EMS / Metformin

[Hollyanna]

So, I have a pony we’ve not had for long who has EMS and is on metformin. He’s recently lost some weight so is slightly under where you would like ideally but to me it’s the right time of year to be here. The grazing is short, but I’ve noticed quite green due to recent rain…

I’m sat at home (it’s 11pm) worrying about whether to drive out and put his muzzle on, then thinking he won’t be able to get much with the grass being short…. Aghhhhhh.

In during day time on low sugar roughage. So what to do?!

 

[FieldOrnaments]

It's one night, he'll be ok! It's cold enough still that there's very little sugar in the grass at night - gross generalisation but most plants stop photosynthesising under 5-6C because the main enzymes become so inactive.

 

[Hollyanna]

Thank you… I’ve been obsessing all evening… I’ve just downloaded the lami app and it’s low, so feeling better…..

 

[Highmileagereindeer]

Is it worth a blood test to see where you are at with the EMS?

 

[Hollyanna]

Thank you. Just had it done, and came back fine, but this was before the grass was coming through …. It’s tricky as we definitely don’t want him to loose any more weigh either …

 

[Highmileagereindeer]

You could turn out at night and bring in during the day. My old boy used to live out in summer in a Tough 1 Easy Breathe. He tolerated it well and it allowed proper grazing instead of struggling to get a nibble of grass through a small hole.

 

[Hollyanna]

You could turn out at night and bring in during the day. My old boy used to live out in summer in a Tough 1 Easy Breathe. He tolerated it well and it allowed proper grazing instead of struggling to get a nibble of grass through a small hole.

You could turn out at night and bring in during the day. My old boy used to live out in summer in a Tough 1 Easy Breathe. He tolerated it well and it allowed proper grazing instead of struggling to get a nibble of grass through a small hole.

Thank you he is currently out at night.. I had to make the decision whether to leave the field open and put on masks (other horse is naturally a fatty, but no conditions) or whether to make it smaller and keep masks off…. Honestly I’m obsessing whether I’ve made the right decision … looking at the grass all the time .

 

[Hollyanna]

You could turn out at night and bring in during the day. My old boy used to live out in summer in a Tough 1 Easy Breathe. He tolerated it well and it allowed proper grazing instead of struggling to get a nibble of grass through a small hole.

I like this mask though, much nicer than the more enclosed ones!

 

[paddy555]

hope he is OK. I would have gone to muzzle. I was shattered with my EMS to see what 5 feet x 9 inches of short grass did. Running over his stony track that day, following day only walked, out riding previously bounding along, after that just walking. Very noticeable difference.
I too am looking at grass, constantly.

Interested in which mask you are using?

 

[Highmileagereindeer]

My old boy didn't go on to develop full blown EMS, but the vet always had him earmarked as a possible. He was exercised seven days a week, for at least an hour, usually two or three (hence the name!). Any break in routine would start off warm feet and farting, signs that his digestion was overloaded. Hope you can find a routine that works for you.

 

[HopOnTrot]

Ask your vet about Invokana, it’s essentially a diabetes drug but we have been using it in my EMS mare. We started it as she had to have steroids and we navigated that without any issue. I’m now trialling using it every other day and whilst he grass intake is still restricted, I haven’t had to muzzle her. She is dangerously good at removing a muzzle (as the vets found out when she needed starving to scope, they had never met a horse so good at removing it). We need to do a blood test this week to see if she can stay on it (a side effect is high blood fat which is bad) but I’ve really noticed a difference.