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  Discussion on Epiphysitis
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New Member:
Vandal7

Posted on Sunday, Oct 24, 2004 - 3:12 am:

I have a 4 month old QH foal with Epiphysitis. He is extremely large for his age. He was born with Wind Swept legs and when he was 2 mo old, confined to a stall with glue on shoes for 30 days. He has been in a hilly 5 ac. field for the last 2 months. He eats alfalfa and orchard grass hay and Nutrena Youth pellets. He is not too fat. I have read so much about the Epiphysitis and I still cannot get a grip on what to do.

It is in his back legs (ankles). Up on his toes ankles look like they are buckeling. Per vet he is confind to a stall. He said in a couple months it will go to his front legs also.

Could this be related to the confinment he had to have for 30 days (because of the shoes for his wind swept legs) and now being turned out in a hilly field (he is very active)?

He is getting MSM and oral vitamins (equi-Vita Phos) 2 times a day per vet. I mix with Molassas in a syringe to give it to him.

My vet has no opinion on what I should feed him. But, said we may have to wean him because his mother produces an abundence of milk. I spoke to several breeder friends who suggest Stabilized Rice Bran with Oats. An Equine Nutritionalist told me Low Starch, Low Carbs.

I understand the Stabilized Rice Bran is low starch but what is the Carb level?

He is not weaned yet and now I am total confused on what to feed him and what to do.

Thank you!

Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Sunday, Oct 24, 2004 - 9:50 am:

Hello Connie,
None of the suggestions, taken alone, make any sense for this foal and some contraindicated. For instance bran and oats would be severely calcium deficient without supplementation or other dietary modifications.

Also your title of epiphysitis does not match your description of the problem which is one of contracted flexor tendons. It does sound like your foal could benefit from a balanced, but reduced energy, diet to slow down growth. To achieve this you will need to wean, for more on this see Equine Diseases » Lameness » Muscle & Tendon Diseases » Tendon Laxity and Contracture.

But the best piece of advice we can give you is that to suceed you are going to need a veterinarian who takes a greater interest than "no opinion" on something this important. There are two components to getting your foal well, the first is a accurate evaluation of what is wrong with your foal. Since we cannot examine your foal to diagnose the problem this has to be done by you and your vet. Once the problem is assessed we can provide you with as much information as you can digest on this problem and many other aspects of caring for your foal.
DrO
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