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
Greetings Claudia,
We spoke over the phone yesterday, but for the benefit of my readers, I thought I would respond here. First lyme disease is not a fungal infection. It is caused by a bacterium known as Borrelia burgdorferi.
You had mentioned yesterday that your horse suffers from fibromyalgia. This is an auto-immune disease that is not fungal related. It is due to an overactive immune system, which can be aggravated by stress, poor nutrition, and pain from other ailments (such as ulcers, laminitis, arthritis, etc.). So treatment should focus on removing underlying stressful conditions and relieving pain, while stabilizing the immune function. Omega 3 fatty acids from flaxseed meal is highly effective in creating a normal immune response. Nutra Flax, which is plain flaxseed meal, or a flaxseed meal based supplement to provide other nutrients such as PreOx, is highly recommended.
Administering an antifungal medication is risky. It can damage the liver and if there is no evidence of a fungal infection, I suggest you avoid such treatment.
All the best,
Dr. Getty 
cld_wks@yahoo.com is my email.
Thank you!
Claudia
Where are you from? Bayfield, CO
Greetings Claudia,
I am delighted to help. Please keep me posted on your horse's progress.
I am not a veterinarian. I am an equine nutritionist with advanced degrees in animal nutrition. I believe that the best team any horseowner can have is a qualified vet for medical treatments, a good farrier, and a qualified equine nutritionist. Vet schools do not require any coursework in nutrition, so vets that have knowledge in the area either go back to school after graduation or are self-taught.
Nutrients feed every cell in the horse's body and are necessary for disease prevention but can also be used pharmacologically to treat conditions in conjunction with proper medical care.
Best wishes,
Dr. Getty
I can not thank you enough for your informative insights about the possible efms treatment i was thinking about treating my horse with. You were the only vet who could give me a clear idea as to why NOT to do this. The other ones would not even talk to me about it. I think you have already helped save my horses life by that one thing. So as I mentioned in my email to you, I will begin his immune strengthening treatment by first addressing any possible uclers, with 28 days gastro gaurd. I will locate the 2 additonal supplemts you recommend and will contact you again in the next few weeks so that i can set up a good feed program, with the additonal supplements you think he will need to help his body recover itself. Other than my acupunctorist you are the only person who offered a more gentle, safer avenue by which to address all this horses problems. Thank you so very much!
Sincerely,
Claudia and Legs
Where are you from? Bayfield, CO