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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 

 



Ask the Nutritionist: Dr. Getty's Forum for Equine Nutrition
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Re: Selenium and Palm Beach polo ponies

Hi Pam,

I'm not really clear how much selenium was given -- some reports say five times the normal dose, others say as much as ten times. But regardless of the actual dosage, it is apparent that it was within toxic range. Too much selenium given at one time causes an acute toxicity condition, known as blind staggers. It is characterized by colic, diarrhea, increased heart and respiration rate, and apparent blindness, and can be deadly, as we know.

The correct dosage for equine athletes such as these polo ponies is between 3 and 5 mg. Most horses get much less than this when being fed a commercial feed. Commercial feeds typically contain .5 to .6 ppm of selenium. So, 5 lbs, for example, provides between 1.14 and 1.36 mg of this mineral, which is well within the safe range. I like to limit selenium intake to 3 mg per day for most horses.

Hay and pasture can also provide selenium though soils in some regions of the country are low, particularly the northeast, the Ohio valley, Florida, and the northwestern portions of the U.S. It is always advisable to have hay and pasture tested, especially if there are rumors of high concentrations in certain areas.

Chronic selenium conditions can occur when selenium is consumed at higher-than-normal levels for a period of time. A condition known as alkali disease will result. Alkali disease is characterized by hair loss along the mane and tail and the hooves will crack around the coronary band. When too much selenium is present, it replaces the naturally existing sulfur found in keratin resulting in hoof tissue breakdown.

In general, the total amount of selenium should not exceed .6 mg per kg of feed. This should translate into no more than 3 mg per day for the average horse, and 5 mg per day for the athlete that is working intensely.

Vitamin E needs to be provided along with selenium since they work together as an "antioxidant team." Be careful of vitamin E supplements that have added selenium, especially if your horse is already getting enough selenium from other sources. If you want to add more vitamin E to the diet, choose a supplement that only contains vitamin E.

Thank you for bringing up this excellent question.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Pam
Dear Dr. Getty,
From what I'm reading in the news, it was an overdose of selenium that killed the 21 polo ponies over the weekend. I didn't realize it was so toxic. How concerned do we have to be when selecting feed for our horses to be sure they aren't overdosed on something like that? How much is an overdose? If the news was correct, they got 10 times what they should have.

Always appreciate your being here!!!
Pam

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO

Re: Selenium and Palm Beach polo ponies

Great information, Dr. Getty!! Thank you so much for taking time to answer in great detail. I don't know what you weigh, but you're worth it in gold!!
Pam

Where are you from? AZ

How did you locate this forum? been here many times before

Re: Selenium and Palm Beach polo ponies

Hi Pam,

HAHAHA! Well, I keep getting more valuable as the years go by!

I'm glad I was able to help.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

Pam
Great information, Dr. Getty!! Thank you so much for taking time to answer in great detail. I don't know what you weigh, but you're worth it in gold!!
Pam

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO