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Discussion on Vitamin C and Shipping Stress
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Posted on Thursday, Apr 19, 2001 - 4:07 pm:
I recently read an article in The Horse magazine describing a study done on stress in shipping horses. The study described experimentation with large doses of Vitamin C to combat respiratory diseases common to shipping. The researcher concluded that the Vitamin C did help but that supplementation reduced the natural production of Vitamin C in the subject horses. The reduction in natural production outweighed the benefits and the researcher concluded that the addition of Vitamin C would only be warranted in extreme cases.
I've noticed many equine nutraceuticals are adding vitamin C to their products -- joint therapy products being one example. Should I avoid products with vitamin C added out of concern that they many reduce my horse's ability to produce vitamin C naturally?
Brooke Cooper
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Posted on Friday, Apr 20, 2001 - 8:06 am:
No, you should avoid such products because research and hundreds of years of horsemanship suggest it is an unneccassary expense.
Though the good Dr's work above is preliminary the key problem is always how much, how often, and under what circumstances. I have to admit: I never take in to consideration what the vitamin C status of a horse might be and have yet to see one with scurvey and we have a really low rate of infection of all types in my practice.
DrO
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Posted on Saturday, Apr 21, 2001 - 12:54 pm:
Thank you for answering my question. In seeking the best for my horses I often come across conflicting information -- even from the veterinarians I consult! I appreciate your rational well-reasoned approach. Keep up the good work.
Brooke Cooper
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