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  Discussion on Is Prevention of EMS Possible?
Author Message
Member:
Brandi

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 5, 2005 - 2:53 am:

Dr. O.,

I have a 26-year-old Arab/Qtr gelding who is a mild easy keeper. I am getting more an more worried about EMS in that over the past 2 years so much of his body fat is located only in the "danger zones" of his crest, withers and tailhead, and a bit at the sheath. He is so ribby and it is very decieving, but his fat places are fatter than normal right now. I have had no instances of founder, and his feet show no signs (like the rings) of heat or laminitis. He is sore in front due to some low ringbone (past 7 years), and recently a thickened (undiagnosed) tendon (both same foot).

My first question is this: What can I do to maintain him, so that I don't have to take him off of pasture or risk the laminitis? He has access to pasture 12 hours a day and I feed timothy hay as necessary (currently for him that means just a few wisps of hay), and about 2 cups per day of LMF Senior feed for his supplements.

Is there any thought to moderating insulin/glucose levels by only turning him out for 3-hour blocks as opposed to 12 contiguous? What about mixing the foodstuffs--if he eats a bit of hay before pasture will it help moderate glucose absorption (chemically or physically in that he might eat slower?)? Should I change the feed that he is getting to an EMS friendly feed, but if I do, how can I give him enough of that without it compounding his weight problem, unless I take him off of pasture?

Right now when he is locked up during the day he is nearly starved to help keep his weight in check, but I'm not sure this is the best thing for him chemically.

Also, he is locked up during the day and out at night, is there any information that would make me want to change to the more normal out-during-the-day-and-in-at-night schedule?

Remember, he's only showing the physical characteristics, his bloodwork last fall didn't show anything abnormal, but I do see the physical stuff looking worse and I just want to consider as many options now so that I can spare him the devastation of laminitis, and continue to provide him with the freedom and mental benefits of his pasture.

Thanks.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 5, 2005 - 8:35 am:

You seem to be worrying about a problem that may not exist, Brandi. Before you go through heroic changes in his lifestyle I would have the blood rechecked. If his glucose and insulin levels are normal I would not change anything if he is in moderate to moderately fleshy condition. By providing a stemmy hay in the stall he may consume less of the richer pasture.
DrO
New Member:
kmwhite

Posted on Tuesday, Mar 16, 2010 - 2:02 pm:

Hi Dr. O.
My 22 yr old polish arab is currently recovering from founder. I've owned him for 4 years, so I don't know if he has ever foundered before. This is the first time for me.
He also has a slightly cresty neck, some fat deposits on his hind qtrs, some fat along his spine and is a super easy keeper. I would put his body condition at a 6.
He is on 2 g of bute/day. I give one in the am and 1 in the pm. He is also on gastrogard. He is better now than 4 weeks ago, but doesn't seem to be getting any better over the last 2 weeks. He has some warmth in his heels of his front feet and seems slightly sore some days, others not. It's a rollercoaster.
Is this normal?
How long should it take before he's out of pain?

He has about 8 degree of rotation in both fronts. The backs were warm sometime but no rotation.

My vet took some bloodwork, but I'm a little confused by it.
I think they just did a general panel.
The areas that are out of the range are:
MCHC (?) 39.9 g/dl (range - 31-39)
GLU 187 mg/dL (range - 65-110)
GGT 37 U/L (range - 5-24)
Everything else was within the labs normal ranges.

My vet said that his liver enzyme (GGT) could be high since he's on Bute. She wanted me to start him on 6-7000 mg of Metformin because his Glucose is high. I question the validity of this test since he's on Bute and still in some pain from the founder. I don't want to start him on medication for something he doesn't have nor medication that won't help. I read in a separate post that Metformin has not been proven effective and horses have trouble absorbing it, which wouldn't do him any good.
Member:
scooter

Posted on Tuesday, Mar 16, 2010 - 4:19 pm:

Hi karen, my horse foundered with 8 degree + rotation also. They don't get over that quickly. Hank foundered that much 2 years ago and I am still fighting with his hooves. He was sore for quite a few months.

Is it possible your horse has cushings? He is in the "age bracket"
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Mar 16, 2010 - 8:59 pm:

Hello Karen, welcome to Horseadvice,
I believe we can help you with your question but let me get you started off right.

You will get more responses if you start your own discussion rather than post at the bottom of another member's discussion. Each discussion is "owned" by the original poster and all replies in that discussion should either directly or indirectly address the concerns of the original poster.

To start your own discussion using the navigation bar at the top of this page to back up one page. This will be a Article Page who at the bottom has a list of already present discussions. You will find the "Start New Discussion" button at the bottom of this page.

This is a good article about your subject so you should first review the article as it will have important information on your subject.

Thank you for your help with keeping Horseadvice.com organized and easily searchable.
DrO
New Member:
kmwhite

Posted on Thursday, Mar 18, 2010 - 9:25 am:

thanks Dr O and Diane.
I've read the article and still have these questions. I will start a new thread.
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