Dear Dr. getty.

I live in botswana and about 2 years ago i took over a thoroughbred cross botswana breed. he is about 15.3" and is called fruit cake. he was basically a rescue case as he was living in a stable without excercise, fed cubes with often no hay or grass at all. so he was very under weight with severe musscle wastege. i fed him up gradually and after 6-8 months he was looking much better. then he developed laminitis. under my vets instructions his food was cut right back and he was given bute. after 6 weeks he was fully sound but lost all of his weight again. over the last 3 months i got his excercise up to 1 and a half hours hacking out 6 days a week. and got his feed back up to 3kgs horse cubes (12% protien) and 1 and a half kgs bran per day.This is the only food available here. he is looking much better but still quite under weight. in the last 10 days increased his feed again to 3.5kgs and have noticed heat from his front feet and he is slightly lame on the off fore. i have cut his food and given him bran mash with asprin and a pro-biotic as i read on your web site but after three days still no improvement. i am now desperate. will i ever get weight on him without agrivating his laminitis?

Where are you from? uk

How did you locate this forum? under laminitis

Hello Helene,

I am so sorry to hear about Fruit Cake. Tell me what is in the horse cubes. Are they made from grain or hay? Do you know what type of grain and/or hay? This will make a difference because I suspect that the recurrence of laminitis is due to an increased amount of grain.

The bran mash is a good idea – is it wheat or rice, do you know?

What I would suggest is the following:
1. Remove all grain from his diet
2. Feed him hay continuously – he should be able to eat hay all day long, as much as he wants. If he is allowed to get too hungry, he will eat too quickly and this can cause digestive problems, leading to laminitis.
3. His hay should be from grasses and legumes combined, in order to provide him with a high quality protein. A percent Crude Protein does not tell you anything about the quality of the protein.
4. Add a fatty supplement for more calories – such as flaxseed meal, soybean meal, or wheat germ.

Plenty of clean water, as much as he wants at all times, and add a vitamin E supplement, if you have that available. Try giving him 3000 IU each day.

Keep me posted!

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Dear Dr. Getty. Thank you so much for your quick response and good advice. since thursday fruit cake has been on hay and water only and has already improved a lot. under my vets instructions i have reversed his shoes and cut his toes off short to relieve pressure on the toe. he has also reccomended a new product called founder guard which aids the digestion of the carbohydrates. i havent managed to find out what grains are in our feed except that it does have maize and corn. the bran we have is fairly good quality wheat bran. i'm still giving him a bran mash for supper with his asprin, vitamin e and epsom salts. wheat germ will be the only fatty supplement i can get, how much should i feed and how? i can get sorgum bran but that is also a grain. what about carrots and lucern, we do have fresh and dry lucern, can either of those be fed? thank you so much again for your help. regards, Helene.

Where are you from? uk

How did you locate this forum? under laminitis

Hi Helene,

I strongly suggest that you do not feed him any grain. In fact, corn is one of the most poorly digested grains and is more likely to lead to laminitis than oats. So, to play it safe, stop feeding him anything that contains corn, oats, barley, or other grains.

The aspirin therapy is fine, but only for a few days. It is not intended for long term. And, I’m pleased about the vitamin E. I am not clear, though, why you are feeding him Epson salts?

Wheat germ is an excellent feed source. You can feed him a pound each day, for now. If you can get some wheat germ oil, you can add that to his diet, as well -- about 1/2 cup each day (split according to the number of meals). Sorghum bran is also good. Yes, sorghum is a grain, but you’re not feeding the starchy component, just the outer bran layer.

I highly recommend Lucerne – that is a legume (alfalfa) and will balance out his protein quality – either dry or fresh – excellent! And, Lucerne is also a good source of calcium, which he must have since you are feeding bran (which is high in phosphorus). So, this will provide a better proportion between the two minerals.

About the carrots – I’d hold off on those for right now. Once he is better, you can offer an occasional one as a treat, but they are high in sugar, so too much can trigger a relapse.

I'm so pleased that he is feeling better!

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Dear Dr. Getty, fruit cake is off the asprin now. i read in my horse health book that epsom salts are good for laminitis. maybe an old wives tale. getting a supplement called founder guard. according to my vet i will be able to give him some grain with it. it helps the digestion of the carbohydrates. holding thumbs, thanks again for your great help. helene.

Where are you from? uk

How did you locate this forum? under laminitis