Site Menu:
This is an archived Horseadvice.com Discussion. The parent article and menus are available on the navigation menu below: |
HorseAdvice.com » Horse Care » Equine Nutrition, Horse Feeds, Feeding » Nutrition topics not covered by the above » |
Discussion on Grass Poisoning. Or Something else? | |
Author | Message |
Member: redback |
Posted on Saturday, Jun 30, 2007 - 5:43 am: Hi DrO and friends:I have a chestnut 4yo pacing mare. Since we have owned her from a yearling she has been slight, hard to bulk up and has always been smallish. She has a history of being nervy and unsettled. We have had to treat her four times for anaphlyactic reactions we think to insect bites. She has returned to the trainer for the last 6 weeks and is presenting the following following problems. 1. Constant pawing when in stable at training track. 2. Constant kicking in stable on float. 3. Total lack of concentration and a new symptom of this is not being interested in work but more interested in trying to bash up horses around her. The trainer reports that she some days will not eat her food and on other days will eat up well. She moves smoothly at exercise. The trainer says she is not wanting to urinate everywhere and so we don't really suspect hormones. It is winter here and after a long DrOught, another horse in a paddock next to her broke out in swelling lumps as a result of the short young grass. What do people think? Where do I start? Regards Geoff |
Member: scooter |
Posted on Saturday, Jun 30, 2007 - 12:28 pm: Hi Geoff, If she isn't eating right could it be ulcers? It seems she is a little high strung and combined with the track training she could be at high risk for them.I have heard ulcers can make them act up.I have nothing to offer other than that except it could just be she doesn't like her job. Here is a link to gastric ulcers in Dr.O.'s articles it does sound a bit like her. https://www.horseadvice.com/horse/messages/4/141410.html |
Moderator: DrO |
Posted on Sunday, Jul 1, 2007 - 9:14 am: Hello Geoff,In general grass sickness causes depression so this is not likely. I do not believe this is a medical issue but a personality management issue. If you do think this is a medical issue we call this altered state "dementia" and you will find a discussion of causes at Diseases of Horses » Nervous System » Dementia: Depression, Excitement, Coma » Diagnosing Dementia. One thing does come to mind: some electrolyte imbalances, particularly too little magnesium and calcium and excessive levels of some vitamins may cause excitement so you should check these out. For more on these see the nutrition page. This mare is unhappy to be where she is at and letting everyone know it. Ulcers could become an issue but I think more a result than a cause of this behavior. The question Geoff is will she settle down in time, most do after several weeks. It has been six weeks for this mare and still she behaves this way...She may be telling you this is not the job she wants and I don't really know how to fix that other than to find a situation she enjoys. DrO |
Member: redback |
Posted on Monday, Jul 2, 2007 - 1:33 am: Hi Dianne and DrO:Thanks for your ideas. We are going to do some blood tests tomorrow. Maybe blood sugars, trainer wants a progesterone test and maybe a blood protein may indicate gut issues. We have been feeding her bone food which is a balance of magnesium, calcium and phosphate for a long time so too little would appear very unlikely unless she has some type of absorption problem. I guess we could throw in a calcium test and see. I'll let you know the results. Regards Geoff |
Member: redback |
Posted on Tuesday, Jul 10, 2007 - 4:09 am: Hi Dianne and Dr O:The test results showed a horse under stress, currently having an allergic reaction and a low protein level. Vet interpret\ted results to say that she was likely to have stomach ulcers and so we are treating here with gastrozole, rice bran oil and alfalfa/Lucerne hay. Her paddock did have toxic weeds in it so we gave her a shot of cortisone and have cut down the capeweed. She is now as calm as a lamb in the paddock, but she wants to kill the gelding stablemate and is still very lively on the track. I think they are other issues and we will experiment with behavioural issues. Regards Geoff |
Member: scooter |
Posted on Tuesday, Jul 10, 2007 - 4:02 pm: Good luck Geoff. Maybe she has hormone problems and something along the line of regumate might help.I had a young mare boarded here that was so wicked...even when she wasn't in heat that I told the owner she had to go or put her on regumate. She was always distracted, cranky, and wanted to kill the other horses. The regumate turned her into a different horse. |