Good morning Dr. Getty,

I appreciate it so much for getting back to me as quickly as you did. Thank you!

I do have one immediate question as I am going out to the barn this afternoon and don't want to go out empty handed... without a treat for him. I understand that low glucose on his lab test would mean low sugar, so what kind of treat can I give to him today? Is he limited as to what he can have such as carrots or apples? If so, what other suggestions do you have (that I can purchase at the grocery store) that he won't turn his nose up at?

I was going to change him from Corta Flex to Legends because of MSM, Ester-C and Yucca but see that horses with Metabolic disorder causing hyperglycemia should not use it. I'm assuming that I'm dealing with hypoglycemia (yes?) but think best to stay away from it. Unfortunately I caught my vet "on the fly" so was not able to have any kind of lengthy discussion regarding his lab results. As you can tell I'm confused as to what I'm dealing with.

I went ahead and ordered both supplements that you suggested. I'm very concerned about him and my inadequate knowledge surrounding his issues, so think a phone consult is a good idea. I have lack of funds so of course am quite concerned about this now also.

Thanks again Dr. Getty for your help.

Where are you from? Milwaukee, WI

How did you locate this forum? desperately looking for answers on the internet

Good Morning, Dana,

Since we don't know if your horse has cushings, it would be a good idea to stay away from high sugar treats such as carrots and apples. I would recommend simply giving him broken up alfalafa cubes as a treat.

His hypoglycemia could be a snapshot of his blood glucose level at that particular time and it does not mean that you need to give him more sugar. If consistently low, it indicates that he is starting to develop insulin resistance and his body is pumping out more of this hormone, leading to low blood sugar.

So, when you have a chance to visit with your vet, see if you can get his take on the bloodwork since he knows what time of day he took it, your horse's status at the time, etc.

But, if he does have Metabolic Syndrome (insulin resistance) or even Cushings, you'll want to eliminated starchy and sugary foods from his diet. This means no cereal grains such as oats, corn, barley, no molasses-sweetened feeds, and no carrots or apples.

Please let me know if I can assist you further.

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO