated him with a normal dose of miconazole for 7 days and all better.   
--
Sherry, Feb 2018, Gates, NC
https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Sherry%20and%20Cody  

https://ecir.groups.io/g/DustyHoof/album?id=38179 

https://ecir.groups.io/g/BlueHoof/album?id=38486

https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/album?id=38227
 

Daisy, the only hay analysis I see is labelled "2020-0702-1stCuttingJosh.pdf", is that the one?  The ESC, starch, and nitrates all look safe for an EMS horse.

--
Kirsten and Shaku (IR) - 2019
Kitimat, BC, Canada
ECIR Group Moderator
Shaku's Case History  
Shaku's Photo Album   

--
Sherry, Feb 2018, Gates, NC
https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Sherry%20and%20Cody  

https://ecir.groups.io/g/DustyHoof/album?id=38179 

https://ecir.groups.io/g/BlueHoof/album?id=38486

https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/album?id=38227
 

Hi Kathleen, 

Was Echo's bloodwork done after fasting her?  Even if it was, it is still abnormally high and she definitely has EMS.  This could be due to her breed, but the Lyme disease will greatly worsen it and sometimes horses with both conditions exhibit signs of greater pain than we would expect for insulin values that aren't through the roof.  Our danger zone for laminitis starts with insulin at ~80 IU/ml, but we know that ongoing damage to the hoof occurs at much lower levels.  Have you talked to your vet about whether or not the Lyme disease has been cured with her antibiotics?

With hay at 10.5% ESC+starch I would recommend soaking it, especially while she is still in pain.  I would also weigh it to determine how much she is eating, then feed her 2% of her ideal weight or 1.5% of her current weight--whichever is greater.  I know coming in to winter we all want our horses to have some extra weight on, then we fuss all winter about keeping weight on and feeding more in the cold weather, and in the spring our easy keepers come out of winter without having lost any weight.  Having done this for years, I have learned here that my horse is much better off at a healthy weight year-round and that a few extra lbs in the fall just means a few more extra lbs in the spring.

You've already learned from your vet and experience that she cannot be on pasture, that vaccines can be an issue in EMS horses, and as Martha said riding her (or any form of formal exercise) before her hooves have time to grow out is not advised here.  This can take 6-9 months, but the trim does need to be corrected while to hoof is growing out to optimize healing.  In looking at your radiographs from August, and your more recent hoof photos I don't think the trim is ideal yet.  I would suggest taking a round of photos (all 4 hooves) as described here https://ecir.groups.io/g/main/wiki (scroll down to Photos and Hoof Evaluation Help), then posting a message requesting trim mark-ups.  This will give you a plan for the next trim, and a goal to work towards for the next several trims.

It sounds like she has abscesses and stopping the Bute should help them mobilize faster.  Giving jiaogulan can also help because it increases circulation in the hoof.  Often the pain when abscesses mobilize is the worst part so be prepared for that.  Also, jiaogulan really does speed up hoof growth so if you feed it you will need to decrease the time between trims and work even harder to correct her long toes.

She is a lovely looking mare.  I hope she feels better soon, it is so hard to see them in pain.

--
Kirsten and Shaku (IR) - 2019
Kitimat, BC, Canada
ECIR Group Moderator
Shaku's Case History  
Shaku's Photo Album   

I did write the article on sheath cleaning. The Aloe gel is a good start for horses that are irritated because it helps loosen encrusted material and is also anti-inflammatory. The best treatment for infection, bacterial or yeast, is a "douche" of 30 mL Betadine solution (any drug store will have it) in a liter of distilled water. Use a turkey baster to administer into the sheath and hold off the opening for a few minutes after the last infusion. Use for up to 5 days.
--
Eleanor in PA

www.drkellon.com 
EC Owner 2001

Hi Mary Anne
I’m not a vet, just a person who’s ended up with a range of chronic tick-borne infections. With so many ticks visible on your horses and cat, I agree that Lyme Borreliosis is definitely a possibility, especially with your mare having ongoing uveitis. Tests for Lyme are not 100% accurate due to the complex nature of the disease (especially with later stage infections), and it’s worth bearing this in mind if you have your mare tested and she gets a negative result - it may not necessarily mean she doesn’t have Lyme.
As well as Lyme Borreliosis, ticks can transmit several other diseases to horses, too, like Anaplasmosis/Ehrlichiosis, Babesiosis, Bartonellosis and Rickettsia. Although in the past some areas seemed to be free of several of these, migrating birds (with numerous ticks attached to them) know no geographical boundaries, and climate change is requiring many birds and animals to relocate to avoid the impact of temperature changes.
Don’t forget to do regular tick checks on yourself, too. Adult ticks are relatively easy to spot and remove, but nymph ticks are tiny (the size of a poppy seed), harder to spot and trickier to remove in one piece.
Best wishes
Lesley & over the bridge Omar,
UK, 2012




--
Lesley, 11-2012

Norfolk, UK

Omar - Case History

I will work on getting the hay results added. It would be nice to get help with seeing what she really needs for supplements.

I should have mentioned also since August I had a farrier trimming her other than myself. That is when I saw more improvement. I have been doing the in-between filing keep her toes back and watch heel height.

With the temperatures dropping below freezing I believe she has been consuming more hay. Is it alright she is to keep energy levels up?

Thank you,
--
Kathleen R and Echo
Central WI 
2020

https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Kathleen%20and%20Echo

https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/album?id=252630

Nina, I feel your pain.  I have a horse that has always produced alot of smegma, always dirty and sticky, and when he was about 8 years old he started getting horribly itchy.  It was so bad that he begged you to clean his sheath everytime I groomed him.  His leg would lift, he would swing his neck trying to get to it, and cleaning it only had a marginal impact.   It was hard to be around him because he would almost chase you to scratch/rub his sheath.   I tried a million different remedies, including putting him on algae /spirulina/MSM/ hydroxyzine, Chinese herbs, etc. etc.   I also worried about his bacterial/yeast status in his sheath, tried using yogurt and other pro/prebiotic strategies.  They all may have had some marginal impact but it didn't solve the issue.  I struggled with it for 6 years.

Then I started him on allergy shots based on his blood tests.  It started to get better after about 6 months, but didn't really get better until 18 months on the shots.  I had him on the series for two years and now he rarely gets an itchy sheath.  He still gets dirty quickly and needs frequent sheath cleaning.  I gave this horse to a close friend after I got my silver medal on him, and he went on in a new career with her, and stayed at my barn.  He is happy and comfortable now - 19 years old.  I think my friend wants to do another allergy shot series with him which based on my experience, fixed a lot of things, including an exercise cough he used to have.  He is PPID but not IR.
--
Heidi Wright
joined Aug 15, 2018
5130 State Route 38
Malta, IL  60150
815-761-2341

https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Heidi%20and%20Skyler 

https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/album?id=69604

If you look at my case history , Jesse has been on Invokana for one year and a few months. Zero side effects.  for an approximate cost of two dollars a pill each day I find it the best thing.ever.  I worry a lot less knowing his insulin is nicely controlled
--
LJ Friedman  Nov 2014 Vista,   Northern  San Diego, CA

Jesse and majestic ‘s Case History 
Jesse's Photos

 

If the test was recent, remember you can call in and have them give you the exact number. I know for a future I would like that exact number not just an over 200 reading
--
LJ Friedman  Nov 2014 Vista,   Northern  San Diego, CA

Jesse and majestic ‘s Case History 
Jesse's Photos

 

Hi Kathleen,
Many people have to be prodded to post a case history (I was one!) so you’re doing great to have figured that out.  Posting that first one can be extremely time consuming but once you done it a few times, it begins to get more intuitive.  I see people who use their case history form on their computer as a sort of running journal.  Then when they want some feedback, they convert to a pdf and post. I wish I had used that approach.  Anyway, good to keep track of missing details and add them as they come to mind.

Lyme disease can result in laminitis.  I’m sorry that I missed that part somehow.  Not every horse gets it – mine did not – and I believe there are some defining features but Dr. Kellon would know best.  I also missed the part about riding her.  You would definitely not want to do that until her hoof has grown out, about 9 months.

If you have the hay test results as a pdf, you can post that as a separate file in the same folder as your case history.  Otherwise, you can take a photo and post it in the photo album you can create.

We would recommend tapering off any NSAIDs by extending the time between doses.  Laminitis pain is not an inflammatory process and the only way to relieve the pain is to remove the cause of the laminitis.  Most cases of laminitis are the result of insulin resistance.  The goal is to decrease the insulin through dietary measures and to promote hoof health and repair with suitable trimming such that the horse does not experience laminitis going forward.
--

Last Feb/March my mare Rio suffered a brutal case of laminitis most likely triggered by the cold I think. Her last blood tests in Sept showed her insulin was well controlled and I am hoping we can maintain this over the winter. 

We have built her an insulated stall in our outdoor shelter to help keep her warm.  I have been using socks and boots in her front feet as we have cooler weather and snow now. When it gets around minus 7 or 8 with a windchill I add on shipping boots to her fronts to keep her legs warm.  Currently we have not been using blankets as she has grown in a nice thick and tight winter coat so far and appears warm.  My question is regarding her hind hooves. Should I be booting and socking those as well?  Thoughts?  Many thanks!!
--
Heather
August 5, 2017, Brandon, Manitoba, Canada

Riosa 
https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Heather%20and%20Riosa

https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/album?id=8819 


Storm

--
Thanks,
Kandice and TWH Mare  Bunny
North Central TX  joined 2/19

Case History: https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Kandice%20and%20Bunny

I don’t know if you were asking me? I use a sheath and udder  cleaner I don’t have the name off hand. I quit the Excalibur because the menthol just seemed like it might be a little harsh. I regularly put KY jelly in and around to keep him from getting stuck again.
--
Nina and Jadon
Kentucky 2020
https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Nina%20and%20Jadon

https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/album?id=244202

Honestly, I cannot reach his penis tip to check for a bean when he “puts is away” there is no finding it. I guess I can ask the vet to come out and sedate him although he’s quite the lightweight and always seems to be way more out of it than I am comfortable with.
Since I do clean his sheath pretty regularly could I have caused an imbalance in his normal flora and caused a yeast type itchy problem? Someone mentioned if he hasn’t been well de wormed that could present like this? IDK. All I do know is I fret all day every day either about a supplement, muzzle or no muzzle, did he pee enough, did he drink enough, why is his poop so loose.... WHAT AM I MISSING OR DOING WRONG!! I get so stressed over him I dream about these issues.
perhaps Dr. Kellon can give me a direction to at least start with. Next... flipping winter in Kentucky. Yeah 
-- I miss the good old days a year ago or two when he didn’t seem to have any of this :/
Thank you for the input tho.
Nina and Jadon
Kentucky 2020
https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Nina%20and%20Jadon

https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/album?id=244202

What product do you use, Laura? I looked online and it seems many have additives that might be irritating. Thanks!
--

Hi Martha,

I did do a lot of reading and the welcome page.  I have spent almost 15 hours on this site before I finally figured out how to create a case history.  I was in a hurry and I realize I forgot to mention a few details.  The hay she is on was tested and the ESC + starch is 10.50%.  Have not figured out yet where to add that information.  Her bout of laminitis actually began in June of this year shortly after she was diagnosed with Lymes. 

Another thing I forgot to mention is the vet told me to give her 1 gram of bute a day for pain.  From what I read this could be making it worse.  Would it be best to stop bute and find an alternative?

Thanks,
--
Kathleen R
Central WI 
2020