Liver Enzymes and Grass Intolerance

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FelicityCottonsocks

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Hi Everyone,

Very random post!!!

My horse has had fluctuating liver enzymes since August last year and after months of scans/tests, we cannot find the cause. His symptoms mainly consist of severe lethargy, however he looks like a picture of health. He seems so much worse after turnout and usually has to have a lie down, which is not normal for him. He has shivers, so I am just starting to think that perhaps there is a link between this, grass and his liver issues... Am I crazy?!? I know I may be reaching for answers here, but just in case... I wondered if anyone had any experience of metabolic problems causing elevated liver enzymes???

Thanks :)
 
Very interested to see what people have to say on this.

My old girl often has raised liver enzymes between end of Feb and April, hers show out as lethargy and mild tying up. It doesn't happen every year and I do routinely have her blood tested and more often if I suspect there is something amiss or she displays symptoms or behaviour that indicates she is having Liver issues.
I have never been able to identify exactly what causes it.
 
Mine had high liver enzymes since 2012 (monitored as we lost a pony to acute liver failure). GGT was up to 800 (high end normal is 50). I believe it's been due to mycotoxins in my soil/grass. Can't prove it and can't get the wretch to eat mycosorb but I do think you could be right and it's connected. Might be worth you also checking muscle enzymes in blood as if a muscle problem like PSSM is causing issues it could be that the liver is working extra hard to cope with rubbish in the blood.

I have had two lots of bloods in the last year that have had normal liver and normal muscles. I have never had one where one is normal and the other isn't so there seems to be a link there too (my horse has RER)
 
fairyclare said:
Very interested to see what people have to say on this.

My old girl often has raised liver enzymes between end of Feb and April, hers show out as lethargy and mild tying up. It doesn't happen every year and I do routinely have her blood tested and more often if I suspect there is something amiss or she displays symptoms or behaviour that indicates she is having Liver issues.
I have never been able to identify exactly what causes it.
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Have you considered vitamin e deficiency. Timing would fit.
 
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My youngsters all had raised liver enzymes for a few months, the only way we resolved the problem was to move them off the land they were on. We moved one first and continued to test, the one we moved had normal levels a month later whereas others we all still raised- it was definitely the land they were grazing that caused it but we will never know what.
 
foxy1 said:
My youngsters all had raised liver enzymes for a few months, the only way we resolved the problem was to move them off the land they were on. We moved one first and continued to test, the one we moved had normal levels a month later whereas others we all still raised- it was definitely the land they were grazing that caused it but we will never know what.
Click to expand...

My pony had raised liver enzymes and were high, through process of ilimination and special diet with legaphyton and milk thistle combine and removal of the thing that we are 99% sure caused it ( the hay) they started to come down but was a lengthy process - from Feb last year to December .
 
Look up Mycotoxins and try Mycosorb ASAP. The grass has played havoc with my horses, took me ages to figure it out. All back to normal now but it was a scary time! I now feed a small amount all year round and increase it in winter or when the grass is wet. I've seen one horse improve when he didnt actually have any obvious symptoms too.
 
Go through your grazing with a fine tooth comb for any signs of young ragwort plants. Those at the tiny rosette stage.

If you are feeding supplements, stop feeding them.

As grass will be growing fast it will be deficient in Magnesium. This is a remedy an elderly stockman gave me. Feed twice daily, 1 dessertspoon each, Baking Soda, Epsom Salts, Dried Yeast and Dried Thyme.
 
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