Would you feed oil to a laminitic...?

[Orchardbeck]

Following the principles of a high fibre, low sugar/carb diet, would you add veg or cod liver oil to a lami's feed for extra energy, as long as they weren't over weight?

 

[Dolcé]

I would (and do) add veg or soya oil, I would never use cod liver oil for horses, I cannot get past the fact that it is derived from another living species and it just wouldn't seem right.

 

[NOISYGIRL]

Yes I do this, if I think he's looking a bit lean, I sometimes up his high fibre cubes and add some oil, he's on Feelgood Factor 30 Garlic and parsley oil, amongst other supplements, but the 2 squirts each feed is not enough to put weight on so if I need to I add sunflower oil

 

[bedbug]

yes I specifically aske my vet about this and she said if you need additional calories in a Lami's diet then do it via oil.

FYI...Linseed oil is by far the best to use

 

[Fransurrey]

I used to add veg oil to my shettie's feed if he looked a bit ribby. I add linseed these days, so would probably just up that a little if I needed to. I'm another that won't feed codliver oil.

 

[team barney]

Have used sunflower oil for weight gain in the past for a lami prone pony, didn't cause footyness or bring on laminitis. Outshine however, well lets just say I wouldn't ever feed it again. I'd never use Cod liver oil either, ghastly stuff!

 

[Montyforever]

Ditto above ^ sunflower oil for a pony with lami to gain weight

 

[MagicMelon]

I have done, to get them to gain weight (I have 2 lami prone ponies, both elderly so one now struggles to hold weight in the winter). I normally feed soya oil which I get from my local feed merchant, they have a large tank of it and I just take a container along to refill so works out much cheaper than buying the branded oils.

 

[LauraWheeler]

I feed oil to my laminitic ponies.

 

[Puzzles]

Yes, because it is a great source of energy but releases it slowly. Fat is a much safer energy source than sugar as it is processed/digested and used differently.