The Horse: The Alpha Mare Speaks! - All Comments

re: Jewell's Better, but What's in My Hay?

Kimberly — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:20:36 GMT

Thanks for your comments. We've sent the hair sample off to the University of Minnesota and are awaiting the results. Reducing the sugar/carb intake is helpful in tying-up and PSSM, so we tested hay and are feeding low-sugar/starch hay. More to come!

re: Jewell's Better, but What's in My Hay?

susan — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:58:20 GMT

Hi!

I have been dealing with a PSSM horse for 5 years. I strongly recommend reaching this disease. The best information I have found is at www.cvm.umn.edu/.../home.html and www.ruralheritage.com

You can learn the symptoms and what to do feed wise and exercise wise. The vets here didn't think my horse had PSSM because he didn't have the classic signs. He only had "versions" of the classic signs. This was before the genetic test was available, and I pushed them to do the muscle biopsy and it came back positive. I only tell you this because you know your horse and her behaviours better than a vet who only sees her occassionally. Because I had done research on this disease and I could see "similar" symptoms in my horse, I had him tested. Now it is easy and not invasive.

You can send hair samples to University of Minnesota and it is only $65 US dollars to get a diagnosis. Meanwhile if you at all suspect it is PSSM, it would be good to reduce her carbohydrate intake - no grains or oats and increase her fat intake - the cheapest way to do this is to feed her corn oil over some pellets. I hope I don't come off pushy or sound like a know it all. I have done a lot of research on this disease and have had to go against the advice of vets here that I was working with. Instead, I finally made feed and exercise changes according to what Dr. Valberg and Dr. Valentine have recommeded, and I have finally seen some improvement. Just remember, you are the champion for your horse and the more you know the more you can help her. I wish you all the best!

re: Jewell's Better, but What's in My Hay?

Diane — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 06:38:39 GMT

Hi How is Jewell progressing? I read your case with interest as I have just had a very similar case here in Australia (on the 10th)& I am getting some very conflicting prognosis from vets & equine counterparts, unfortunately in our sport (Polocrosse) tying up seems to be far too common, however in 30+ years of riding & competing this is MY first case, I see you mentioned your vet had not seen a 5 digit CK level before, Amber's was 61980 although the AST was 2200, this initial test was done within 15-20 mins of tying up, Amber also had muscles set like concrete from just behind the wither to above the hock, througout she has been reasonalbly mobile, though this is probably due to being on Ace/Bute & an electrolyte/oil drench so promptly, (15mins after first sign of tying up - our vet lives locally) at the moment we are only one week past first tie up & I am about to go for a second opinion at a vet research hosiptal close by as our own vet has told me it is unlikely due to her "particularly impressive" CK level and subsequent muscle damage that she may not play at a level again that I wish her to perform. She is still on watch for Kidney Failure as well (my vet has really tried to prepare us for the worst possible outcomes I think!)

I did notice just yesterday after a massage treatment on Sunday afternoon that her rump muscles have finally loosened up fully, however I am seeing some atrophy in that the shape of her rump has changed dramatically since just prior to the tie up, and from the top of the rump there is now a slightly concave shape rather than the rounded strong fit muscling that she did have, so I am starting to think that maybe my vet is correct.

Any feedback on your progess will be appreciated.

We are all knocking ourselves up a bit over this as she is a quality horse capable of so much more & right at the begining of a promising performance career & for one slight error to cause this much damage that she may not perform again is quite deflating.

We probably did make the mistake of not reducing her feed intake over a couple of rest days after a hard weekend of polocrosse & then the work out that she got, Tuesday morning albeit normal for the stage & level of fitness, (fit for B-Grade Polocrosse i.e. very fit as the grade is quite fast & hard)

It is not irregular for us to rest a couple of days after a particularly hard weekend to allow muscle recovery (for them as well as us) with out any signs of tying up prior to this.

This mare is now 7yrs old & been in & out of work in the last 2 years with small rest periods in between different campains. She is an Australian Stock Horse, although her dam is straigt QH, I do believe that for this to be her first tie up at 7yrs old that it would be unlikely to be the PSSM syndrome common in QH's

re: Take The Horse Industry Survey

Dana — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 03:04:27 GMT

The link isn't working.

re: Miniature Horses: Suggestions Needed for Jobs

Jean — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:22:11 GMT

Hey! love these miniature horses so much.. I suggest you put them both to work before it's too late. My own miniature horse, Henry Michel, is getting fat and lazy, bumming around in the backyard. I'm thinking about giving it up to someone who will make good use of it.