How to Identify A Possible Founder Incident
It is extremely important to obtain immediate medical attention for a horse that you suspect of foundering. Founder, or laminitis, typically affects the front feet, but may involve the hind feet as well. If your pet suddenly appears sickly or very uncomfortable on his feet, quickly assess his condition and a few environmental risk factors to identify a possible founder incident. When founder is the culprit, the horse experiences a great deal of pain from a condition that will render him lame without prompt and appropriate professional treatment.
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Instructions
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Assess the horse's overall condition. Profuse sweating, abnormally rapid breathing and glassy, pain-glazed eyes indicate that the animal is in distress.
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Coax the horse to his feet if he is lying down. If he refuses to get up, he has probably foundered.
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Lead the standing horse forward a step or two. If he is reluctant to walk, he may be experiencing extreme foot pain from founder.
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Observe your pet's behavior and stance. If he rocks back onto his hind feet to relieve pressure on the forefeet, his front feet have foundered. If the horse rocks back and forth, he has foundered back and front.
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Feel your horse's feet. Founder causes equine feet to feel abnormally hot to the human touch.
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Cup your hand gently around the top of the affected fetlock. A pounding pulse indicates founder.
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Take your horse's temperature. A reading of 99 to 101 degrees Fahrenheit is normal. An elevated temperature is a symptom of founder.
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Look around the pasture if the horse has been turned out. If there is new grass coming in and the horse has not been acclimated to consuming it over a period of several days, grass founder can result.
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Check the feed room. Your horse may have gained access to the grain supply and glutted himself on it. Grain founder typically results from such accidents. Examine all hay bales and grain containers for a sour smell. If the horse has inadvertently been fed spoiled hay or grain, he will founder.
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Tips & Warnings
If you see any of the above signs and symptoms, call your equine vet immediately!
Refer to my other article on how to treat founder until your vet arrives, for what to do while waiting for the vet. It could mean the difference between life and death for your horse.
Call your horse's veterinarian immediately if you suspect a founder incident.
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