So what is the next logical thing to do after watching your horse stumble, stumble, stumble? Freak out.
I went through hell last year, and I'm not going back. I spent yesterday reading up on Neurological problems (even though I've read them all before.) I then decided that she needs more Vitamin E. Pia's mom gave me the website for the Nano-E that she gives Pia. I stocked up on a few bottles, and then decided to check out her smartpak. For some reason, I took her off her Smart Protect and so she was getting a very low amount of Vitamin E. I hope this helps her.
Does anyone out there give their horse Vitamin E? What kind do you give it?
I sent a long e-mail to her caretaker (who I LOVE) telling her my concerns and asking her if she minded adding the Vitamin E to her grain. No problem. She is also willing to give her Adequan shots! I had to stop last month because I didn't think that she'd give them. She was a vet tech for a bit, and I really trust her. Plus, her best friend is a vet so I just pay the "at cost" price for the Adequan.
Who knows. I just hope this was a fluke and that she will do better. I just get really sad when I think that she might not get to live a long life. I also get sad when I think about moving back to the East Coast, and that a 3,000 mile trailer trip might not be the best thing for her. We'll see. I suck at taking things a day at a time!
9 comments:
I do!
Its the smartpak brand, smart E & selenium.
Honestly though, it helped for a few months quite well, but now he is tripping more than ever. Wonder if I need to up the dose..
OK, here's the skinny on Vit. E--you want only the natural d-alpha kind, NOT the synthetic dl-alpha type. For Salem, I just buy the human-grade d-alpha capsules at the drugstore and throw them in his grain. He chomps them right up, no problem. If you go to Costco or something, you can probably get a nice big bottle for cheap. I give Salem 10 400 IU pills 2X per day, which is 8000 IU total. I know some people give 12,000 or 16,000 IU per day, but I think high doses can thin the blood a bit, so I just stick to the 8,000.
I do give my guy Vit. E with Folic Acid. He's receiving treatment for EPM and it's recommended that we give him the vitamins as well to prevent anemia (if I recall correctly).
Wait... moving back to the east coast? What's this about?
I haven't had to use vit E, so no thoughts there.
Uckele's makes a liquid Vit E that is supposed to be great. Diff than their Cocosoya. I do know for horses to gain the benefit of vit e, it HAS to be in oil/liquid form..not pellets or dry. Hope it helps the Princess! xo
I very strongly believe Vitamin E can help with neurological function in horses.
It can prevent neurological break down and help them regrow neural pathways after neurological damage.
When Ari was recovering from EPM, we treated her aggressively with Vit. E. We gave her 20,000 IU daily for 6 months. Then we backed it down to a maintenance dose of 10,000 IU a day. I got my Vit. E at a Wilco Farm store. I can't remember what brand it was, but I know it was NOT the one with selenium in in too. That would have been toxic to her at the levels we were supplementing. But I remember the vet told us that you can't really over supplement with just straight Vit. E.
I would definitely start Denali on it again if you are seeing neurological symptoms again.
Hang in there.
Hugs!
With stumbling, think about EPM (transmitted by possums, of all things) - it causes neurological symptoms. Take a look at the EPM page on my blog for more information - there's a new blood test that allows accurate identification of whether your horse has or doesn't have the disease - and visit the pathogenes.com site for more info on the test and treatment - I had two horses develop odd symptoms and it turns out they both were infected.
Thanks Kate, she was tested (and treated "just in case") for EPM in October 2010. We did blood tests, and she doesn't have it. :(
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