Stringhalt

jokersmama · Stringhalt

My husbands uncle shows in the non-pro division in cutting and his best mare came up with stringhalt. They seem to think it is from her eating false dandelion...? She has been removed from her pasture and put on a dry lot. The vet gave them some vit E and something else (he couldn't remember what it was called) to put on her feed.

She also has had trouble with tying up in the past when she is on pasture and then ridden,( she is ridden and exercised at least 4 times a week) and had an episode of laminitis last spring. So she definitely has issues with grass and now that everything is dead she has been eating the weeds I guess.

Any ideas on how to treat this with diet. Is it treated with a high fat diet like EPSM? That is what the first vet through it was...

Julie

Stringhalt, laminitus and tying up are all very different. If a horse has azoturia though - you can get similar symptoms as stringhalt if the muscles are damaged, they can snatch the legs in a similar way.

PasoBaby_CarolU

Can't tying up be caused by a selenium deficiency? This was the treatment years ago when a boarder horse her got it. I've never had it in another horse, so not sure if the protocol has changed.

Blue Flame

Magnesium or Selenium is quite possibly what the vet gave with the Vit. E.

Magnesium is supposed to help as well - horses need magnesium to enable the muscles and nerves to relax - so make sure she is getting enough.

Over here the false dandelion is known as catsear - you can tell tell the difference in the narrower shape of the catsear leaves and also the catsear has several flowers per stalk whereas the dandelion will only have 1.

Similar to your situation, where we graze there is increased risk of stringhalt during drought conditions. We seem to manage it sucessfully by ensuring enough magnesium.

One other thing I'd make sure of is that the horse is getting enough salt. Certain climatic conditions can really throw the potattium:sodium ratio out which can play havoc with their metabolisms. Ratio should ideally be below 10 - increased risk at >20 (we found our pasture was 36 in the middle of winter!!)

On K:Na ratio see article by Dr. Swerczek: http://beefmagazine.com/mag/beef_dont_short_salt/
He writes about stock in general but horses are included in his research.

jokersmama

I just mentioned those other things thinking that maybe horses that tie up are more prone to develop a gait abnormality than others.

Is stringhalt that comes from eating a toxic plant more likely to go away on it's own as opposed to the traumatic kind?

PasoBaby_CarolU

Google "Stringhalt in horses" you'll get all kinds of information.

Nashama

Stringhalt they generally give magnesium.

Azoturia is selenium and vitamin E, yes. Shama's selenium/E levels are critical as he has chronic azoturia.