Arthritis or mineral deficiency.. thoughts?

[Hoppa]

Anyone know the symptoms of copper deficiency? And is it something that happens in Surrey?

My boy has developed arthritis like symptoms, both hind fetlocks swollen, don't go down with exercise/ turnout, a little stiff in the mornings. They are not hot to touch, but he is a little touchy about me fiddling with them to much. On the days when they are swollen hes more nappy than usual to exercise but gets over it once warmed up. I don't think they are windgalls as they seem worse after exercise and not better. They do go down if I apply mirotec wraps, which keep the leg warm and improve circulation.

I would assume it was arthritis, except for the fact that he has developed other symptoms too, eating wood, trees, fences, which would indicate a deficiency as he has mountains of grass and hay and playmates, so unlikely to be hunger or boredom. Also has some mudfever, scurfy coat in places, very mild snotty nose and eyes some mornings.

Someone suggest that copper deficiency has similar symptoms, sore joints, runny eyes, prone to mud fever.

He has a mineral lick, but I don't think its very good (horselyx) its all molasses and he just eats it in big chunks LOL.

Ideas welcome (obviously I will call the vet if any of these progress beyond minor niggles!)

 

[Shysmum]

I would say that you need to get vet out as soon as, and ask for a blood test. Hope that helps. sm x

 

[horsecrazy25]

Mmmmmm tricky, sounds like arthritus from stiffness but then mineral deficiency from eating wood. My boy hat to have "Global Vite" from global herbs to help up his mineral intake but he is a very very fussy eater so didn't eat his food!! But i would get vet out asap!!

Is he stabled?? x

 

[Allover]

I would say that you need to get vet out as soon as, and ask for a blood test. Hope that helps. sm x

I second this!

 

[Hoppa]

Yes he is stabled at night, but they are no worse in the morning, than just after coming in from the field.

The wood eating started a while ago, but the other stuff seems to have come along with the weather change i.e colder and damper. My thoughts are he is deficient in somethng which means his immune system isn't 100%.

He was badly starved and neglected before i got him, so you have to accept that there are long term consequences and symtoms which may take time to show up. He had a course of propell when i got him to give him a boost, then was on pink powder and magnesium for a year, but I've switched to brewers yeast now his condition is better. But its still possible that he has deficeincies from being starved.

But hes happy and perky, not lame at all. Probably going to try a supplement and keep his legs warm and see how it goes, before I get the vet.

 

[Oberon]

The only way to know is to get a forage analysis done. Dodson and Horrell and Simple Systems do them among others.
I know a few people from the UKNHCP forum found they were deficient and so supplement copper. I think Cptrayes (who posts on here) is one such owners.

I remember something about a blue tinge to the eyes also being a symptom.

 

[Hoppa]

Thats spooky..

He has brown eyes, but I was wondering the other day if they looked like they had a blue tinge.

Thank you, I'm sure others at my yard would be very interested in a forage analysis, so will look into it.