Too thin horse - blood test?

[bouncing_ball]

all of mine (non PSSM) are supplemented with E all year round. Would never dream of not doing so.

Do you increase amount of vitamin E in winter as forage plus recommend?

 

[Slightlyconfused]

Do you increase amount of vitamin E in winter as forage plus recommend?

I do, as the grass has a very small amount/or nothing in from about Oct to April.

I'm vit d deficient, I take 4,000 iu in the winter and 2,000 iu in the summer to manage it and it works. My levels remain stable.

 

[paddy555]

Do you increase amount of vitamin E in winter as forage plus recommend?

in theory yes but in practice not really for the riding horses as I am very careful with grass in summer. If they were out on 24/7 ad lib grass then I would reduce it. The retired lad is out all summer and I just give him a tiny bit.

I meant to add in general there will be horses in summer who need vit e as they are muzzled, on track systems or brought in often because of laminitis risk.

 

[ycbm]

Vet has just left. Heart is fine Stifles are fine, which is a relief because he has a habit of standing with a leg out behind him. I thought there could possibly be pain involved and that would be the obvious place to start looking., Blood taken, results Thursday.

He's definitely put on weight since worming for tape last week, but then again, so he should have for the amount of food and little work he's getting. Still a relief to know he can put it on though!
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[ownedbyaconnie]

Good luck for bloods, I'm sure everything is fine and you are just panicking about nothing!

You may already do it but I take side on photos of Rosie every 3-4 months and I compare the photos rather than looking at her properly every day as I think you end up imagining stuff that isn't there or exaggerating things.

 

[Chinchilla]

Vet has just left. Heart is fine Stifles are fine, which is a relief because he has a habit of standing with a leg out behind him. I thought there could possibly be pain involved and that would be the obvious place to start looking., Blood taken, results Thursday.

He's definitely put on weight since worming for tape last week, but then again, so he should have for the amount of food and little work he's getting. Still a relief to know he can put it on though!
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What bloods did you end up getting?

 

[ycbm]

Full panel, C, I don't know exactly what's in it, whatever the vet wants, but definitely kidney and liver.
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[LEC]

Full panel, C, I don't know exactly what's in it, whatever the vet wants, but definitely kidney and liver.
.

I really rate Science Supplements Gut Buster - had a very similar case, horse looked terrible and shouldnt have as everything else looked good on the regime. Ran bloods and all clear. Put her on gutbuster and like a changed horse in 2 weeks. I think she had been hit hard by Anti Bs earlier in the year and just needed a bit of extra help.

 

[tristar]

wonder if he`s growing a bit still?

 

[My equine life]

I would up the feed. I know my tb would struggle on just grassnuts. I would add some linseed to the grass nuts and a vit/min supplement so he’s getting all the nutrients and proteins he needs. I would also add another fat source like copra or something similar which isn’t too heating. Obviously introduce slowly but I would defo up the feed. Linseed did wonders for my hat wrack of a mare!!

 

[Palindrome]

I am chiming in to say my trotter is not a good doer, he is a type that needs a lots of food and drops weight easily if he gets cold. He will be 6 in February too.

 

[ycbm]

I am chiming in to say my trotter is not a good doer, he is a type that needs a lots of food and drops weight easily if he gets cold. He will be 6 in February too.

I'm not sure if you know mine is half trotter? That's interesting thank you. My concern is that in previous winters he's been an easy keeper on one kg bucket feed a day.

 

[ycbm]

wonder if he`s growing a bit still?

He's measuring the same height, but his feet are definitely bigger, and his head and bum.

 

[ycbm]

Good luck for bloods, I'm sure everything is fine and you are just panicking about nothing!

You may already do it but I take side on photos of Rosie every 3-4 months and I compare the photos rather than looking at her properly every day as I think you end up imagining stuff that isn't there or exaggerating things.

That is a good idea. Shame I didn't think of it myself

 

[Mule]

He's measuring the same height, but his feet are definitely bigger, and his head and bum.

He's put on a lot of muscle

 

[Chinchilla]

I have condition albums for my lot too. It is seriously useful actually.

 

[Palindrome]

I'm not sure if you know mine is half trotter? That's interesting thank you. My concern is that in previous winters he's been an easy keeper on one kg bucket feed a day.

Yes, that's why I am saying that. He looks fairly fine and long legged in the pics too, not a stocky appy type.
Is he perhaps running more in the field playing with Deza?

 

[ycbm]

Yes, that's why I am saying that. He looks fairly fine and long legged in the pics too, not a stocky appy type.
Is he perhaps running more in the field playing with Deza?

I don't see them running, but I do see him in the barn on camera wanting to be close while she is standing back from the fence. I've kept him with 4 different other horses and nobody really likes him, but he was used as stallion and I suspect being with a mare is more stressful for him.

He is still very leggy. At 2 he string tested at 16.3 ?, but is still just filling the stick at 16.1 with a low wither.
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[Littlewills]

I do worry about PSSM, he's of an age to start showing it soon if he's got it. Tested type 1 negative, and I feel the same way about the type 2 test so I'm not doing it, just keeping an eagle eye out for symptoms.

If the bloods show nothing and the extra food does nothing then I'll be buying some vitamin E.

This isnt the treatment for type 2 so you will need to do some research into managent. Sadly type 2 usually ends un early retirement and/or PTS depending how many types you are managing. Which is why I would always test, whether or not its been peer reviewed yet or not, because sadly peer review is a long way off

 

[ycbm]

This isnt the treatment for type 2 so you will need to do some research into managent. Sadly type 2 usually ends un early retirement and/or PTS depending how many types you are managing. Which is why I would always test, whether or not its been peer reviewed yet or not, because sadly peer review is a long way off

I've had a type 2, diagnosed on symptoms and response to management. It's a spectrum disease, they aren't all as bad as each other, mine was reasonably easy to manage.

The type 2 test is not itself peer reviewed, I believe, so I don't trust it or think it's the full picture.

 

[ycbm]

Blood test all clear, that's a relief ?.

Still slowly gaining weight, on a very large quantity of food. I'm going to see how he goes on when the grass comes through and as long as he stays bright and chirpy, try to stop worrying!

 

[cobgoblin]

It's a strange year... I've actually had to start feeding my cobs hard feed twice a day. Normally they winter out on just forage.

 

[splashgirl45]

thats good news about the bloods, hope he keeps improving,

 

[tristar]

good

 

[ycbm]

Update, I found that I could only keep the weight on him if he wasn't working. His work is very light, and this is worrying, but for the moment we can't see any physical reason for it.

So since he's an appaloosa cross, I've put him on 5000iu of vitamin E in case he has a muscle myopathy. He's only been on it a few days, but he's worked two days in three and not lost any and might have gained.

It's a watching and waiting game at the moment. If he doesn't pick up as much as expected as the grass comes through I'm going to have to start throwing money at finding out why.
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[Chinchilla]

Are you going to have him tested? The genetic test is only £30. Tests for the other variants costs more, about £300, as you have to send samples to Germany but it gives you results on four discrete variants of muscle myopathy.

 

[ycbm]

He's negative for type 1 I did it when I bought him because of his breeding. I'm not going to do the other test unless diet tweaks don't work.
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[HufflyPuffly]

It is a hard time of year, Skylla looks quite lean which fits for work/ time of year/ plus clip.

Hopefully he picks up on grass, but Skylla seems to be a horse who just needs a few mor calories too.

edit to add, Skylla finds schooling hard so although talented more basic stuff is hard for her so it’s not too surprising she needs a bit more. Just thought I’d add as I know you’ve took him slow like I have Skylla for fear of pushing him too much too soon.

 

[Michen]

Update, I found that I could only keep the weight on him if he wasn't working. His work is very light, and this is worrying, but for the moment we can't see any physical reason for it.

So since he's an appaloosa cross, I've put him on 5000iu of vitamin E in case he has a muscle myopathy. He's only been on it a few days, but he's worked two days in three and not lost any and might have gained.

It's a watching and waiting game at the moment. If he doesn't pick up as much as expected as the grass comes through I'm going to have to start throwing money at finding out why.
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It goes against the grain but.. if you do try anything try equerry conditioning mash. It is the ONLY thing I’ve ever found to keep Bog looking well and a million dollars in winter. I know the in ingredients aren’t ideal but it’s so palatable which is half the battle so I put up with it.

If I didn’t feed Bog this he would be a hat rack all winter. Even not hunting. Some horses just need that bit of help I think.

 

[doodle]

I know you are not looking for feed advice but Sooth and Gain is amazing. It has worked rather too well in Robin! I used it initially for yummy stuff to get meds down but also due to being a conditioning feed for ulcers. He has declared it the most yummy thing ever!