This is Sky, an approximate 6yr old Thoroughbred mare.........She is owned by a young man, Joe, I introduced last year. Clearly he is having some issues and I am trying to help him. I am waiting for a total confirmation as to exactly what he is feeding and how much, however, I have spoken to him and he has told me he feeds a high percent grain with corn oil and endless hay, but here we have still a lack of weight gain problem, which seems to be getting worse. Also note the hair loss to the skin. I DO NOT want criticism on this, I would like to help him out and get some advice and suggestions from any of you folks out there.......Like I said, I really need to know how much he is feeding and what's in the pasture and such, vaccinations and all, waiting for that, BUT any ideas would be most appreciated. Looking for help, Joe is new to horses, has had her since Autumn of 2008 and loves her dearly, but is at a loss right now..............
15 comments:
TBs as we all know are notoriously hard keepers. Graining them up is sometimes, but not always, the best answer. Although my TB does well with heavy grain (he eats 22lbs of grain a day!) I've known some that merely sweat grain out - it can actually cause them to lose weight. If he has been increasing her grain/hay and she is still losing weight, it could very well be medical. Has she had her teeth checked/done recently? Might be time to have the vet check that, and possibly do a blood panel to see if anything is going on internally. Could also be pain related - is she having soundness issues? Kudos to him for recognizing there is a problem and working to stop it before it gets out of control! Keep us posted on her progress.
Ok had a quick look at the piccies.
Here goes.
1 Worms, in the blood stream/gut
2 Cushings disease
3 Teeth: Need to get them checked for conformation, caries, ramps and peaks.
4 Loneliness?
5 Blockage of the oesophagus?
6 Stomach ulcers
Enough to be going on with. Good luck
First of thank you for helping with out condemning. So many want to just condemn people who may just not know what to do.
This horse should really be seen by a vet. The hair loss could be lack of proper nutrition, parasites, fungus, or symptoms of another medical condition. Not gaining weight could also be caused by one of the reasons above or bad teeth. So that would be the first step. Ask the vet what she would recommend as far as feeding.
It is really hard to give nutritional suggestions without first knowing what is going on with feed and vet. It could be as simple as floating the teeth and then she can chew again, getting a better quality hay, or a higher quality sweet feed.
Good luck and keep us updated.
That's not cushings, but poor nutrition. Would doubt she's being fed what he's telling you she's being fed. However...without passing judgement, I would recommend alfalfa, all the good quality grass hay she will eat, and Purina Ultium for a grain choice. Would also have the vet examine her teeth and get her on a deworming routine. Do not use Quest on an underweight horse...very bad news, could be fatal. I would also have her blood drawn and have a reputable lab run a full CBC and an inflammatory profile including fibrinogen on her. Good luck.
Ditto the other suggestions. I'd also suggest he have his hay tested. Perhaps it is not high enough in protein. What may look good may not actually have everything the horse needs.
Everyone said what I thought right off the bat- parasite, dental issues, and disease. Please keep us posted when you can Cal, and let him know we're here to try and help as much as possible.
I'd ease off on the concentrated grains, in favor of some SR feed and or soaked beet pulp. SR feed tends to break down into a mush, and even if she has bad dental issues, a mush might be easier for her to get down.
I'd advise a vet visit, blood work, fecal count, and dental check, along with softer SR feed for now.
Best of luck to him.
I've read all the other comments and agree. She needs to see a vet, possible teeth floating, a blood panel etc. Hope he does all this, she does need some help.
i'd echo everything said above - get a fecal, check teeth, bloodwork, etc.
i'd also take daily temps 2x/day for a week or so to check for sub-clinical infection (though i have found some infections, like lyme, temps may actually be lower than norm...)
i might take her off the corn oil, as this can make a lot of horses toxic over time. i might also lower the protein in case there is kidney problem (blood tests would confirm.)
i'd also make sure she gets enough salt - most horses don't eat enough unless they get a huge ration of complete feed so maybe add loose salt to her feed if necessary.
i'd check for ulcers if possible, especially if the horse is alone or fed mostly grain. but i wouldn't jump right to antacids if there is no need as they block mineral absorption and mess up the gut...
which would be my next question: is she on a good multivitamin? if so, a stressed horse or one with unbalanced gut flora (bad bugs, yeast overgrowth, leaky gut (similar to what causes laminitis) could be a major cause, as this prevents absorption of necessary minerals and nutrients and leaks toxins into the bloodstream. this could be from anything like past treatment with antibiotics to overly rich feed/grass to food allergies and infection/parasites, so something to look into, especially if the horse tends to bloat or be gassy, though that isn't always the case.
maybe a good quality probiotic with digestive enzymes (i'd avoid buffers unless ulcers are confirmed) and see if that helps. also, the good digestible fiber in beet pulp can help feed the good gut flora, provide antioxidants and work wonders for horse with compromised digestion. or a beet pulp-based senior feed might be worth a try...
hope that helps. good luck!
My first thought was that she needs to be seen by a vet. My second was a really bad case of worms. I'd push for him to get a vet in to take a look.
Definitely need a fecal and a blood panel, teeth checked, etc. Looking beyond the poor coat condition, etc, the way she's standing seems to relay pain in her gut. I'd guess she's loaded with worms and possibly has ulcers or some other digestive issue is at hand. She looks like a sweetheart! Best of luck to her owner in solving the mystery and I hope he is able to find some relief for her.
Get a vet out, pull blood, check teeth. Worm if vet says it's ok, back off the grain, check forage.
Have vet out, pull blood panel, check teeth, and worm if vet ok's it. Very unthrifty horse
Everyone else hit on the most common... my only thing to add is...
Are TB's prone to EPSM?
Thanks All for the advice, I will see what more I can find out, I've messeged him a few times today and haven't yet heard back, so hopefully I will hear soon and get some more info.
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