Laminitis with Penetration- It can be fixed!

I first attended to Zara in November 2010. She was struggling to stand, immobile, and her pedal bones had penetrated. This horse had regular hoof care with a reputable practitioner and two different vets had evaluated her. But she continued to get worse. 

We concentrated on removing the leverage on her toes and hoof walls, while providing a comfortable and conformable support to the back of her hooves ("caudal support"). She was also treated by a new vet who we regularly work with to check for infection and organ function etc. 

Her rehab program revolved around calorie restriction and weight management, regular trimming to reduce leverage, and she continued to wear padded boots for several months until the wounds closed over. 

Due to the extensive damage that was caused she will never be comfortable barefoot on gravel or other pointy surfaces, so she now wears glue on shoes or hoof boots for working in. She's still going well in 2021!