[ponypotion]

I have my pregnant mare on Thyroid L because she has low thyroid levels.
ANYWAY she has been on it for a month, one scoop a day. Checked her levels, still low so last week I up'd her doses to 2 scoops. (this is all vet presribed)
well tonight she won't eat her food. I was told it could be from the meds.
She doesn't have any other collic symptoms. What do you think?
I called the vet and she told me to check her temp, heart rate, and gut sounds.
all is fine.

[Deb]

How is she? My mare is on the same med. She started with 2 scoops and is now on 1 scoop. I've never seen her turn down food.

Did you find out what is going on?

[Ryle]

Why wewre thyroid levels checked on your mare? Was she tested for or diagnosed with anything else? Was she taking Bute when the blood was pulled to test her thyroid levels?

I ask these questions because hypothyroidism without a cause is rare in horses.

If she is turning down food, I would at least call the vet and talk about what she is doing and possible causes. Get her temp, heart rate and respiration rate before calling your vet if you can because that will help him assess the situation and determine if you need to have your horse seen.

[JBandRio]

I agree with Ryle that low thryoid issues, as a primary problem, are very rare in horses.

Horses who are insulin resistant often have low thyroid issues, but you treat the IR first and only then add Thyro-L if you're still having problems. Most of the time managing the IR puts the thyroid function back where it should be.

[ponypotion]

She is doing fine today. I kept checking on her last night.
She seemed fine but didn't want to eat.
This morning she gobbled it up except for a few handfuls.
So I'm relieved.
Actually I brought her to the vet a couple of months back because she wasn't acting right, so we pulled blood work and that is what came up.
We are back to the vet in a few weeks for another check up
thanks for replies

[JBandRio]

Yes, bloodwork will show a low thyroid level. But, that is 99% of the time just a symptom, not the actual problem. Yes, it causes weight gain and the horse to feel lethargic. But 99% of the time the REAL cause is something else. If you don't look for and treat the "something else", you are only bandaiding a problem.

[ponypotion]

good to know.
thanks

[Arabian07]

My aunt's horse is on Thyroid L also.He has the same problem,sometimes he leaves his food or just leaves a couple handfulls because he doesn't like the taste of it.He will eat around the medicine...and if we mix it all in his grain he won't even touch it.