EMS diagnosis/treatment

[Katelouise]

Hi all

My 15.2 6 year old cob has just been diagnosed with EMS (glucose 7/ Insulin 86.3)

I just wondered what turn out options people found most effective when managing EMS.

He was previously on overnight turn out during the summer (pre EMS diagnosis), but i was concerned with the weight gain so he now in a fenced, grass free pen for a few hours a day with soaked hay so he can move around and then goes out in the herd field for 2 hours in the evening so he can be a horse for a bit but grass intake is limited. Ridden 5 days a week, hay weighed and soaked (2 hours), handful of chaff with a powdered balancer/electrolytes, vitamin E and milk thistle (liver fibrosis)

I'm aware of other EMS cases on our yard but they are not good doers like my boy and both healthy weights, we however are defo carrying more kg's than i'd like.

What turn out options work best for other EMS sufferers? he has no signs of laminitis thankfully and my vet going to prescribe a drug for the EMS (only diagnosed today and vet visit tomorrow so will know more then).

Many thanks

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

There are a few drugs available now that are quite affective in getting the insulin down so that will help you, I think when you are on livery its limited what you can do as a track system is probably the best option.

I think I would up the exercise build it up to long bits of trot and up the canter work and not give him a day off, I think the amount of exercise is what really makes a difference make sure he at least breaks into a sweat every day.

 

[visa_bot]

My EMS mare is muzzled. She copes really well, she can stay out all day and her head never comes up. I much prefer this to restricting grazing time. I bought a flexible filly muzzle for this year, as green guard rubbed her teeth. I made the hole bigger but she put on a bit of weight so I had to buy another one and leave the hole smaller. I also purchased some scales, I weigh her every 2 weeks so I can monitor her weight and adjust her soaked hay / low sugar haylage accordingly.

 

[vmac66]

My ems mare is out for about 8 hours,on a small paddock. She's in at night on 6kg of soaked hay. She's fatter than I'd like her at the moment but not huge, I just like her on the slim side.