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Ask the Nutritionist: Dr. Getty's Forum for Equine Nutrition

   Welcome to my forum. 

Here you will find more than 6 years of questions and my answers. It is searchable and offers a great deal of information. 

Currently, I am discontinuing new questions. This may change in the future, but in the meantime, please know that It has been a true pleasure serving you. 

Take a look at my Nutrition Library and Tips of the Month for a variety of answers on selected topics. Be sure to sign up for my monthly e-newsletter, Forage for Thought. 

I also have a growing number of recordings on "Teleseminars on Nutrition Topics that Concern You" as well as the new, Spotlight on Equine Nutrition Series -- printed versions of favorite teleseminars.

And finally, look for my articles in a variety of local publications and online newsletters, as well as the Horse Journal, where I am the Contributing Nutrition Editor.  

 

All the best,

 Dr. Getty 

 

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Ask the Nutritionist: Dr. Getty's Forum for Equine Nutrition
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Kimberly White
Mar 17, 2008 - 6:21PM
Sticky-patchy, shedding skin in the spring time

Hello Dr Getty,

I have a four year old mustang that I've had for about two and a half years now. Each spring time when he sheds out, he has a dermatitis like condition on his chest and neck. The skin gets moist, sticky flaky, and then scabs over as he sheds out. This lasts until early to mid summer. At first I thought the condition was due to lack of good grooming, but that doesn't seem to be the case. I don't see any "dandruff" anywhere else on his body, so I am stumped as to what this could be. It's to early for flies, and he doesn't have any worms, I've checked that, so any suggestions would be most helpful. Maybe he is lacking something in his diet, I just don't know. If I understood what was causing this, i.e. lack of something in his diet, allergies (I don't know about), lack of grooming (which I highly doubt), it would help in addressing the problem.

Thanks for your feed back.
Kim

Current Diet
1/2lb oats x 2 per day
2TBLS Vitamin/Mineral Supplement x 1 per day
2oz cocosoya oil x 2 per day
Bug Check Daily (for flies) x 1 per day
1TBLS Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (just started for the summer) x 1 per day
Anti-oxidant (1/2 scoop, maintenance dose) x 1 per day
1/2c fresh ground flax x 1 per day
Soaked alfalfa weighed out to 2lbs x 2 per day

Where are you from? Mineral, Va.

How did you locate this forum? Searching for a Chromium Supplement for my IR horse

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Mar 17th, 2008 - 6:21 PM
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Dr. Getty
Mar 25, 2008 - 6:50AM
Re: Sticky-patchy, shedding skin in the spring time

Hello Kimberly,

He may require more B vitamins than you are providing in the vitamin/mineral supplement you're currently using. Also, his diet may be have more phosphorus than calcium (since he receives oats and flaxseed meal). So, one change I would suggest is to give him a flaxseed meal based supplement that is high in B vitamins and has added calcium to correct that naturally inverted ratio found in flaxseeds -- Glanzen Complete is worth considering to help his skin.

In addition, consider using M-T-G -- this is a topical product that has been around for many years because it is highly effective against many skin problems that have no apparent reason for occuring.

Keep me posted!

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO

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Mar 25th, 2008 - 6:50 AM
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