Supplement hell

[Madasmaz]

Background: suspensory ligament damage (now given all clear) followed by collapse with temp, 24 - 36 hours after flu and tet jab. Blood work fine with borderline anaemia (no biggy), advised to supplement. Only trouble is I am already feeding a whole bunch of supplements:
NAF: mint, garlic, respirator 5*, MSM, cider vinegar
Cortaflex HA
Global Herbs: Windgall (it works)
Dengie Performance vits and mins

For anaemia vet suggested redcell, mate who used redcell, suggested I go herbal...and in ano forum was told seaweed and dried nettles. I feel I am already giving too many supps. I know feedmark do a custom supp for you but as her needs seem to be constantly changing am now at my wits end, not to mention how much some of them flippin cost. Any ideas?

 

[BigRed]

You need to speak to your vet and ask him whether and what supplements to feed. My opinion on supplements is that they are very bloody expensive and 20 years ago our horses all did very well without them, now there is a supplement for every symptom. You could easily treble your feed bill with supplements.

Out of interest, do you supplement your own personal diet ?

 

[Madasmaz]

Lol...no....although I think I should start eating nettles and seaweed as I feel pretty lethargic too...or could it just be the incessant rain????

 

[scotsmare]

Ok, some of them are obvious but why do you already feed all the supplements you do? The most obvious 'double up' if you like is the MSM as well as cortaflex

Think you might need to do an 'edit' (and probably save yourself loads in the process

)

 

[kizzywiz]

PM me if you want some help, sounds like you are doubling up on some stuff.

 

[Madasmaz]

I'm sat here with a list of the ingredients.

Cortaflex doesn't contain Methyl-sulphonyl-methane (MSM) which I have been told is what tendons and ligaments need (suspensory ligament injury support) and cannot be derived from the ingredients in Cortflex. However, MSM may enhance the action of cortaflex ingredients http://www.vitaminuk.com/pages/articles/msm.htm.

I could probably do without NAF 5* Respirator as the 3 main ingredients are also in Cortaflex.

The performance vits & mins by dengie were advised by dengie as I feed Good Doer. She gains weight with the recommended feeding level of good doer so she does need the extra vits and mins as she will not be getting enough on a restricted diet. They have proved to be good, and she actually started to loose her crest, even though her work load was not increased.

Windgall supplement contains ginger, garlic and Picrorhiza kurroa, so can also knock out additional garlic. However, with MSM and cortaflex, it is doubtful this is now needed.

Mint I am going to stop after she has finished her course of anitibiotics, as too much can relax sphinter muscles of the stomach as its a carminative, plus there is mint in DGD.

On the plus side, the measure of MSM recommended means one tub is going to last me 125 days (36p per day), cortaflex is 47p per day, dengie vits and mins is 12 p per day. So all in all less than a £1 per day, and realistically £365 for a year, is just a small drop in the ocean of keeping a horse.

So there we go...I have gone from 6 down to 3, just by looking at what's in them and finding out what they actually mean. I was concerned that the combination may have caused the slight anaemia, but it doesn't look that way. What does concern me is the high levels of ash in Cortaflex and the vits and mins...I understand about the milling process to get these ingredients to mix...but is it really necessary to have such high levels...and what is the ash they use????

 

[RobinHood]

I can't remember the scientific reason why but my vet always says not to feed garlic to an anaemic horse. I'm pretty sure he said too much garlic can actually cause anaemia, might be worth doing some research on it.

 

[flyingfeet]

Oh you sound like a retailers wet dream, with a huge monthly spend !!!

I use red cell, but be warned it is supposed to make them frisky (doesn't work on mine). Blood salts from kasolin will also help and give you a broad spectrum of vits and minerals.

The cheapest option it ferrakon from gold label, but my horse said he didn't like the taste!!!

 

[Pink_Pampas]

I feed cortaflex HA and thought that it did contain MSM?

Got this from a supplement website:

"Cortaflex uses a unique formula of the refined isolates of Chondroitin Sulphate and Glucosamine Sulphate - Glycine, Proline, Glutamic Acid, Glucuronic Acid and L-Glutamine (amino-acid isolates and aminosaccharides) - in a special blend to achieve an exceptional level of assimilation and effectiveness, supported by Methylsulphonylmethane (MSM) to assist the passage through the cell walls. By using smaller molecules, it means that the body is more likely to utilise them. "

 

[kizzywiz]

The ash is not actually contained within the supplement, it is the waste product that would be left if you burnt it.

 

[Madasmaz]

If it contains MSM, why is it not listed as an ingredient. I don't think the yanks are governed by the same advertising rules as us Brits...i.e. telling the truth about what is in a product...who knows at the end of the day...looking into going herbal anyway now.

 

[Pink_Pampas]

I e-mailed someone from Cortaflex to ask them and am still waiting a reply. It would make things alot easier if they did state everything that it contained!

 

[Madasmaz]

Cool!

Please let me know what you hear back.