New Outlook on Laminitis

Everyone knows the story about laminitis. I have heard people discuss laminitis as my horse foundered resulting in laminitis, or my horse is too fat therefore got laminitis...etc... well now there is a new outlook on laminitis. Current research shows that nitric oxide is a direct messenger for many functions, including control of the vasodilation (opening of the arteries). Nitric oxide is the common name, nitrogen monoxide is the systematic name and it is a chemical compound. Nitric oxide (NO) is important as a messenger molecule that is involved in many physiological and pathological processes. Research has found that loss of NO shuts down the circulation to the laminae. Therefore, anything that will increase NO to the lower leg will help blood circulation. Feeding nitric acid precursors can help supply the nitric oxide.

How we can do this is by feeding appropriate amino acids. Such acids are arginine, tyrosine, threonine, lysine and methionine. These are the amino acids that are involved in the pathway to NO.

Another option is to apply nitroglycerin wraps to the coronary band. Nitroglycerin wraps can be obtained from a veterinarian or (in emergency) at the pharmacy. The nitroglycerin is a precursor for NO and can be absorbed through the skin.

Using laser therapy is another way. the laser that applies wavelengths of light to the foot could increase circulation therefore reducing pain and enhances NO production by the cells.

Lastly, applying pulsating magnetic fields to the foot capsule. Pulsating magnetic fields (PMF) increase circulation and improves blood flow to the foot. NO produced elsewhere in the body is thus circulated to the tissues.

If treatment is initiated soon enough it could possibly reduce the pain and discomfort, halt the death of the laminae therefore resulting in the stop of ration of the coffin bone.

This idea I think is great research but knowing horses, it is all a balancing act. So if I increase NO in my horse's diet, is there a negative effect? This plan of increasing NO in a horse to stop rotation sounds too simple. So after some more research appropriate levels are important of function of the horses body but sustained levels of NO can result in direct tissue toxicity.So, like everything else to the horse, NO needs to be balanced. I believe this is a great start to something new for laminitis but it is probably a good idea to do some research before increasing NO in your horse's diet. The ideal way to use this new research is to have a way to test the NO levels. Find a healthy average. When the horse goes below the average then increase NO then to stop the risk of laminitis and have no risk of toxicity. Or just keep our horses healthy and make sure their diet is balanced to decrease the risk of laminitis and other metabolic health concerns.

Test Your Supplement Knowledge

Here are some supplement questions. Take the quiz to see where you stand  with supplements :-)

1. Which ingredients are considered to be analgesics (pain relieving) in joint supplements?

A. Devil's Claw

B. Glucosamine

C. Yucca

D. Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM)

Answer: A & C. This is good information to to know when you are supplementing a joint supplement. When pain killing herbs are in supplements it can be difficult to evaluate the product's effectiveness. You need to know if it is alleviating the pain or just masking it.

2. Biotin, which is supplement for hoof health, is:

A. a nutraceutical

B. b vitamin

C. a mineral

D. all of the above

Answer: B, biotin is a member of the b vitamin group. They are manufactured by the fiber-digesting bacteria in the equine cecum. There is no overfeeding or toxicity to biotin since it is a b vitamin which are water soluble, therefore they are not stored in the horse's tissues. The body uses what it needs and excretes excess.

3. Which remedies will most likely benefit a moody mare?

A. Devil's claw, yucca

B. Red raspberry leaves, chamomile

C. Hot bath and chocolate

D. Medowsweet, marshmallow

Answer: B, Red raspberry leaves and chamomile. This is a good source of folic acid that has a reputation of helping regulate the estrus cycle. They are believed to tone up the uterine muscle, assist mares in conception, encourage easy labor and help alleviate mood swings in open mares.

4. Which of the following herbs should not be fed to a pregnant mare?

A. Cinnamon, juniper berries

B. Devil's claw, mugwort

C. Vervain, rue, thyme

D. Parsley, sage, rosemary

Answer: All of the above! Herbs are believed to have uterine stimulating properties which could compromise a pregnancy. Some herbs are considered helpful in maintaining pregnancy (red clover and raspberry leaves when fed in the end of the final trimester) but you should use them under advice of a veterinarian.

Reference:

Briggs, Karen. Horse Illustrated, 2007. "Supplements"

Performance Horse and Their Energy

In the horses diet they convert chemical energy into mechanical energy. You can think of your horse like a car. The car engine converts the chemical energy of gasoline to mechanical energy that moves the wheels. The horse's muscles convert the chemical energy stored in the body (fat) or energy from feed and converts it to mechanical energy (walk, trot, canter, jump, bite, kick, etc). Also like a car the further and faster it goes the more energy is needed. A horse "fills their tank" with energy from what they consume. Thus, the more the horse works the more energy they need to consume. While many inactive horses can consume enough feed to meet their daily energy requirements from hay or pasture alone, hardworking horses are unable to eat enough roughage in a day to meet their needs. This is when a concentrate (grain) is added to help aid energy that is needed for performance. Now, going back to the car analogy, lets say you drive a basic car. When you go to the gas station you buy the regular fuel and your car runs great. Now, you decide to upgrade to an awesome sports car. Well when you go to the gas station  and you put regular gasoline in it. Well that sports car is not going to run properly, your sports car needs premium. The same works for the horse, the more performance required the more high quality the feed needs are.

The two most important dietary energy components are carbohydrates and fat. Carbohydrates can be used for immediate energy and also used in the synthesis of fat which can be used as stored energy. The easiest way to determine whether the horse's energy needs are being met is to monitor the horse's weight. If the horse is losing weight then they are not consuming enough energy to meet their requirements.

Next, if a horse receives a diet deficient in one or more nutrient requirements it may be supplemented. Once the requirement is met for a nutrient there is little evidence that further supplementation will enhance performance. In fact, excess intake of certain nutrients could be detrimental to performance as deficient intake. Therefore, it is important that the horses diet is adequate in energy and balanced in nutrients.

Fun Horse Treats You Can Make At Home

Oat & Apple Chewies

Ingredients:

1.5 cups unsweetened applesauce

1 cup oat bran cereal or ground oatmeal

1/2 cup all purpose flour

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350F

Oil a 9”x9” square cake pan

Spread the batter evenly in the pan and bake for 20-30 minutes. The batter will start to shrink away from the sides and it will be firm to the touch. Slice into squares while still warm. Keep chewies in the refrigerator in an air tight container or bag.                     

Peppermint Patties

Ingredients:

1/3 cup oats

1/3 cup grain

1/3 cup molasses

1/3 cup flour

Peppermints

Preparation:

Mix all ingredients except for peppermints. Take a peppermint and put it in the middle of the ball of dough. Bake at 350F for 20 minutes.

Holiday Bran Mash

Ingredients:

2 cups of feed

1/4 rice bran oil (optional)

1 tablespoon honey

2 cups water

1/2 cup sugar

2 carrots (chopped)

1 apple (loosely cut)

Preparation: Mix feed, honey and water in a bowl, microwave for 2 minutes. Add more water if needed. Add carrots, apple and sugar. Mix well. Before serving, make sure the mash is not too hot.

Enjoy!

What dose low starch feed mean in horse feed?

Everyone seems to be asking about low starch feed. What is it and why feed low starch? Well, here is my version of the answer..

It all starts with carbohydrates. There is structural and non structural. Non-structural carbs are the simple sugars and starches. These are absorbed in the small intestine and the end product is sugar. This sugar is rapidly available for quick release. This is why horses can get “hot”. Energy to use right away, so they need to use it.

Structural carbohydrates are fiber. This is from plants and the hind gut uses microbes to break it down. 65% volume in the horses diet is dedicated to fermentation and absorption of nutrients from fiber. The bonds of the fiber, when broken down produce VFA’s (volatile fatty acids) which is absorbed then converted to glucose or fat or can be used for slow release of energy.

So what does this all mean?

Well, lets say the non-structural carbs are digested in the fore gut and the structural are digest in the hind gut. So, if you have a horse that gets “hot” easily, hard to put or keep weight on without getting “hot”, or cannot/has problems digesting sugars (Cushings disease, Laminitis) you will want more structural carbohydrates in the diet or more hind gut activity . Now, if you have a lazy, low energy horse then you will want to feed some sugars to give them that quick energy, so more fore gut activity.

Front Runner’s solution to a low starch diet is Cool Command. It is a pelleted 13% crude protein with 7% fat for energy. Formulated to be fed, along with forages, to a variety of horses where lower levels of sugar is recommended. The high level of fat will supply a “cool” energy whereas the levels of vitamin, minerals and proteins will help keep a horse in good body condition. It contains yeast to help    increase digestibility of forages and absorption of nutrients.

How to Winterize Your Horse

Although horses are very adaptable to cold, winter weather, they need to be managed. To understand the impact on the horse in winter we need to understand the heat (energy) balance. Heat or energy balanced is the difference between heat loss and heat gain over time. If the heat loss is greater than the heat gained the horse will lose weight, but if the heat gained is greater than the heat lost then the horse will gain weight. Horses will lose heat to the environment whenever air temperature is colder than the horse. A horses skin temperature is about 85° F. The colder the air around the horse the greater the heat loss will be. The main source of energy or heat gain is calories (since they convert into heat) obtained from feed. Horses exposed to constant cold weather become accustomed to the cold. Usually, horses require 10-21 days to adapt to cold. For example, horses kept at 75°F and exposed to 50°F will adapt to temperatures of 50°F over 10-21 days. If the temperature drops below 50°F then it will take another 10-21 days for them to adapt. The factor that relates to the adaption to cold is the energy intake. Horses lose weight if they do not consume enough energy to offset  the heat loss in the surrounding air. Well fed horses adapt to the cold without a problem. Unfed horses will lose weight and lose cold tolerance. Maintenance energy intakes of adult horses must be increased 1% per degree below temperatures of 5°F. Horses can be fed hay free-choice without fear of founder (just no sudden changes in hay quality/type). However, owners who are limit-feeding their horses should insure that they increase feed 1% more feed per degree below 5°F. Salt and mineral should be also provided. Clean fresh water should always be available to horses and snow is not a good substitute. A horse will have to consume ten times its water requirement in snow to meet their needs. This is a huge energy drain  and when coupled with poorly digestiuble hay, can lead to impaction (colic). Winter pastures should not be relied on to be the sole sourse of nutrients for horses. Not only is the nutrient quality poor but in deep snow the maintenance energy needs of a horse can increase by 40% since the horse has to paw to find grass. The cost of weight loss in the horse is much higher than most people realize. Thin, undernourished stallions loose ability to produce sperm, thin mares decrease their conception rate, and underfed weanlings can be permanently stunted. The extra cost of feed needed to rehabilitate a thin horse back to normal weight will exceed the cost of feed that should have been given to the horse to maintain. Feeding horses is costly; not feeding horses is more costly.