Glucosamine for pregnant mares

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SachaH

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Hi, I am just about to get my 9 year old mare in foal. She has been retired from a SJ career due to osteoarthritis in her hocks. I have been feeding glucosamine and MSM for the past two years but have recently stopped as I did not want to continue when she was in foal.

She has now gone sore again and I am concerned that the stallion mounting and the weight of carrying a foal may cause more pain. She should be fine if kept on the glucosamine.

Is it safe to do this during pregnancy?
 
Unless you are abroad, it's very late to be putting her in foal now even if you were lucky and she's still cycling as the foal would be born just as we come into winter which wouldn't be very fair on either of them if they couldn't get out due to bad weather, if you're down in Australia, totally forget I said that lol!
Anyway, I'd ask your vet to make totally sure but I would think it's safe to feed or find something else which helps her which you can feed. So many things change as to what's safe and what's not, you really do need professional advice.
 
Given the genetic link with Osteoarthritis, I'd say dont breed a foal from her. Especially if she is not sound without significant support- not very fair on mare and not very sensible breeding a foal with a potential problem.
 
The vet has said there shouldn't be any issue as it is not severe and she is still young. They believe it is from bad management when she was a young horse (I brought her at 4 years old). Her exceptional bloodlines mean it would be a waste to simply stick her out as a 9 year old.
 
I kept my mare on a joint supplement all the way through her pregnancy to ensure that both ehr joints were protected (standard in all my animals diets) and to encourage good joints in the foal. There's nothing on the tubs and my vet said it wouldn't be a problem.
 
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