The Itchies Are Coming!... Whoa - it's not even Winter yet!

Now is the time to be thinking about warding off the spring/summer "itchies" which seem to plague many horses beginning with spring shedding and progressively getting worse as summer's bugs and sweat become part of daily life with your horses.

"It's winter and cold out, it's not a problem now!" I can hear many of us thinking. But this is exactly the time to start thinking about the basic causes of the inflammation process that triggers many forms of "the itches" and to begin your intervention tactics.  A multi-pronged approach I first learned from Dr. Eleanor Kellon, VMD, well known  leader and innovator in equine nutrition, has worked well for clients horses in the Southwest and across the country.

The basis of "itch", a sensation that causes the desire or reflex to scratch, arises from inflammation of nerves. Once sensitized, it becomes easier and easier for the nerves to become "excited" and more and more difficult to quell the sensation.  The sensitivity may carry over from the original culprit (an insect bite or contact with a noxious plant or substance) so that almost anything becomes a "trigger" - something which will set off the need to scratch.  Along with this comes a whole catalog of false-positive "allergies", even to substances the horse has never been exposed to before. A "true" allergy requires previous exposure to an allergy causing substance and the development of antibodies to the allergen itself, while a "false" allergy is an inflammatory reaction to a trigger acting as an irritant to the immune system.

Why some horses respond or react more to inflammatory insults than others isn't really known - just as why some people are allergic to bee stings or have autoimmune diseases and others do not.  There may have been a reaction to midge bites or another "trigger" when their immune system was busy with something else and that began the process. What we need to accomplish is to support the immune system so it can effectively deal with future triggers.  At the same time we don't want to "stimulate" the immune system as it is already overstimulated.

The first step in a comprehensive plan to combat next season's itchies is mineral balancing your horse's diet.  Without the base diet in place to provide the body with the tools and building blocks to develop and maintain a strong immune system, all your subsequent interventions become an exercise in futility and a waste of your time and money.  Start with a calcium phosphorus ratio as close as 2:1 as you can bring it, add magnesium to bring it to a similar level to phosphorus, then identify and balance excessive levels of iron (pro-inflammatory) and manganese.

The next step in your comprehensive plan is to provide a source of Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E in your horse's diet year round.  When horses graze active gowing pasture they receive adequate Omega-3 but, as soon as hay is cut and cured this is lost almost immediately (along with vitamin E). Flaxseed (fresh ground or stabilized) at a rate of two to six ounces a day, flaxseed oil at one to four ounces per day, chia seed at two to six ounces per day or any of a number of commercial Omega-3 supplements can provide the powerful antioxidant support missing from hay.  Vitamin E is another antioxidant which is easy to include (at a rate of 2 IU per pound of body weight or 2,000 IU for an average horse).

By starting these steps now when your horses may least seem to need them you're ensuring they enter into the critical spring shedding season with good immune system reserves.

Spirulina

Thinking ahead to your horse's spring and summer response to their usual triggers - bug bites, sweat, etc. - be prepared to take action before these triggers can set off a full scale inflammatory response. If your horse always breaks out in hives at the first sign of a gnat or midge, begin giving Spirulina at a rate of 20 grams twice a day (or 40 grams once a day) about a month before the first bug is expected to appear.  Spirulina is a farmed source of a specific blue-green algae (not "any" blue-green algae will do). Despite some of the outrageous claims of Spirulina as a "super food", it does have some mast cell inhibition properties and suppression of histamine levels which can effectively slow down or even halt some inflammatory responses, (similar in effect to the human medication montelukast).

A "nutraceutical" which has an anti-inflammatory effect is chondroitin sulfate.  This is the "same" chondroitin popular as a joint supplement but given at a rate of 2.5 to 5 grams per 500 pounds body weight per day, or 5 to 10 grams per day for an average horse.

There are several other herbs and "natural" remedies which may be helpful but few will be effective once the inflammatory cascade has been set in motion.  If you wait until your horse is already reacting to sweat and bug bites with hives or scratching themselves raw, you'll most likely need veterinary intervention and medications incluiding steroids and anti-histamines to slow down and halt the process and you - and your horse - will be stuck with another year of the misery of the itchies.

Caution! Just because sometihing is "natural" does not mean it is safe!  Make sure your veterinarian is aware of any supplements, herbs and nutraceuticals you give your horse, especially if any medications or treatments are also needed.  Even "natural" topical medications and sprays can be triggers - for example, a "natural" fly spray triggered my asthma last summer and raised hives on one horse's rump.

Plan ahead - and think about next summer's worst being a good roll in the sand and a shake after a ride. (This would be a great time to take Dr. Kellon's NRC Plus and Nutrition as Therapy courses!)

Warm regards,

Patti
in very chilly Vail Az


Links:
I have included Wikipedia and commercial links here today because they provide some simple explanation.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itch
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allergy
http://www.desertequinebalance.com/articles/allergic-skin-reactions
http://www.desertequinebalance.com/supplements/omega-3
http://www.desertequinebalance.com/supplements/vitamin-e
http://www.drkellon.com
http://www.drkellon.com/coursedescriptions/nutritionasatherapy.html
http://www.mybesthorse.com/productinformation/spirulina.html
http://horsetech.com/equine-supplements/basic-ingredients/spirulina
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1781653/pdf/12061428.pdf
http://www.lifeextension.com/protocols/immune-connective-joint/allergies/page-03
http://www.mybesthorse.com/productinformation/chondroitinsulfate.html

Immune System Support: the Basics

There are a lot of products out there which claim to support the immune system - some are beneficial and some are just unsubstantiated hype - and most are expensive. So what should you do if you feel your horse needs some help to stave off winter stress or to make it less likely he'll catch what the horse down the road has?

Immune system support starts with some basics which should be included in every horse's diet.  Before considering any expensive "specialty" products, make sure your horse's diet includes:

• Clean water at a drinkable temperature.  If you use automatic waterers, buckets or tanks should also be available.  Every winter I hear from someone who's horse went without water for a day or longer because the auto waters froze up.
• Salt is often overlooked but is important to encourage adequate hydration.  A 1000 lb horse should receive an ounce of salt (about 4 teaspoons/day) year round.
• Inadequate sodium (from salt) can lead to dehydration at a "cellular" level which can impede or obstruct normal cellular metabolism.
• Plain white table salt is best.  "Designer" salts make attractive door stops but may contain high levels of undesirable minerals.
• If your supplement contains less that the minimum requirement for iodine (most only contain 2 mg) use iodized salt which contains about 1.7 mg iodine per ounce.
• Adequate quality forage, preferably mainly grass hay, with additional provided as needed for colder temperatures.  (See the Cold Weather Feeding Chart.)
• If you feed mainly Bermuda hay and your horse doesn't seem to be looking/feeling his best, consider replacing some of the hay (up to half) with Timothy pellets.  The added cost can pay off in improved condition and good health. 

• Avoid feeds with high levels of simple sugars and starch (which converts to glucose) as excessive glucose can support inflammation.  The processing of "senior" feeds does help greatly with improving digestibility but some contain excessive starch. Look for high fiber feeds as these will be more apt to promote good gut health.  Or give your senior horse a 50/50 combination of beet pulp and steamed or crimped oats plus hay and/or Timothy pellets, along with a quality supplement,  for a nutritious senior diet. 
• Avoid feeds and supplements with "added" iron.  Excess iron can help fuel inflammation and many forages already supply excessive levels of iron.
• Look for a supplement which provides at least the minimum daily requirement for copper, zinc, iodine and selenium. For a 1000 lb horse these are:
• Copper 90-125 mg
• Zinc 360 mg
• Iodine 3.2 mg
• Selenium 1 mg
• Vitamin E and Omega-3 are important antioxidants which decline rapidly when hay is cut and cured.  

• For best immune support, provide vitamin E at a rate of 1000 IU per 500 lbs of body weight (2,000 IU for a 1,000 lb horse). It doesn't matter if the vitamin E is synthetic or natural but it does need fat for absorption.  Using human gel caps which also contain oil is best, otherwise add a small amount of oil at feeding time.  For an inexpensive oil which also adds a small benefit from medium chained triglycerides, try Costco's Mediterranean Blend (canola, olive and grape seed oils).
• The simplest and most cost effective source for Omega-3 is flax. Provide about 2 ounces/day of fresh ground flax seed (which can be pre-ground and stored in the refrigerator) or stabilized flax - HorseTech NutraFlax, Omega HorseShine or Triple Crown OmegaMAX.
• Iodine and selenium are both important for adequate thyroid functioning.
• If your supplement has inadequate iodine, use iodized salt or the original Source meal which has a guaranteed level of iodine. If using another kelp or seaweed product, check that the iodine level is guaranteed.
• Most supplements include selenium at about 2 mg per serving (2 mg per day). If blood tests show low selenium levels, you may need to use a selenium yeast product such as Platinum Selenium Yeast at a higher than usual dosage to bring the level up.  I feel  using an oral selenium yeast algorithm is safer than selenium injectables. 

The above list is what should be included in any horse's diet to ensure a healthy immune system. But older horses or those who are stressed or already ill can benefit from some additional nutrients:

• Vitamin A - around 15,000 IU/day.  Vitamin A losses in hay occur over time; if hay is over six months since cutting it should be supplemented.  Many supplements provide this or you can use human gel caps.
• Vitamin D - horses are able to synthesize their own vitamin D and it is also stored in the liver, usually in quantities sufficient to carry most horses through the winter.  If supplementing, stay close to the minimum requirement (3,000 IU for a 1000 lb horse) as excessive D can be toxic. Again, if not provided in your supplement you can add human gel caps.
• Glutamine - this is an amino acid which is being added more frequently to equine probiotics.  It has been shown to be protective for the mucous membrane lining of the intestines which may help support the intestinal flora production of some immune modulators. 
• There has been more research lately showing the importance of the intestinal lining and intestinal flora in maintaining immunity.
• Cost to provide glutamine is about $0.44 for 10 grams per day. See the links below.
• B-vitamins - not likely deficient except in stressed horses or those with gut issues.  May be included in supplements or can try a human "multi-B" tablet.  
• Adding yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae - Diamond V or Yea Sac) can help provide a substrate for intestinal flora, which synthesize the B vitamins, to thrive.

I'd certainly consider these basic and cost effective additions to my horse's diet before moving on to more exotic - and pricey - immune support therapies.

Warm regards,

Patti
in windy Vail AZ

Links:

Flax

HorseTech Nutra Flax http://www.horsetech.com/nutra-flax.html

Omega Fields HorseShine http://www.omegafields.com/equine-products/omega-horseshiner.html

Triple Crown OmegaMax http://www.triplecrownfeed.com/products/supplements/triple-crown-omega-max-omega-3-oils-horse-health/

Glutamine  MyBestHorse http://www.mybesthorse.com/productsorderhere.html 

                   and PureBulk http://purebulk.com/l-glutamine-powder.html#.Uq3-1ZH-nfM

Selenium Yeast

Platinum http://www.platinumperformance.com/equine-selenium-yeast/productinfo/eselp1

HorseTech http://www.horsetech.com/selen.html

Vitamin E and Omega-3 Information and links to sources

http://www.desertequinebalance.com/supplements/vitamin-e
http://www.desertequinebalance.com/supplements/omega-3

Yeast

Purchase Diamond-V Saccharomyces cerevisiae locally at feed mills for best prices

HorseTech Yeast+ http://www.horsetech.com/yeast-plus.html 

Reasonably priced "general" supplements 

HorseTech High Point

http://www.horsetech.com/high-point-alfalfa.html (the "alfalfa" should be used with Bermuda)

http://www.horsetech.com/high-point-grass.html (use with cool season grasses, Timothy pellets)

Source Focus Hoof

http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=2e87bf0a-7b6a-11d5-a192-00b0d0204ae5&gas=Source

Cold Weather Feeding Chart and Calculator
http://www.desertequinebalance.com/Files/handy-calculators

Omega-3 Supplement Choices

Omega-3 fatty acids are needed by horses for anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory protection.  Natural forage pastures have high omega-3 levels - with omega 3 to 6 ratios of  4:1 to 6:1 - while most other feeds given to horses are high in omega-6 fatty acids. Omega-3 actions have demonstrated a decreased inflammatory response while actions produced from omega-6 are the opposite; they increase the inflammatory response, increase allergic hyperactivity and increase exercise-induced bronchial constriction.  (Pagan, Kentucky Equine Research.)

While both Omega-3 and 6 are essential, maintaining ratios similar to that of natural forage is likely optimum (Kellon, Nutrition as Therapy) and horses on hay diets with little or no access to good pasture should be supplemented with an omega-3 source. Cured forage rapidly loses it omega-3, and many other popular supplements such as rice bran and black oil sunflower seeds (BOSS) are high in omega-6. For example, to "balance" the omega-6 in two ounces of rice bran you would need four to six ounces of flax or four to six Tablespoons of flax oil. It would take six or more ounces of flax to balance the omega-6 in one ounce of BOSS. Flax seed also quickly loses its omega-3 activity after grinding unless refrigerated immediately or milled using a special process to stabilize the fatty acids.

You can estimate the amount of omega-3 and 6 in several different additives using the Excel calculator at http://www.desertequinebalance.com/supplements/omega-3. A PDF version is also included for reference. You're not likely to achieve perfect "natural forage" omega-3 to 6 ratios but this can help you keep a more natural balance and avoid feeding excess omega-6 in additives.

There is also a newly updated chart of products supplying omega-3 fatty acids that you can use to compare daily cost.  The obvious front runners in cost were "generic" flax seed and flax oil. Next in line are three "stabilized" products:  HorseTech's NutraFlax, Omega Fields' Horseshine and Triple Crown's OmegaMAX.   Karron Oil, once a Horse Journal top pick, is currently unavailable in the US.  Platinum Performance weighs in with Equine Healthy Weight, flax oil which uses vitamins C and E as preservatives. Chia seed is fairly equivalent to flax seed in omega-3 content.  It remains pricey but this may be made up for by the convenience of being able to feed chia seeds whole without grinding.

I'm not a fan of giving any animal-based products to my horses so only one product containing fish oil is included.  It has not been conclusively shown that the form of omega-3 in fish oil is well utilized by horses (as it is in humans).

There has been no documented evidence that either flax seed or chia seed can prevent sand build up or clear sand from the horse's digestive tract.  Until this has been clearly demonstrated you should follow your veterinarian's suggestions for sand build up prevention.

I hope you find this information useful - it isn't always simple to balance cost vs need or convenience.

Flax flowers

Best regards,

Patti
Desert Hoofprints in 100+ degree Arizona where flax flowers grow under my bucket washing rack.

Vitamin A Question

A reader asked about my article Making It Through the Tough Times:  Would a Vitamin A source be needed, and if yes, which one would you suggest?

In the article I outlined the essential basics our horses need to maintain good health. 

Included were:

• The best hay you can find and afford (grass or mixed)
• The trace minerals copper and zinc
• Iodized salt (to provide both salt and iodine)
• Selenium if you're not in a high selenium area

plus flax and vitamin E when your horse does not have access to growing pasture.

Hay will retain good levels of vitamin A for several months.  In addition, horses store vitamin A in the liver - this is usually sufficient to carry them over the winter until new pasture or spring cuttings of hay are available.  

Once hay is more than six months old, especially in late winter to early spring, you may want to supplement some vitamin A.  In the Arizona regional mixes, vitamin A has been included at a minimum level (15,000 IU) to provide an "insurance" level. 

I like to evaluate the horse's coat condition in the spring to help me decide if I should begin adding some vitamin A until spring forage is available.  If the skin is "scurfy" - dry and flakey with an excess amount of "dandruff" even after a good grooming - I'll add some vitamin A and evaluate for improvement in ten days to two weeks.  Several other things can cause poor coat and skin condition including mineral imbalance, inadequate protein, parasites, illness or dehydration, or can interfere with vitamin A absorption or storage.  But in an otherwise healthy horse I'll expect to see improvement in skin and coat texture.

You can use either beta carotene or "preformed" vitamin A - both are available as human gel-caps from the drug store or from online sources such as http://www.swansonvitamins.com/.  If using beta carotene, look for one that provides a minimum of 25,000 IU of vitamin A activity.  I have used beta carotene with good results but, as horses convert only a portion of the beta carotene to useable vitamin A,   preformed vitamin A will likely give faster results.

If your hay was a late season cutting, deep green and still looks, smells and feels fresh in late winter/early spring and your horse is shedding out to a soft shiny coat with no signs of skin dryness, you probably don't need to add vitamin A.  But if your hay was put up early last summer and your horse's skin and coat are dry and lifeless despite knowing he's getting the essentials, give a couple of weeks of vitamin A a try. 

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To learn all the essential requirements your horse should have, consider starting with  Dr. Kellon's NRC Plus nutrition courses.  

Immune Boosters

A question was posted the other day on a local equine group discussion forum:

I am hearing a lot about immune boosters for both people and animals.   Does anyone out there have any experience with them?  Any suggestions for brands and where to get?

Thank You,

DiAnne

Responses included recommendations for APF  from http://www.auburnlabs.com/ and Total Immune Health - a Chinese herbal mixture from FLOTH http://www.forloveofthehorse.com/total_immune_health.php.

Hi DiAnne ~

APF (Advanced Protection Formula) is a concentrated tincture of three ginsengs, which are in the group of "adaptogenic" herbs.  These herbs tend to "normalize" body systems - an example might be calming a hyperactive horse and improving alertness in an exceptionally laid back horse. 

This article from the APF site http://www.auburnlabs.com/documents/Gastric%20Ulcers.pdf provides some interesting information but doesn't really explain why adaptogens work.

This Wikipedia article gives a little better idea. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adaptogen

Canadian ginseng powder will give similar results; good sources are 

http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/learn/ginseng_root_american.php (currently out of stock)

http://www.raineyginseng.com/ginseng-powder-capsules.html and

http://www.mybesthorse.com/productinformation/ginseng.html

If looking for immune support for a specific condition, you want to differentiate between an immune "stimulant" (something that boosts immune response, like adjuvants in vaccines do) and an immune "support" product (substances that allow the body to modulate the source/cause of inflammation).  You want to avoid immune "stimulants" if treating an autoimmune related inflammatory condition (for example Transfer Factor is an immune stimulant).  

Many immune "support" supplements act as anti-inflammatories through a variety of mechanisms - 

Spirulina acts on leukotriene receptors (similar to the human asthma medication Singulair) to reduce production of histamine

Duralactin (and other milk protein, whey protein or colostrum-based products) appears to block cytokines to inhibit neutrophil participation in the inflammatory response http://www.duralactin.com/products_equine.htm

Chondroitin has anti-inflammatory action not only on joints but on many other body systems at a cellular level (making it very useful for sterile urinary tract inflammation in cats along with skin "allergies" in horses). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9743814

Anti-oxidants play a strong role in supporting the immune system in horses - vitamin E, Omega-3 from flax, selenium, grape seed extract (http://purebulk.com/grape-seed-extract-95), along with balanced minerals and vitamins.  

IMO, if you start out with quality feed and hay, (preferably mineral balanced), provide a good level of anti-oxidant support including flax and vitamin E for horses not on pasture, avoid excessive iron, and provide lots of exercise you generally won't need pricy "immune" products except for periods when your horse is exposed to extra stress. For travel, competition, new experiences, etc. I'd reach for the APF or ginseng.  For "allergic" (inflammatory) responses, I'd look to vitamin E, flax, Spirulina and chondroitin, and consider whey protein, colostrum or Duralactin as a next line of defense. I also feel it's important you have an idea of what results you expect from a nutrient (product, herb, etc.) before spending a lot on something.

A lot of people indicate they've had success with the FLOTH herbs - I feel they can be a bit pricey and not always useful if the basics haven't been covered first and I'm not well versed enough about TCM (traditional Chinese medicine) to comment on the specific herbs used in the formulas.  As with any herb, if they're potent enough to be effective, they're potent enough to have undesired side effects if used incorrectly.

Speedy Laminitis/Founder Recovery ?

Recently, I responded to a question on the EC list about one of the targeted "magic bullet" supplements that are becoming heavily marketed toward horses with laminitis. The supplement in question isn't a bad supplement - it is safe and would likely do the job - but in my mind it supplies some unnecessary nutrients, is overpriced and appeals to the emotional vulnerability of our desire to do the best we can for our horses.
The writer was appropriately seeking to support her horse's recovery from founder, but also wanted to know if the supplement would provide a "speedier" recovery.
There is no speedy recovery from laminitis/founder - under the best conditions, recovery is limited by the horse's ability to grow a new hoof capsule.
With all systems being optimal

• diagnosis by doing the correct blood work for metabolic issues to differentiate IR (insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome) from Cushing's Disease (PPID)
• appropriate medication only if definitively diagnosed with Cushing's
• removing the source or cause of the laminitis/founder
• diet based on low carbohydrate forage supplemented with minerals and vitamins that both provide recommended daily requirements and balance any excesses/deficiencies based on hay analysis or regional information
• frequent hoof care based on a trim which places P3 ground parallel and removes stress from the injured laminae
• non-weight bearing straight line exercise (no riding) as tolerated by the horse during recovery plus as much turn out as possible for free movement

recovery from laminitis/founder is going to take the time it takes to regrow a new hoof capsule with tight laminar connections - at least 8 to 10 months or more.
Even if your horse "appears" sound - if shod, with anti-inflammatory medication (bute or herbal), on soft resiliant footing or when wearing boots - it takes at least eight months for the hoof capsule to regrow and the damage to be repaired. Irregardless of which hoof care method you choose (I have personal preferences but my way is not the only way) it will take at least eight months before your horse can be safely started back in work.
Going back to work too early can stress the new growth and slow down the repair. Would you continue to jog, play tennis, go dancing before your broken foot healed? (I realize that some of us would but our horse does not have the option to choose.)
For a metabolically challenged horse, a half hour of grass or a scoop of the wrong feed at your boarding barn can put you back to step 1 and turn an eight month recovery into a year or longer. And trying to treat IR with medication instead of diet changes is an exercise in futility.
Good nutrition can help put your horse at the short end of the time line to regrow a new hoof capsule by providing the building blocks required for healing and repair. Your horse will need good quality low carbohydrate forage, quality protein, and minerals and vitamins that at least meet NRC requirements and balance the forage/hay. Healing requires higher levels of antioxidant support which can be safely enhanced by providing vitamin E at levels suggested by KER research and Omega-3 essential fatty acids from flax.
You don't need to spend $2 to $3 a day on a "magic bullet" supplement to supply what your horse needs. A custom mix that balances your hay analysis or regional needs will more likely be in the range of 60-90 cents a day with some locally purchased "add-ins" - vitamin E, magnesium, iodized salt - adding another 15-20 cents a day.
While many horses can benefit from anti-inflammatory herbs to improve comfort and/or nitric oxide donor herbs to improve circulation, these should be specific and targeted, not part of a "kitchen-sink" approach. Any herb at a level potent enough to provide benefit also has the potential for adverse side effects and their use should be carefully considered, along with the possibility of synergy (multiplication of individual actions when combined) and interaction with medications your vet may have ordered.
Once your horse is through the acute initial phase of a laminitis/founder attack, plan on hanging up your saddle for at least eight months and consider how to turn his recovery time into an opportunity. The additional TLC he will require almost guarantees a new bonding experience for you, a time when you can just be and reflect with your horse. Take the time to explore some of the excellent groups and websites focused on laminitis/founder and metabolics (see my links for a sampling). Learn what your horse's nutritional requirements really are, how to read labels and how to separate myth and advertising from fact. Plan a gradual reconditioning program so that once he can carry a rider again, he can do it safely with less chance of reinjury.
Speedy recovery? Don't expect it. But you can make this recovery time count toward your horse's long term soundness and health.