New Member: Need Advice Before Adopting EMS Horse
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Shera Felde
Hi, Fiona
My EMS mare has responded very well to removing all grass, keeping her feet trimmed, regular exercise, and monitoring her starch/sugar intake. It is a learning curve but this group is invaluable and there is so much joy in reaching the healthy place with these horses. -- Shera Felde, Central Oregon, 2020 https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Story%20and%20Shera https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/album?id=253720
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Hopeless may depend on what you want this horse for.
My gelding is 23 and is IR and PPID (dx with PPID in 2019). He is at my house since we have some acreage. At times it's frustrating and exhausting to manage him. Been battling "mild" laminitis off and on for a year now. Just started him on metformin this week since his insulin has historically always run high to varying degrees - kicking myself for not starting it sooner. I only have one horse friend that's really capable of getting the metformin in him twice a day - so that makes going out of town difficult which is not fun because my parents are over two hours away and aging. I need to get over there more often and that just got harder than it already was. My vet won't prescribe compounded pergolide so I'm stuck with expensive prascend for his PPID - his medicine costs more than a year of hay. Not every IR horse is PPID. EMS horses are about figuring out what that individual horse needs in terms of management. This group is a treasure trove of experience and good advice. If you adopt this horse it sounds like it needs to live on a dry lot and then you can figure out diet and handling those feet. Props to you for researching this and still considering this horse. Go in with your eyes wide open if you adopt it. -- Tracy and Salsa (1999 model year Paso Fino) Middle TN USA, September 2019 Case History https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Tracy%20and%20Salsa Photos https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/album?id=95827
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Bobbie Day
Hello Fiona
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Hi Fiona,
No one has a crystal ball but if he keeps being managed like that you are likely right that he's headed for disaster. It's almost guaranteed he has EMS. Can you get a case history up with as much as you know ASAP? Can you post his radiographs for us? A video of him moving would also be helpful. Do you just want him to be comfortable or are you looking for some sort of work? -- Eleanor in PA www.drkellon.com
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Hi Fiona The situation for this horse is indeed hopeless if it remains on pasture and eating oats. Whether its future with you would be hopeless depends on what you intend its job to be and the extent of the damage from the laminitis. Some horses experience degradation of the coffin bone and are unable to grow a hoof sound enough to be ridden, although they may be pasture (or in this case, dry lot) sound. If you can create a folder in the Case History sub-group and post the X-rays, our hoof-savvy mods can comment further. Canberra, Australia 2010 https://ecir.groups.io/g/CaseHistory/files/Maxine%20and%20Indy%20and%20Dangles
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I have joined this group because I am in the process of adopting a horse and have suddenly discovered that what was described in his profile as a "mild laminitic episode" with "slight rotation" is actually a series of severe episodes with significant rotation. My vet and farrier have looked at his x-rays independently and both agree that he has acute and chronic laminitis. Both have advised me NOT to adopt him and they feel that he likely has EMS. However, before I make up my mind I want to learn as much as possible about this horse's potential future. He is only 12 years old. Currently he is out on pasture and being fed oats, and I fear that he will soon have another severe attack of laminitis. I feel compelled to rescue him--but what will the future hold? Is it hopeless?
-- Fiona Paton NY 2022
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