Vet Visit

[penella22]

After months of feeling slightly in-the-dark about what is going on with Sage, and floundering around doing my own research and reading, it was really nice yesterday to

Comments

[dreamswept]

"The vet giggled again and wiggled Sage's ribfat. He needs to lose close to 100 lbs. I taped him later at 1085 I think? Crap, now I have to tape him again to make sure. Mom thinks at his build he should be at ~900-950lbs. Let's hope the rehmania and magnesium help him lose weight because he's really not getting that much hay.

Holy crap. 1085? Sage looks to be somewhat similar in build to Mitch, Mitch is definitely in the ~900-950 range. I rather like Mitch where he's at because I can't see ribs, but can feel them if I press lightly (which according to the Henneke scale is about right for a horse in 'moderate' weight)

Well, time to get back in the saddle, right?

Mitch has his Happy Fun Needle Day on Monday.

[glenatron]

As I understand it EMS is quite a new term, our vets talk to the owner of the horse at our yard who suffers with it as being a "new disease" but I'm sure horses have been suffering with it for a while. From what I can tell it's something like a mild diabetes. Magnesium has a major role in the metabolic chain and it's something that is commonly lacking in the diet of horses- it's certainly something we use in the interests of maintaining their feet. This was particularly important with Joe, who tends to be cresty and a pretty high risk of laminitis, although I don't think he's been badly affected...

So the yin energy is the dark, inner, feminine energy, the yang is the explosive outwards bright energy - when you are learning tai chi, the inhalation is yin and the exhalation is yang. I don't know if that helps, but it's about the extent of my very limited understanding of taoism...

[glenatron]

Also, linked a while ago, but probably relevant here: Pete Ramey on feeding the hoof.

[penella22]

I will read it. Thank you.

[penella22]

Thank you...that actually makes more sense to me than what our vet was saying yesterday.

[athystle]

This is just what I've been saying all along, I told you I thought it was metabolic. This term though is just a new one they like to use, or fairly new like IR. And laminitis is a symptom of it as well. And overweight cresty necks and fat deposits. There are dozens of articles and the grass articles all apply still. This is just what Ive been talking about, here is another one.http://www.ker.com/library/EquineReview/2005/HealthLine/HL36.pdf... )

[penella22]

As always thank you for your helpful comment. I honestly understand *more* from your comments here than I understood talking with the vet yesterday. He said laminitis is not related and not a problem, even though Sage's hooves were warm at least twice last year. I didn't feel totally comfortable with that, so I'm glad your comment reaffirms that it is all related and he very well *could* have some issues in his hooves too

[penella22]

Thanks for your comment, I am so appreciative of other people's knowledge right now. It wasn't that my vet felt cinnamon didn't help...it was that he felt the supplement didn't have enough of any one thing in it to make a difference. The product is called Easy Balance and has some magnesium in it but not enough. He said it was fine to try it, he doesn't think it will hurt or anything...he just didn't feel it would help much either.

I get into trouble eating anything too refined too. No more cookies for me. :(

[glenatron]

The big advantage of cinnamon is that it makes your pony's dinner smell lovely...

[fiesta831]

I have nothing helpful to offer because this is the first I ever heard of this. I did want to let you know I'm thinking of you though and sorry you and Sage are going to have to deal with this. Hopefully once you get a diet and exercise routine worked out you will be able to manage this fairly well. Hang in there!