I'm finally doing it... I'm taking her to the vet

Hormonal Filly

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No they didn't suggest it


How is she getting on?

I just thought regarding suspensory, this sounds so much like my Welsh. He was only 1/10th lame after hard work on lots of bute for 2 weeks so we could find the issue, as he was sound but he just didn't feel right to me. Prior to riding on bute he was sound. They often think SI and its turns out its a suspensory issue.. he was very similar to how you described yours was OP. Secondary it affects the SI and I'm so surprised they didn't scan it. May be worth mentioning, the vet said its a niggle that never goes away and hurts more on a deeper/soft surface and they'll be grumpy after working.

To add, my friends horse is on a hormonal jab which is similar to Regumate but its so so much cheaper and does the same (apparently)
 

Ellietotz

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I'm really interested to learn how you've found the regumate?
Has it improved your mares mood and behaviour?

It stopped her coming into season. That was all, unfortunately. Didn't change anything else. Saying that, it may work on mares that negative behaviour is caused by hormones. Hormones weren't an issue for mine so it was unlikely to work mood-wise.
 

Ellietotz

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How is she getting on?

I just thought regarding suspensory, this sounds so much like my Welsh. He was only 1/10th lame after hard work on lots of bute for 2 weeks so we could find the issue, as he was sound but he just didn't feel right to me. Prior to riding on bute he was sound. They often think SI and its turns out its a suspensory issue.. he was very similar to how you described yours was OP. Secondary it affects the SI and I'm so surprised they didn't scan it. May be worth mentioning, the vet said its a niggle that never goes away and hurts more on a deeper/soft surface and they'll be grumpy after working.

To add, my friends horse is on a hormonal jab which is similar to Regumate but its so so much cheaper and does the same (apparently)

Thank you for checking up!

I had the suspensories scanned with the second vet and low and behold... nothing. I know, NOTHING. Much to everyone's shock. Her suspensories were perfect on both hinds and absolutely nothing to report.

Then all of a sudden, @Leo Walker had a lightbulb moment and suggested PSSM. I had already tested for type 1 which was negative but I thought, what else have I got to lose? Other than even more money of course but a bottle of vitamin e oil is negligible compared to what my first (now ex) vet charged me. So I jumped in and changed her diet to accommodate a type 2 horse.
Firstly, we moved onto Dengie Alfa A Molasses Free to cut down the natural sugar intake in the grass chaff she was having and to increase protein. We had been on Coopers Gut Support for about 2 weeks at this point and Topspec Calmer for about a week.
Then I started Vitamin E Oil from Equimins and salt. She had been on this just over a week and I hadn't seen a huge difference as of yet. The physio then came and did an hour and a half under sedation.
Fast forward to now, a couple of weeks since physio, she's been on everything consistently for nearly a month and the side of her neck and bum which were solid before is now spongey. She's loving having attention and scratches again AND her and her Shetland pony I got on loan for her now go off to the shelter after dinner to eat hay together!!! She never does this with anyone and they're hanging around together and everything!
I've also ridden a couple of times on short easy hacks a few days after the physio as per advice and she's so chilled out, no issues at all. Another thing, she no longer runs around for hours when the horses from the other herd go out! She's happy chilling out with her mate in their own space (right next to 3 mumma pigs and all their babies in the field opposite considering pigs made her want to die too!)
I'm not sure if the 1/10th right hind lameness is there or not and she probably still moves with short strides unless she's being an Arab and floating around being silly but the main thing is she is comfortable and seeming to be happy again. :)
 

Red-1

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Wow, that sounds great. Do you have to supplement any selenium with the vitamin E? From my exam years I seem to recollect that E had to be fed with something, but it was a long time ago so I may be wrong.
 

ycbm

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It's dangerous to supplement vitamin E with selenium in for PSSM, Red, because the amount you have to feed is so great that it would result in selenium poisoning. Some do need a bit of selenium, and with mine I bought it separately and fed half the RDA, which looked right on the bloods I had done. But that might have been my grazing, rather than PSSM as such, I can't be sure.

ET, I'm glad you found an answer. Did you ever need to give her the alcar you bought?
 

Leo Walker

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@Leo Walker
@Ellietotz
can i ask what symptoms you would expect with PSSM either type 1 or type 2 please.

I am far from an expert, but my thoughts with this pony is she was an idiot. I dont mean that in a nasty way, but I'm sure ET will confirm, she just had huge over reactions to everything and couldnt settle herself afterwards. She was incredibly, ridiculously spooky as well. She had tight muscles all over. ETs vets kept finding low grade pain everywhere and couldnt work out why or even where to start looking. ET had had two weird episodes that sounded suspiciously like tying up. It was enough that she did a hair test for type 1. That came back negative, but the longer this went on I just thought it had to be worth a try to treat her.

I dont have a PSSM horse, but Leo was significantly better with a high dose of vitamin e, lots and lots of steady work and restricted grazing. I never went any further that supplementing vitamin e, as he was never that bad and 5000mgs of cheap powdered vitamin e worked.

I supplement everything with vitamin e through the winter and a much lower level if they are on grass in spring/summer/autumn now.
 

Ellietotz

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Wow, that sounds great. Do you have to supplement any selenium with the vitamin E? From my exam years I seem to recollect that E had to be fed with something, but it was a long time ago so I may be wrong.

I'm not supplementing selenium but I understand people do although I'd be nervous about overdoing it personally.
 

Ellietotz

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ET, I'm glad you found an answer. Did you ever need to give her the alcar you bought?

Me too, it's a huge relief. I sent the Alcar back in the end. Figured I could do with the money and I didn't want to change anything as it all seemed to be working for now. I may try it later on down the line to see if it helps make further improvements but for now, I am reluctant to change anything! Happy horse, happy owner!
 

Tiddlypom

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My mare was also transformed for the better with high doses of vit E. I was at the end of my tether with her and couldn't understand why she was so cross and grumpy all the time. I was on the verge of gifting her back to her breeder, and this was a last ditch attempt that I didn't expect to work.

She tested -ve to PSSM1 but all her diet and management issues indicate some sort of PSSM (vets agree). Keeping her warm is vital, too, plus decent amounts of micronised linseed. Not alcar.
 

SEL

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I'm not supplementing selenium but I understand people do although I'd be nervous about overdoing it personally.
Rarely need to supplement selenium in the UK and if people are using balancers then their horse will be getting sufficient.

Really, really glad this is working for you. I have thought for a long time that there are plenty of horses who would benefit from vitamin E supplementation, especially in winter.
 

Ellietotz

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Just a little update:

Second physio session was done on Monday with the vet there to oversee/sedate. They were very pleased with how much she has improved since the last physio session just over 3 weeks ago and said she was moving a lot better on the walk/trot up.
She seems so happy now, completely back to her normal self, in fact I think she might actually be friendlier than she was. Her normal self would be fine but grumpy when things weren't on her terms but now she actually likes being brushed and cuddled etc.
I took the plunge and took her rug off as she seemed so itchy now that her winter coat is shedding. I was a bit worried about her being cold and it causing an issue with her muscles but she is actually very happy still and feels warm enough anyway.
Today when I went to give her breakfast, she didn't do the normal sluggish walk over to me, she actually cantered over with her little ears pricked. It was the cutest thing, made me so happy, I could have cried! She is so happy and content now, hanging around with her little hobbit. I'm over the moon about it all.
 
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