A friend of mine emailed me this weekend about insulin resistance in horses. She has a new boarder with a horse with IR and wanted to learn more about managing this condition. One of the best sources is the Equinc Cushings and Insulin Resistance web site (http://ecirhorse.com/), which summarizes the Yahoo Group with the same name. (See information below in the next paragraph). The IR treatment page is very good. I have found...
Continue reading...Insulin Resistance
Isis’ 2011 EPM episode: Picture comparison
Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM) is a serious equine neurological disease caused by an infestation of protozoans–either Sarcocystis neurona or Neospora hughesi. (The web site, EPM horse, has an excellent explanation of what EPM is, the life cycle of the protozoans involved, and the symptoms horses with EPM can exhibit.) The Pathogenes’ webinar, “A Novel Strategy for Treatment and Protection against EPM,” provides a good overview of EPM, existing treatments, and the new treatment...
Continue reading...And then she was gone…
This is a post I never thought I would write: the details of the passing of my beloved mare, Isis Bint Sirdar. You always know you’ll have to write this type of post, but you never want to think about it, and you never want to actually do it. I’m doing both because I am hoping that the details of what happened with Isis will help someone else avoid what we went through....
Continue reading...Video comparisons of Isis
For most of the summer, I’ve watched Isis just not quite seem right. Whether it was the heat that bothered her or something else (EPM, most likely) that gave her more off days than good ones, one evening in early August she surprised me. My girl was back that evening. She started trotting like she normally does, kinda dragging her toes, not very enthusiastic. And then she stopped and looked at me. Pivoted....
Continue reading...Isis, IR, and heat – update
Nasty weather this week. Temperature hit 98F today (heat index of 109F) and tomorrow the temperature is supposed to be 100F with thunderstorms in the evening. Looks like the girls will have tonight and tomorrow off. Some good news for Isis: The barn owner called me back. Isis seemed to be better around noon. She was eating her food and was back to being her lovable bitchy self. Phew. Related Images:
Continue reading...Isis supplement update
Mom Mom sent me a link to a new product from Platinum Performance, called Platinum Metabolism Support. The ingredients, Magnesium and Chromium, are common in metabolic support supplements like Quiessence. Platinum has good research info available, including a study of Glucosamine in metabolically challenged horses. I didn’t know about the Glucosamine study, for example, showing that feeding metabolic syndrome horses glucosamine had no adverse effect. Isis is currently on Quiessence (for Mg and...
Continue reading...Lumps and bumps on Isis’ skin
Isis has always had skin issues: rain rot, fly bite allergies, scratches, etc. For the most part, these things last a little while, are treated, and then resolve. For the past two months or more, Isis has had lumps under her legs, right where the girth goes. Initially, the lumps did not interfere with the position of the girth. The lumps were slightly in front. However, wearing the girth irritated the lumps. The...
Continue reading...[2003] Dew poisoning on Isis’ legs
Just before I started this blog in 2004, Isis had a record year for Bad Things. Okay, not as bad as later years, but up until that time it was Bad. Laminitis, rain rot, sprained tendon, and dew poisoning. A reader asked a question about Isis’ February 2006 case of belly gunk. In addition to her gelding having the same belly gunk that Isis had, he also has a bad case of scratches...
Continue reading...Isis and arthritis
Isis ad a lameness exam today. She has been moving stiff since early April. Not enough to where she was lame or off, but just enough that she wasn’t moving right. She was unhappy when I rode. When I ride, she falls in on the right side. The vet came out today and did a thorough lameness exam as well as x-rays of Isis’ back left and right hocks. Lameness exams take some...
Continue reading...Catching up: Isis’ insulin resistance flares up
I quit doing regular updates here when things in real life exploded. Isis’ insulin resistance flared up, my job stress went through the roof, and my back (then knee and hip) all had problems. During the middle of March, Isis’ crest became more pronounced and she looked like she wasn’t feeling good. It took a few days to really register it, but the subtle symptoms of insulin resistance were back. My first priorty...
Continue reading...Getting Isis in Shape
My posts here have been reduced since Isis has been in NC. I’ve been out to the barn almost every day so I can work with her. Most of her first week was spent lunging and getting her in shape. Her feet were long, so I had to wait until after her trim to work with her under saddle. She was trimmed on Wednesday afternoon by the new farrier. He seems really good....
Continue reading...Miracle Mare: Above and Beyond
A friend of mine is working on a book and had asked me if there were any situations I’d like to share where my horse had gone above and beyond what might normally be expected. My initial reaction was ‘Where do I start?’ I have lost almost half of Isis’s available riding time to medical issues. Isis had two boughts with laminitis and recovered fully with little to no rotation and the farrier...
Continue reading...Sadness
I’m on a mailing list for owners of horses who are insulin resistant and/or have Cushings. These can be very serious conditions for horses if left untreated. These metabolic conditions can not be cured, only managed. Isis has insulin resistance and so far we’ve kept her well managed. We have been lucky. She had two cases of laminitis back to back (side effects of the insulin resistance) but neither episode left much damage....
Continue reading...When to breed?
The question of whether to breed or not to is especially hard to me. I grew up on a breeding farm. We bred the best Crabbet and Egyptian Arabians (later only straight Egyptians) we could afford and always made sure they found homes. My primary mare, Isis, is a product of the Crabbet/Egyptian breeding. She is the granddaughter of our first Arabian mare. I have had the honor of meeting the majority of...
Continue reading...Grain Goes a Long Way
The vet said that Isis could indeed begin having grain again. She is allowed a cup of grain two to three times per day along with a quarter cup of corn oil morning and evening. I have my doubts whether Isis will actually eat the corn oil. She has objected before to things being in her grain. We will see. The corn oil is a high fat supplement that can help horses with...
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