Phoenix is a 13-year-old Arabian with severe founder and left front foot due to load bearing from an injured sweeny shoulder on the right side
Phoenix is a 13-year-old Arabian with severe founder of the left front foot. Below is the initial application, notes and initial comments. He was chosen to take part in the 45 day trial of PJS. The protocol for the 1st 15 days is 2 scoops of PJS and then for the next 30 days a single scoop. **Due to the severe situation this precision challenge was extended to 90 days.**
Tell us about your horse
My horse is Phoenix. He is a 13 year old National Show horse. He was injured playing in a rain storm after a vet visit dealing with his uveitis. He ran into a big heavy gate and instantly had Sweeney shoulder and was cut up. A vet visit confirmed the Sweeney shoulder. Ultrasound therapy, cold laser, shockwave and Magnawave and in 2 months he was greatly improved. As his shoulder healed he foundered severely on the other side- his left front hoof. Now he hobbles around while his hoof heals. I want to try a serrapeptase based product to help him heal and also with his pain.
What current issues is your horses suffering from?
Founder in his left front from load bearing after Sweeney shoulder
Back Story on Phoenix
Phoenix went to Brazos Valley Equine Hospital on July 6, 2023 to see an opthamologist for severe uveitis and was given a thorough eye exam and several drugs for his left eye. 2 weeks prior he was on banamine, dexmethasone, eye ointment (neomycin), his spun plasma in his eye and a second dex eye drop. He remained on these drugs after seeing the specialist who added cyclosporine and a cyclosporine implant was discussed. July 6th he also came off the trailer and injured his shoulder playing the same day. He came up looking like he broke his shoulder. He was diagnosed by my 3rd vet with Sweeney Shoulder. We already had him on drugs for inflammation but bute was added as well as ulcergard. The cyclosporine had little effect on the eye so I decided against the implanted drug and explored serrapeptase for the shoulder and a natural treatment for the eye if it was going to be long term vs all the drugs. I took him off of banamine , bute, dexmethosone and instead use jalapeño and turmeric in a uveitis supplement on his feed and added 10 tablets of serrapeptase enteric coated tablets with each feeding and only neomycin eye ointment – they eye cleared up within 4 days with no reaction to light or tearing.
July 6th is when the Sweeney shoulder incident happened. His shoes were pulled, he received ultrasound, shockwave (2 treatments total) and laser therapy every other day . He recovered 100% in 2 months. It was a very fast recovery for the extreme Sweeney shoulder he had. In august he foundered which was a shock to us all… he foundered on the load bearing foot during injury august 26, 2023 and confirmed by X-ray the 28th.
What have you tried so far to help your horse with these issues?
Shoeing for founder (pads, equipak, 4 week intervals) double strength farriers formula, massage, chiropractor, laser therapy
Is your horse currently on any supplements? If so, which ones?
- Double strength farriers formula
- Nano e
- Turmeric/jalapeño uveitis blend
If you are selected for the Precision Challenge, what results are you hoping for?
My sound horse back
Phoenix began the Precision Challenge on 10/28/2023
* Phoenix began taking PJS on 10/8/23 with a double dose. He was chosen 3 wks. later to take part in the Precision Challenge.
Initial X-ray taken on 8/23/2023 - rotation of the coffin bone and extremely thin soles
Inital video with application taken 10/10/23
Journal Timeline
10/25 /2023
He blew the abscess! it was huge, Will send you video of him this morning.
11/9 /2023
Hi! My vet just left and was very impressed by the sole growth on phoenix ! He is out of the woods for having extremely thin soles! He said the response by the good foot is remarkable as well and to keep him on it!
One Month on PJS (double dose for 2 weeks, single dose for one week and then back to double dose for 2 more weeks.)
He still has a substantial abscess at the toe on the right but he is recovering at a remarkable rate for this rotation and the sole depth is astounding! Please note he was on the supplement for 3 weeks before his trial started! Since I had bought a bag!
He is off of farrier’s formula double strength and only on this with 0 pain meds I started him on PJS the first week of October 2023 double dose – He only took farrier’s formula double strength for 4 weeks – I used it for the month of September and was out of it by the time my first PJS bag arrived. I also ran out of the uveitis supplement and didn’t reorder after using PJS – his eye has not flared up again. When he was abscessing and in a lot of pain he received 2 grams of bute a few times and was soaked in clean trax twice.
My husband and I both farriers we usually do not see this fast if sole growth on a horse with chronically thin soles especially in a crisis like he was in.
X-ray taken on 11/9/2023. 30 days into the Precision Challenge, 50 days total on PJS
After abscess burst – 10-25-23
11/27 Check In
PES- Hi Jenny! I think we are just a couple of weeks out from finishing the Precision Challenge and wanted to check in and see how things are going. Any new changes or issues?
J. – He is doing great! I will get a video of him on the morning – he is still recovering from the foundered foot but so comfortable! Then I’ll put together a progression video for you! I’m so impressed !
PES – That’s awesome! No need to get the video unless you want to. We’ve got a couple more weeks until we’re at the 45 day end. I’m just thrilled that we’ve made such a marked difference for him!
J. – It has been a God send! I believe it cut his recovery in half – literally never seen anything like it in all my years as a farrier with this rotation. I tell people to be patient….when I saw his X-ray my heart sank- I’m not patient myself and he was suffering so bad
12/11 Check In
PES- We should be at 45 days or getting close. How are things going?
J – He is doing so well!! Unbelievable!!! I took a video of him, but it’s been a mud pit here so I’m sorry he looks a mess!
PES- Are you through all the product now?
J- I’m just about out and I’m going to order more. My vet comes Jan 8th to do another set of X-rays.
Last day of 45 day trial - 65 days total on PJS
1/1/2024
This was today with us resetting him! The fact he was so thin soled and could even conjure up a false sole is unbelievable! I horse this previously thin soled should be absolutely miserable in my experience! We are impressed!
1/1/24 Trim & Reset
He had a very large subsolar abscess coming both the front coronary band and heel bulbs. The false sole being removed is shown here has really healthy bars and sole underneath as well as a remarkable healthy frog that shed. But the biggest result in my opinion as a farrier is the health of the angle and the laminar attachment to the dorsal wall after rotation has accorded.
In founder cases the coffin bone rotates and sinks, as it does it tears the lamina’s interlocking attachment from the hoof capsule to the dorsal wall creating a void of dead material that has to be removed (sometimes in a dorsal resection) in order for the hoof to return to function. Josh and I are in agreement that the hoof regained integrity faster with minimal damage. There is still damage, there was still pain at times while he healed but he didn’t cycle back and forth. He still went thru the abscesses but did it majorly once! It’s common for a horse to suffer for much longer with repeated episodes. Phoenix kept improving and moving forward. The sole depth alone changed his entire prognosis. The most remarkable thing to us as farriers would be he is months ahead where I’ve seen others fall back to over and over again. I believe this is a remarkable and unique product that gave him what he needed to supply the hoof with needed blood flow and nutrients to heal faster and remain healthy.
1/9/24 Check in and latest x-rays
PES – How is the Laminar looking?
J – It’s completely attached. There is no separation like what is typical. Next trim will be way better. As farriers that is the #1 thing we are really REALLY excited about. Also, with a subsolar abscess like he had he should have laminar detachment and death of his dorsal wall
PES- Do you think that he will gain a full recovery then? What was the vets opinion after the x-rays yesterday?
J- Yes he believes he will make a complete recovery by march with no restrictions!
His sole depth was a factor in him even still being with us – the best option would be cutting his tendon to free P3. The last X-ray is his true sole and also quite good! He shed a perfect amount of exfoliating sole and still had plenty to spare like a healthy horse.
Final X-ray 1/08/24
Below is the progression of X-rays starting at August 28th, 2023 through January 8th, 2024. Approximately 23 weeks of progression (4+ months). On the day of the final x-ray (Jan 8th) Phoenix had been on PJS for 100 days.
