So a few days before Denali was suppose to be put down I cancelled her Smartpak. I cancelled everything that involved her. EVERYTHING. I knew I wouldn't be able to deal with it, so I decided to be pro-active.
Ugh.
I'm glad, don't get me wrong. I'm really glad.
Here's my question: Do I keep her on supplements? I'm nervous about buying them in buckets, so I'd probably stick with the Smartpak since I can just donate those if something happens to her. I don't want to have 56 days of supplements on my hands.
Denali's SmartPak was as follows:
TractGard 1 scoop(s)
BioFlax 20 1 scoop(s)
SmartCalm Ultra Pellets 1 scoop(s)
Absorbine Flex + Max 1 scoop(s)
Vitamin E 1 scoop(s)
With her Nero Disease (or whatever it is) I still feel strongly about having her on a high source of Vitamin E, but Pia's Mom introduced me to a different source of Vitamin E that's liquid and I'm going to use that instead.
I don't know what to put her on. I want to help her joints and connective tissue.
Ideas?? Anyone??
As for Ms. Denali I won't see her or hear about her until at least Wednesday. That's the one thing I don't like. At her old barn I could text her or call the barn manager anytime day or night and she could walk out to Denali if I had a specific question.
I have the Vet's personal phone number, but I don't want to bother her right now. We'll be going back to Pennsylvania at the end of December and I'll save my anal texts until then. It's also twice as far to Denali's "new" barn. It's 44 miles one way. The amount of money that we're "saving" is worth it. The peace of mind that Denali is already at the Vet's barn is worth it. Downside there isn't anyone there all the time like at our "old" barn, so I do worry that she'll fall or get hurt and no one will find her until morning or the night time. I guess I need to stop worrying. Easier said than done, after coming SO CLOSE (4 inches of snow to be exact) to losing her, and then getting to keep her has still wracked my nerves. It is one of the greatest gifts I've received.
One more question. Have any of you ever heard of this?? It was suggested on an EPM list serve (I'm still going with the EPM diagnosis until we figure something else out.)
13 comments:
Well, instead of the Bioflax, you could just give her plain old unground flaxseed. It's SO much cheaper! And, no, you do NOT have to grind it. I think a 50# bag is around...$20(??). That's what I did with Mac, I just gave him 1/2 cup 2X a day.
For the joints/connective tissue, what about SmartFlex Repair? It has all the joint stuff, plus silica, which is good for tendons, ligaments, etc. It is expensive, but if you cut out the Bioflax, it might even out.
Maybe call Smartpak and see what they suggest -- they're awesome!
Has the vet suggested any particular supplements? I'm sure she's have good recommendations about what should help and what might just be worth your peace of mind.
I didn't put Panache on anything extra after her suspensory injury, she was already on Cosequin. SmartShine has done really well to add bloom to her coat, even with her shaggy winter self. People have commented on how slick and shiny she looks! AND!!! Her feet are better than ever plus she's growing mane and tail like you wouldn't believe, so something goods got to be going on in there for collagen growth t least.
I like Frizzle's idea. You could also just ask the vet what she would recommend when you see her on Wednesday. She probably has a pretty good idea of what's going on.
Anyone know where to get 50 lbs of flax?
Hopefully this may not seeem to crazy- but you could ask the vet if you could install a video monitoring system at your expense. ( or maybe it is something she may be interesting in and want to cover the coast herself)Then you can go online (or even from your phone) and take a look anytime. My brother does sales and installs so after my dad died we put a few cameras up at my moms house so we could check in from time to time on her.
I like Frizzle's idea although I will challenge the unground flax. I know for humans (so perhaps it's diff) unless the flax is ground, you don't reap any benefits b/c the husk/shell prevents the good oils from coming through. Double check..no point in purchasing if it's just going to the muck bucket.
As far as the new location, I think you are in the best hands. It's so odd her quick recovery so far...I still wonder if there was something she was injesting to make her sick at the old place??
Also, I've heard of TTouch..great benefits. Similar to the Masterson Method too.
HOORAH!!!
I've heard of TTouch and like the idea of it but never learned how to do it and don't know anyone who knows how so I really don't know much about it . . . I guess you would just need to research it unless you can find someone who uses it.
I'm sorry she is so far away, but I'm happy she's where she is. It sounds like the best place for her. I don't know about the supplements, but I have used flaxseed and I loved it. I did grind it, but it would have to be done right before feeding, because the nutrients start degrading as soon as they are exposed to oxygen. I don't know if the people feeding D would be willing to grind it. I've heard good things about feeding it whole as well. http://www.understanding-horse-nutrition.com/flax-seed.html And if I could find some in my area I would probably feed it whole now.
Good luck!
I have some thoughts about options for you and Denali, but it's kind of long. Do you have an email address you'd be willing to give out, so I can send it via private message?
Our e-mail is rehabdenali@yahoo.com
Given her ups and downs... I'd be apt to take her off all supplements (aside from multi vit and the E) and slowly reintroduce so that you can make sure nothing is masking or exacerbating any symptoms or changes...
I'd probably follow my vet's lead :)
That's sort of the plan Gingham, I'm waiting for the vet's opinion. I'm terrified of her without the SmartCalm Ultra. She's a nasty mare. :) And the tract guard has been AMAZING for her...we'll see.
SB, you can usually buy flaxseed at the feed store -- mine sells it in 5#, 10#, 25#, & 50# bags.
And, nope, I SWEAR you do not need to grind flaxseed! Actually, grinding it is pretty risky -- it starts to degrade and get toxic very quickly, so unless you are meticulous about cleaning out your coffe grinder, you can cause some serious trouble. Plus, that also means you have to grind it fresh every day -- SUCH a pain! (The kind you buy pre-ground is stabilized.)
Really, your horse's teeth and stomach acids can do a fine job of grinding them.
As some anecdotal evidence -- just a week or two after I started Salem on flaxseed (unground), I noticed his coat getting super slick and shiny, so he was obviously reaping the benefits.
(I swear, I do not own stock in flax -- I just think it's such a great supplement! And it has a high amount of Omega 3 fatty acids, which are naturally anti-inflammatory.)
Ditto! Exactly what Frizzle said (and no I don't own stock in flax either lol)! She explained it better than I did.
I know about TTouch, and have done a little reading on TTeam, but never put it into practice. I think the base-idea of the whole system is good.
The lady who invented it, Linda Tellington-Jones is a very knowledgeable horse woman, and if you`re ever bored read some of her books on reading horses faces and swirls. The swirl thing specifically is fascinating, and hasn`t proven false yet!
Also, I agree with just about everyone else. Try the flax. Cod liver oil can also be beneficial as a multivitamin.
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