Diabetes

[Skilgariff]

Hi

Does anyone have know about diabetes in horses and how to control it. I have been told there is a possibility that my mare is border line diabetic and this could be causing a numbness in her feet, making her lame. She has had xrays and scans to rule out just about everything under the sun, so this is a kind of last hope. She has periods of soundness, but I have noticed that she is starting to look lame again, so this could be possibly due to being moved onto a new field with richer grass. Is there anything out there that can help her to process glucose?

Any advice welcome! She is not laminitic.

 

[mrsbloggett]

I think what you are possibly thinking about is Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) or Insulin Resistance (IR). The side effect of both of these is laminitis as the pony is unable to stabilise their insulin levels.

EMS is usually found in overweight horses as their fat deposits interfere with the insulin levels. The best way to manage a horse with EMS is for them to lose the weight and then keep them on a low sugar / starch diet & restrict access to grass. HIFi lite or Happy Hoof along with a broad spectrum vit supplement and well soaked meadow hay is probably the best diet.

IR equines can be diagnosed with blood tests to check insulin levels. I don't know if there is any drug treatment, but I know it can be managed with diet as above.

Another related cause to be considered if the horse is 15yrs+ is Cushings Disease.

If your mare is going lame after being moved onto new pasture I don't think there is an awful lot else that can cause lamenes other than laminitis. I think quite a few people go through xrays/ scans etc when infact the horse is suffering from low grade lami - its often overlooked because their horse "isn't the type to get laminitis", such as a TB or arab or not overweight. Any equine can suffer.

Is there any particular reason to not suspect lami?

 

[gothdolly]

Hi there

The vet has suggested that my cob has EMS - amongst other things he has low grade intermittent lameness and a swollen sheath. We are going to have tests to confirm this. At the moment we are controlling this via diet assuming that he has EMS - and at least his sheath is no longer swollen and he is no longer responding to hoof testers!

My arab mare who had no obvious symptoms of laminitis (no digital pulse etc) was finally diagnosed with laminitis after x-rays. I dont think you can rule it out. I think that the best thing you could do is approach grass with caution!

Good luck and let us know how you get on. I do understand what its like have on going lameness .....

 

[Fairynuff]

diabetes in the horse is quite rare. As far as I know there are 2 types, D Insipidus nd D Mellitus. Both have symptoms which are similair-excess wate intake and in consequence excess peeing.The D Mellitus is caused by the lack of insulin and the body cant take up glucose which in turn is ends up in the pee.Its easy to detect as the pee will smell sweet. The horse with this will also loose a lot of weight as it will start using its body tissue for energy. The D Isipidus pee doesnt smell sweet and is caused by a lack of the antidiuretic hormone which will result in the horse drinking far too much and peeing like a fountain. No glucose will be found in the pee. Its usually not treatable

. Why is the lameness being linked to diabetes if there are none of the classic symptoms? M.

 

[LeneHorse]

Hi Ching - you'll know who i am from my log-in name! Sorry to hear you are still having lameness problems with your girl. Maybe you should get your vet to do some blood tests to check this out. Good luck!

 

[Skilgariff]

HI Lenehorse - sorry I am not sure who you are! Can you let me know?

Thanks for all your replies. She has just been shod recently so I would have thought the farrier would have picked up on the laminitis if that was the case. And when I say she has had xrays and scans I mean over a year and a half and three different vets!! She didn't look too bad yesterday. She has foot imbalance which has been corrected, and I have new farrier who is very good, we are going to try heart bar shoes on her again. I know I am clutching at straws, I think I will just try for this summer to really watch her weight and her diet and see if this does make a difference!