FOUNDER QUESTION

[Louise]

I was wondering if any of you know if there is anything available to give your minis to prevent founder? I had heard somewhere that there is a shot available. Do any of you know if there is such a shot or anything else available? Thanks in advance for you advice.

Louise

 

[Hosscrazy]

There are many things you can do to help prevent your horse from getting laminitis (which can result in founder - they are not the same thing), but no, there is not a preventative shot.

To learn more about laminitis and founder, please visit these websites:

The Laminitis Trust

NaturalHorseTrim.com

Horseshoes.com - Laminitis

Liz R.

 

[chandab]

I was wondering if any of you know if there is anything available to give your minis to prevent founder? I had heard somewhere that there is a shot available. Do any of you know if there is such a shot or anything else available? Thanks in advance for you advice.

Louise

I don't think there is a "founder shot" per se, but there are things that a vet can do to reduce the chance of a horse foundering under certain circumstances. [hope this makes sense].

In the case of a horse getting into the feed room and gorging on grain; the vet can give the horse meds to neutralize the toxic effects of the grain fermenting in the stomach, which in turn can reduce the likelihood of the horse foundering.

Retained placentas in mares have been known to cause laminitis in mares, so if the vet gives the mare a shot to help expel the retained placenta (before the toxic effects occur or are too severe), that will probably reduce the chances of the mare foundering.

Laminitis/founder are caused by numerous things, so I doubt there is a cure-all type of shot. Number one cause is probably stress.

When my mare had her laminitic attack, the vet had me try a product called Re-Covr as it might help her; it didn't do anything for her (sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't). [it did save two calves this spring - it's good for several things.]

 

[KanoasDestiny]

My aunt's full sized horse foundered many years ago, as a result of the alfalfa hay she was eating. After that, she had to have her hay changed to another type. So all sorts of things can add up to foundering. :no: