I'm Concerned

shawnee1020 · 05-10-2008, 06:04 PM

Well Buddy, The Cushings and Founder mini I took in in Nov. is shedding.
Well that is a good thing with his cushings, but I have been getting all the hair off of him and can see his ribs now

He's also been switched to Seminole Equalizer RB, and he is getting 1/2 lb twice along with Seminole Wellness Safe and Sound Forage and all the hay he can eat, Timothy and Coastal. He is getting more exercise as He is now on a dry lot so he can walk around, but I'm not liking seeing his ribs. I know he needs to stay kinda thin with his founder, but I think he is too thin.
Should I cal the vet back?

JBandRio · 05-10-2008, 06:32 PM

Is it "awww, cute little ribs", or is it "OMG, RIBS!!"

if it's the former, that's fine, and healthier for him at this point.

But if it's the latter, you'll have to feed more calories. How much of the S&S does he get? You can play around with adding more of that.

There's a relatively new forage product called Hi-Fi Gold which is around 7% NSC, so if more of the S&S makes him sore, see if you can get the H-F (by Lucerne, I think) so you can feed more of it.

shawnee1020 · 05-10-2008, 06:43 PM

When I first got Buddy his coat was about 3-4 inches long. So I have not seen him without it. And with the decoating now it is to me the OMG Ribs

I didn't realize he was this thin. He has the S&S all day available to him. So not sure what is going on. I've tried beet pulp but he will not touch it so that is not even an option at this point.

JBandRio · 05-11-2008, 07:20 AM

That's why when there is Winter fur, you really have to lay hands on to get a better idea of the body score

Ok, so he's

ribs. I know we've discussed this, so forgive me for not remembering all the current details

- what is his entire diet?

We strongly suspect he is insulin resistant, and while people tend to think those are fat horses, more than people realize are "hard" keepers. Getting the metabolism under control is the only way to thin down the fatty and fatten up the skinny.

JessD · 05-11-2008, 07:57 AM

triple crown has a very good chopped grass forage in a bag called safe starch forage..it is tested to be below 10% NSC, it is sprayed with oil so it is 6% fat, and it is fortified with a vitamin and mineral pellet so can be fed as your horses total diet...he'd get 1-2% of his body weight in the forage, not a whole lot for a mini, but he'll meet vit/mineral requirements and with the added fat, get some flesh back on those bones!

ejforrest · 05-11-2008, 10:21 AM

This is my horse who has Cushings. Had it since he was 7 and he is now 28.
He has had a few rough winters where he has dropped alot of weight. I feed and increase beet pulp(a gallon twice a day) and alfalfa pellets(1/2 a gallon) twice a day along with a complete vitamin/mineral supplement.
I do add a cup of fat once to twice a day until he has gained the weight back then stop the fat. Fat isnt good all the time for a Cushings horse.
He puts almost all the weight back on. He is still a little ribby but gaining.
I also have to shave him every spring. He doesnt shed out.
Before and after pictures
Before the shave

After the shave

Dawn · 05-11-2008, 11:51 AM

Can you get photos of him? Not doubting your word. But not realizing that he wasn't 'fat', you might go 'omg ribs!' just because they're there. While an 'outside' person might be able to look at him without any expectations.

shawnee1020 · 05-12-2008, 11:10 AM

I will get a new picture either tonight or tomorrow. The weather has been horrible here with 30-40 mph winds. I still have some coat to get off, but at least he is shedding out. The vet said I might have to shave him, but doesn't look like it. Oh he has freakles under that big white coat.

He is a very fussy eater, He is now getting 1/2lb Equalizer with flax and thyroid meds. He get Seminole Wellness Safe and Sound Forage all he can eat and Timothy Hay and Coastal Hay. I tried adding beet pulp but he refuses to eat it. So I can't go that route. He also is on peroglide which the vet says will change his sence of taste obviously that is why he hates everything, but he is eating the Equalizer.

shawnee1020 · 05-12-2008, 02:47 PM

Here's two picture of Buddy, One with all the hair, then one mostly shedded out. Still have some to go of course around the belly area. So you probalby can't see the ribs as I can up close. I think he definitely needs so weight on though.

justsampson · 05-12-2008, 03:02 PM

He's doesn't look super ribby to me...it may just be the shock of seeing him without all his hair with a bit of rib. I wouldn't call him crazy skinny though!

05-10-2008, 06:04 PM	#1
shawnee1020 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: SC Posts: 469 Images: 78	I'm Concerned Well Buddy, The Cushings and Founder mini I took in in Nov. is shedding. Well that is a good thing with his cushings, but I have been getting all the hair off of him and can see his ribs now He's also been switched to Seminole Equalizer RB, and he is getting 1/2 lb twice along with Seminole Wellness Safe and Sound Forage and all the hay he can eat, Timothy and Coastal. He is getting more exercise as He is now on a dry lot so he can walk around, but I'm not liking seeing his ribs. I know he needs to stay kinda thin with his founder, but I think he is too thin. Should I cal the vet back?

05-10-2008, 06:32 PM	#2
JBandRio Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NC Posts: 19,666 Images: 121 Blog Entries: 12	Is it "awww, cute little ribs", or is it "OMG, RIBS!!" if it's the former, that's fine, and healthier for him at this point. But if it's the latter, you'll have to feed more calories. How much of the S&S does he get? You can play around with adding more of that. There's a relatively new forage product called Hi-Fi Gold which is around 7% NSC, so if more of the S&S makes him sore, see if you can get the H-F (by Lucerne, I think) so you can feed more of it. __________________ - JB Acres, owned and operated by Dynamite animals. - It's a wonder horses as a whole don't just kill us all and be done with their misery. - Keep your voice soothing and low - even when things get western (buck1173) - Rio feels good - he bounced an in-and-out

05-11-2008, 07:20 AM	#4
JBandRio Senior Member+ Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NC Posts: 19,666 Images: 121 Blog Entries: 12	That's why when there is Winter fur, you really have to lay hands on to get a better idea of the body score Ok, so he's ribs. I know we've discussed this, so forgive me for not remembering all the current details - what is his entire diet? We strongly suspect he is insulin resistant, and while people tend to think those are fat horses, more than people realize are "hard" keepers. Getting the metabolism under control is the only way to thin down the fatty and fatten up the skinny. __________________ - JB Acres, owned and operated by Dynamite animals. - It's a wonder horses as a whole don't just kill us all and be done with their misery. - Keep your voice soothing and low - even when things get western (buck1173) - Rio feels good - he bounced an in-and-out

05-11-2008, 10:21 AM	#6
ejforrest Senior Member+ Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: U.P. Michigan Posts: 2,516 Images: 360	This is my horse who has Cushings. Had it since he was 7 and he is now 28. He has had a few rough winters where he has dropped alot of weight. I feed and increase beet pulp(a gallon twice a day) and alfalfa pellets(1/2 a gallon) twice a day along with a complete vitamin/mineral supplement. I do add a cup of fat once to twice a day until he has gained the weight back then stop the fat. Fat isnt good all the time for a Cushings horse. He puts almost all the weight back on. He is still a little ribby but gaining. I also have to shave him every spring. He doesnt shed out. Before and after pictures Before the shave After the shave __________________ ej ----------- And God said to horse, trust no man if you cannot see your own image in his eyes.

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05-10-2008, 06:43 PM	#3
shawnee1020 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: SC Posts: 469 Images: 78	When I first got Buddy his coat was about 3-4 inches long. So I have not seen him without it. And with the decoating now it is to me the OMG Ribs I didn't realize he was this thin. He has the S&S all day available to him. So not sure what is going on. I've tried beet pulp but he will not touch it so that is not even an option at this point.

05-11-2008, 07:57 AM	#5
JessD Full Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 123	triple crown has a very good chopped grass forage in a bag called safe starch forage..it is tested to be below 10% NSC, it is sprayed with oil so it is 6% fat, and it is fortified with a vitamin and mineral pellet so can be fed as your horses total diet...he'd get 1-2% of his body weight in the forage, not a whole lot for a mini, but he'll meet vit/mineral requirements and with the added fat, get some flesh back on those bones!

05-11-2008, 11:51 AM	#7
Dawn Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 28,761 Images: 1267	Can you get photos of him? Not doubting your word. But not realizing that he wasn't 'fat', you might go 'omg ribs!' just because they're there. While an 'outside' person might be able to look at him without any expectations.

05-12-2008, 11:10 AM	#8
shawnee1020 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: SC Posts: 469 Images: 78	I will get a new picture either tonight or tomorrow. The weather has been horrible here with 30-40 mph winds. I still have some coat to get off, but at least he is shedding out. The vet said I might have to shave him, but doesn't look like it. Oh he has freakles under that big white coat. He is a very fussy eater, He is now getting 1/2lb Equalizer with flax and thyroid meds. He get Seminole Wellness Safe and Sound Forage all he can eat and Timothy Hay and Coastal Hay. I tried adding beet pulp but he refuses to eat it. So I can't go that route. He also is on peroglide which the vet says will change his sence of taste obviously that is why he hates everything, but he is eating the Equalizer.

05-12-2008, 02:47 PM	#9
shawnee1020 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: SC Posts: 469 Images: 78	Here's two picture of Buddy, One with all the hair, then one mostly shedded out. Still have some to go of course around the belly area. So you probalby can't see the ribs as I can up close. I think he definitely needs so weight on though.

05-12-2008, 03:02 PM	#10
justsampson Full Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 52 Images: 14	He's doesn't look super ribby to me...it may just be the shock of seeing him without all his hair with a bit of rib. I wouldn't call him crazy skinny though!