Nothing is more worrying than seeing your horse slowly losing weight day after day and not knowing why. Despite making sure they have plenty of access to good quality feed and mineral/vitamin supplements, they continue to put on weight. Here are 5 tips that can get you on the right track in addressing unexpected weight loss in a horse.
veterinary evaluation
First and foremost, always have your horse evaluated by your veterinarian if they are experiencing any type of health challenge! I can not stress that enough. There are many things that can affect your horse’s ability to absorb nutrients, from parasites to cancer. Your veterinarian can rule things out for you and make a proper diagnosis if there is a serious medical condition that is contributing to the weight loss issue in your horse. I have seen many times people take a wait and see attitude towards horse loss.
Intestinal parasites
A very common reason for horse weight loss is a heavy load of parasites. Because parasites develop resistance to many commercial dewormers available on the market, you may find that your deworming protocol is no longer effective. Your vet can do a fecal egg count for you and tell you what type of intestinal parasite (if any) your horse is harboring. With this information, you can make more targeted decisions about which anthelmintic protocols may be most effective for your situation.
There are also alternative protocols that are becoming more and more popular among horse caregivers. Many of these are safe to use with conventional dewormers and can help increase the effectiveness of your deworming program.
Some of these include:
- Food-grade Diatomaceous Earth – Diatomaceous earth is believed to work through the digestive tract of animals in the same way as it does when applied externally to insects. The microscopic silica-based diatom fossils that form a fine powder penetrate the insects’ exoskeletons, causing them to dehydrate and die.
- Essential Oils – Wild animals will hunt and eat certain types of plants that are not normally in their daily diets to help clear parasites from their bodies. Based on the historical use of these plants by both ancient cultures and wild animals, some medicinal-grade essential oils are thought to help rid the body of internal parasites. Whether these help to boost the host’s natural immune system or act directly against the parasite is not clear. Oils that can help the most – tarragon, okotia, di-giz and longan.
- Immune System Supplementation – An organism that has a compromised immune system is going to be more susceptible to all kinds of infections including internal and external parasites. Adding supplements high in antioxidants can help your horse’s ability to naturally deal with these attacks. Immune support is very important in maintaining a geriatric horse.
equine dentistry
I have been surprised at the number of people I have encountered over the years who are unaware that horses require regular dental care. There are many factors that play into the function of a horse’s jaw and how a horse’s teeth grow and wear continuously. The way a horse moves, the position it is in, what it eats, etc. all contribute to whether a horse will develop a dental imbalance. If the teeth are out of balance and the horse cannot chew its food effectively, it is less likely to be able to absorb essential nutrients from that food. Older horses may have decayed or missing teeth, and may also have problems processing their food properly. Getting your horse checked by a reputable dentist at least once or twice per year can save your horse some grief down the road.
add calories
Making your horse lose weight may be a simple matter of math…burning more calories than they are taking in. Increasing your horse’s hay and/or feed may be necessary, especially for horses in heavy training or work. However, adding a high-quality high-calorie fat source may be all that is needed to turn the corner. Traditionally people have put corn oil in the feed of their horses as a top dressing. However, because corn oil is not completely digestible, you have to give it in large amounts for it to be effective, and many horses do not get that much oil in their diets. The most popular oils that are highly digestible, palatable and provide additional benefits to the skin and hair coat are linseed, soybean and wheat germ oils.
alternate feed
When dealing with geriatric horses, chewing becomes increasingly problematic, not to mention aging digestive systems become less efficient and less able to pull essential nutrients from what they can chew. Adding some more easily chewable and digestible feed can help. Although you will want to be sure and consult with your veterinarian before changing your horse’s diet. Certain conditions, such as liver and kidney dysfunction, require special dietary considerations.
Alfalfa – For all my older broodmares, we provide soaked alfalfa cubes once daily in addition to access to free-choice coastal hay and light grazing. In cubed form, alfalfa is already chopped and soaking helps soften the forage for easier chewing. It also has a high protein and calcium content that helps support those aging muscles and bones.
beet pulp Soaked beet pulp is also a very popular fodder option. It is very high in calcium and very easily digestible. Most horses find it palatable and easy to eat, even those without teeth!
Complete Senior Feed There are many high-quality complete senior feeds available on the market these days. Many of these can also be soaked for easier digestion for horses that do not have teeth or have problems chewing. When looking for senior feeds, I usually try and avoid ones that contain a lot of added sugars (usually molasses). I prefer feeds that are based on alfalfa meal so I know exactly what my horse is getting. I avoid people who have "hay byproduct" As the first ingredient listed. They can use pretty much anything that is considered hay when consistency of feed cannot be guaranteed. If they list alfalfa meal on the label, I know they must be using alfalfa, nothing else.
Source by Lisa Ann Carter
