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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: IR horse

Hi Dr. Getty,

I wanted your opinion on my horses new feeding program.

I have taken her off the thyro-l. It has been 2 days. Honestly I did not think she needed to be on it- now that I know what the problem is.

She is now back on Timothy/orhard 2 flakes Am and 2 flakes Pm. If I am there before noon- I generally give her another flake- only because after an email from Dr. Ward- she said let her have free choice.

Play time is getting D-carb-multivitamin- it is an all in one. I am waiting to see how she does until I decide to switch it. She is also back on MSM- Tblspoon, Source 1-tsp, ground up Milk Thistle seed 1 tablespoon, 1 1/2 cup bran mixed with 1 1/2 timothy pellets.

It seems that she is doing good on this. The cresty neck is shrinking, puffyness underneath and above the eyes are shrinking, she appears brighter but looks tired. Her sides are starting to firm up. And no swelling in the legs. Yeah. But It is still too early to tell. I did review the products you suggested. They all seem great.

Playtime- used to be on this regiment excluding the milk thistle seed before she crashed. So- if this regiment worked why couldn't it work again?

The vet is coming in a few weeks to draw blood and check thyroid levels. I have a feeling she will be balanced? I pray.

Where are you from? los angeles

How did you locate this forum? surfing the web-good fortune?

Re: IR horse

Hello Jean,

I apologize for not getting to your question sooner -- I missed your posting and try to get to them in the order that they come in.

Thank you for writing about your mare. I would go with Quiessence rather than the Smart Pak product because it has other minerals (including selenium) which will overlap with a vitamin/mineral supplement. Quiessence is preferable because it can be given with other supplements without any risk of mineral overlaps.

Give her 1 ounce (scoop) per 250 lbs of body weight. Make sure she has free access to all the grass hay she wants. If not, she will hold onto body fat because of the increased stress hormone (cortisol) production. If given free-choice, she will self-regulate her intake after a few days once she sees that she has all she needs.

A flaxseed-meal based vitamin/mineral supplement is advisable to not only fill in the nutritional gaps caused by a hay-only diet, but to provide omega-3 fatty acids, which further regulate blood insulin levels. I recommend Glanzen Lite Complete.

I am not in favor of Thyro-L simply because it is not intended for long term use and can damage the thyroid gland if fed for too long a period of time. Her thyroid gland is normal (with 99% certainty) and this hormonal preparation is given to help horses lose weight. You can use it for a few weeks, and then wean her off of it.

Bran is not a good idea because it is too high in non-structural carbohydrates for an insulin resistant horse.

The best way I can assist you is to visit with you personally over the phone to go over every detail of your mare's situation -- history, medical treatments, exercise, diet, environment, etc. But in the meantime, give her all the grass hay she wants, Quiessence, Glanzen Lite Complete, and a low-starch carrier feed to which you'd add the supplements such as unsweetened beet pulp and a small amount of alfalfa pellets, or a commercial low starch feed such as Purina Wellsolve L/S.

Please let me know if I can assist you further.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

jean
We have a TWH mare 14 yrs old who is IR?

Today-We switched her hay to 2 flakes of timothy Am and 2 flakes timothy Pm.
She is currently taking Thyro-l in which I think she does not need this- I think we had a nutrition problem and she needs to be on some kind of IR supplements?

I want to know- should I begin giving her Quiessance or Glycocemic Eg mixed with a handful of timothy pellets, multi-vitamin(smartvite maintenance), thyro-L 0.5 tsp, MSM mixed with 1/2 coffee can of bran?

She has cresty neck, sore, legthargic, swollen underneath eyes and dull.

What do you think?

thanks- jean

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO

Re: IR horse

WOW- I will take her off the thyro-l- I was planning on doing this today anyway- because she is feeling more like her self everday.

Should I finish up with 3,000 mag with the smartvite grass maintenance vitamin. And begin giving her the supplements you suggested. I was going to give her D-Carb with timothy pellets and that is it.

I probably should call you at this pt. The good news since I switched her to timothy- and giving her magnesisum supplement with the multi-vitamin she appears to be losing weight around her face and underneath her eyes. Yeah!!! She has not pain or lameness. Thanks to god!!!

I am very thankful your article about IR- if it was not for that article- I would not have come to these conclusions about my horse. Thanks...

Where are you from? los angeles

How did you locate this forum? surfing the web-good fortune?

Re: IR horse

Thank you for emailing me back. It sounds like I caught this problem before it went full blown. The only reason why we beleive she is IR is due to the all the symtoms she has had for the last year. She is in healing mode right now. Since I switched her hay to Timothy I noticed a big difference.

Are you feeding your horse milk thistle for healthy liver function? If so- how is your horse doing on it. I am starting it on Friday- so we will see?

What are your thoughts?

Jean

Where are you from? los angeles

How did you locate this forum? surfing the web-good fortune?

Re: IR horse

Hi Jean,

I'm delighted to hear that she is doing better! It is too soon to tell over the long term, but you are on the right track. Free choice grass hay is the basis of her program, along with the proper nutritional supplements.

Milk thistle is for liver function and I'm not certain that she needs this. But it is not harmful over a few months time.

Let me know if you need assistance going over her entire diet so I can properly evaluate her intake of each nutrient.

Keep up the fine work.

All the best,

Dr. Getty

jean
Thank you for emailing me back. It sounds like I caught this problem before it went full blown. The only reason why we beleive she is IR is due to the all the symtoms she has had for the last year. She is in healing mode right now. Since I switched her hay to Timothy I noticed a big difference.

Are you feeding your horse milk thistle for healthy liver function? If so- how is your horse doing on it. I am starting it on Friday- so we will see?

What are your thoughts?

Jean

Where are you from? Bayfield, CO