What should I feed my senior horse with Cushing’s? Alfalfa cubes or pellets (surprisingly low in sugar) Apple peels. Watermelon rinds. Commercial products that are low in starch/sugar.
What should I Feed my horse with Cushing’s disease?
The goal in feeding a horse with Cushing’s, is to limit the intake of nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC) feeds, such as the sugars and starches found in grains. In many cases, feeds that are labeled as “senior” feeds are also high in NSC content and should be avoided when feeding a horse with Cushing’s disease.
What is the best diet for senior horses?
The objective is to feed a diet that has less than 10 to 20 percent of total digestible energy (the combination of sugars and starch, or NSCs). High-fiber components, such as these found in hay, hay cubes, pasture, and beet pulp, should constitute the main portion of a senior horse’s diet.
What to do if your horse is not maintaining weight?
If your horse is not maintaining weight, you may need to increase the feeding rate of the senior feed or add a low starch, rice bran based high fat supplement. Most senior horses with Cushing’s Syndrome do very well on a senior feed and appropriate medication.
What do you feed a horse with high energy requirements?
Increased energy requirements can be met by feeding alfalfa (lucerne) hay or chaff, super-fibers such as beet pulp and soy hulls, or a low- to moderate-NSC feed. Feeds that are higher in fat (greater than 6%) are preferred as they are less reliant on carbohydrates for energy.
What can I give my horse for Cushing's disease?
Alfalfa averages 10-15% NSC, and oat hay is very high, averaging 22%. Alfalfa can be a good option for a horse with Cushings if they are a hard time holding their weight because it is more calorie-dense than grass hay.
Is beet pulp good for horses with Cushings?
Triple Crown Senior (http://www.triplecrownfeed.com/products/feeds/senior-horse-feed- formula-seniorhorsefeed) is a beet pulp-based, textured feed recommended for Cushing's horses that have a hard time maintaining weight and need a little extra fat, without the extra carbohydrates.
Are Oats good for horses with Cushings?
Even though oats are the grain lowest in sugar and starch, at around 45 to 50% starch they are still far too high in starch for horses on a low sugar and starch diet, eg insulin resistant horses, horses prone to laminitis, those with disorders like Cushings or PSSM etc, as well as many horses who are prone to ulcers, ...
Can you reverse Cushings in horses?
The Right Medicine PPID cannot be cured, but its effects can be controlled with medication and management. The drug most commonly used to treat horses with PPID is pergolide mesylate, a dopamine agonist that helps to regulate the pituitary gland.
Can Cushings horses have grass?
Pasture grasses can have a high NSC content, especially during the spring and fall seasons, and the risk of colic and laminitis is greater when horses are on pasture. Since laminitis and founder are more common in horses with Cushing's disease, pasture grazing should be severely limited or totally avoided.
What happens if you don't treat Cushings in horses?
If a horse has untreated Cushing's Disease, it is more likely to develop laminitis and the laminitis will be more difficult to control. If an equine has any of the clinical signs suggestive of Cushing's, a blood sample can be taken to check ACTH levels in the blood.
What horse feed is high in phosphorus?
Horses get phosphorus from many different feeds, including forages and oats. Feeds with particularly high phosphorus concentrations include wheat bran and rice bran. The phosphorus found naturally in grains and forages is considered organic, and is often bound to molecules called Phytates.
Can horses with Cushings have molasses?
A horse that has been diagnosed with Cushing's disease will require a specialised diet. As with any horse, the main proportion of their diet should be made up of forage. NSC (non-structural carbohydrate) intake should be reduced, and feeds containing wholegrain cereals and molasses should be removed from the diet.
Which is better for horses whole oats or rolled oats?
Rolled oats have been completely flattened and are considered easier for horses to eat. Hulled oats have been removed from the husks and are the most nutritious option because everything you're feeding is pure oat seed. Crushed oats have had both the hull and the actual oat smashed into small particles.
What is the life expectancy of a horse with Cushing's?
Vets encourage owners of Cushing's horses to decrease the amount of carbohydrates they feed (e.g., grains or other concentrates), maintain the horse at a healthy body condition score, and ensure his diet is properly balanced. Well-managed horses should live about five to seven years or more past diagnosis.
What triggers Cushings in horses?
Causes. The underlying cause of PPID is loss of inhibition of the pars intermedia region of the pituitary gland. As a result, the gland becomes enlarged and there is a marked increase in the production of certain hormones.
Can you treat Cushings in horses naturally?
Good hoof-care combined with nutritional management and the application of other modalities, including acupuncture and Chinese and Western herbs, can complete the healing process. The successful treatment of equine Cushing's syndrome is one of the best examples of treating a disease using the holistic approach.
Can you feed too much beet pulp?
Due to beet pulp's relatively high calcium and low phosphorus levels, feeding too much could imbalance the calcium to phosphorus ratio in the diet, which could interfere with normal bone development in young horses.
Does beet pulp make horses gain weight?
Beet pulp can be used to help underweight horses gain weight, as it provides approximately 1,000 kcals per pound (one quart of dry beet pulp shreds weighs approximately 0.5-0.6 pounds).
Is beet pulp good for Laminitic horses?
A supplement containing protein, vitamins, and minerals will help the horse heal damaged tissues. For thin laminitic horses, consider providing calories from beet pulp (without molasses), alfalfa hay or cubes, soy hulls, or vegetable oil.
Is beet pulp safe for horses?
It is an excellent food source for horses that have difficulty putting and keeping weight on without supplementing their diet with traditional concentrates. Beet pulp is also good for horses that can't chew their food properly or need to avoid dusty feeds because they have a respiratory issues.
What is the NSC of hay?
NSC of hay or other forage should be 12% or less. This plan is intended to also improve insulin sensitivity and reduce the risk of laminitis. A forage or fiber-based diet is ideal for obese horses with PPID to provide gut fill and supply energy in the form of volatile fatty acids.
Why use a low intake balancer pellet?
A low-intake balancer pellet is recommended to supply amino acids, minerals, and vitamins that may be missing from forage. As PPID is primarily a disease of older horses and many are underweight as a consequence of dental problems, this needs to be considered in the design of a feed program.
Is PPID asymptomatic?
Many horses affected with PPID are healthy and relatively asymptomatic other than excessive hair growth and retention, and a mild to moderate increase in both drinking and urination. Horses with PPID and a moderate body condition score without evidence of insulin resistance can essentially be fed as normal horses to maintain body condition ...
Can horses eat pellets?
If extra energy is needed, feeds with moderate carbohydrate content, fed in small meals, are acceptable. Some horses may do well on just a balancer pellet rather than a traditional feed. Obese horses with PPID should be managed ...
Can horses have insulin resistance?
Feeding horses with pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), also called Cushing’s disease, can sometimes be difficult because these horses are often older, overweight or underweight, and may have insulin resistance, with or without recurrent laminitis.
Can you feed a horse with Cushing's disease?
Feeding Horses with Cushing’s Disease. Feeding horses with pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), also called Cushing’s disease, can sometimes be difficult because these horses are often older, overweight or underweight, and may have insulin resistance, with or without recurrent laminitis.
Can you feed alfalfa to laminitis?
Increased energy requirements can be met by feeding alfalfa (lucerne) hay or chaff, super-fibers such as beet pulp and soy hulls, or a low- to moderate-NSC feed.
Why is pasture grass high in NSC?
Owners should be advised to be aware during times of the year when pasture grasses can be high in NSC because PPID can worsen insulin insensitivity in susceptible horses and result in laminitis. Adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) concentrations have been shown to have seasonal variation and be highest in September.
Why is it so hard to gain weight with PPID?
Nutritional recommendations for horses with PPID that need to gain weight are more difficult because the need for more calories must be balanced against the adverse effects of worsening insulin resistance.
What to feed a senior horse with PPID?
Senior-type feeds, sweet feed, or oats with hay can be fed if additional dietary energy is needed. Obese horses with PPID should be fed similar to horses with equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) to encourage weight loss, improve insulin sensitivity, and reduce the risk of laminitis.
What is the BCS score for concentrates?
Concentrates should be fed only as needed to maintain desired body condition, preferably body condition score (BCS) 4 to 6 on a scale of 1 to 9. Feeding small (less than 0.5% of body weight) and frequent concentrate meals produces less deviation in insulin and glucose concentrations and is less likely to complicate insulin resistance.
Does high fat diet cause insulin resistance?
High-fat diets have the potential to worsen or create insulin resistance. Pagan and coworkers reported that a high-fat (30% of digestible energy supplied as fat) diet significantly impaired glucose tolerance in aged non-obese Thoroughbred geldings compared to a more traditional diet.
Is PPID asymptomatic?
Many horses affected with PPID are healthy and relatively asymptomatic other than hypertrichosis and mild to moderate polyuria and polydipsia. Horses with PPID and good BCS score without evidence of insulin resistance can essentially be fed as a normal horse to maintain body condition and prevent obesity.
Does pasture grass have insulin?
Insulin concentration is positively associated with increased carbohydrates in pasture grass. Frank and coworkers measured ACTH concentrations over a one-year period in mature to aged horses kept at pasture. Mean ACTH concentration was highest from August through October.
What is the goal of feeding a horse with Cushing's disease?
The goal in feeding a horse with Cushing’s, is to limit the intake of nonstructural carbohydrates (NSC) feeds , such as the sugars and starches found in grains. In many cases, feeds that are labeled as “senior” feeds are also high in NSC content and should be avoided when feeding a horse with Cushing’s disease.
What percentage of energy should a senior horse eat?
The objective is to feed a diet that has less than 10 to 20 percent of total digestible energy (the combination of sugars and starch, or NSCs). High-fiber components, such as these found in hay, hay cubes, pasture, and beet pulp, should constitute the main portion of a senior horse’s diet. Most horses will eat between 1½ to 2 percent ...
How much hay should a horse eat?
Most horses will eat between 1½ to 2 percent of their body weight per day in forage. (For example, a 1000-pound horse should be fed 15 to 20 pounds of hay per day.) It is important to recognize that some hays may contain high levels of NSC, depending on the species of grass and when and how it was harvested.
Does pergolide help with cushings?
A Cushing’s horse also benefits from the effects of medication like pergolide, which can reduce the clinical signs and secondary effects of the pituitary malfunction. This medication facilitates the horse’s best use of a Cushing’s “diet.”. Read more on Cushing’s Disease >>.
Can an older horse have PPID?
A: It is not uncommon for an older horse to develop pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction or PPID, most often referred to as Cushing’s disease.
What do Cushing's horses need?
Cushing’s syndrome horses require a hay or pasture source that is low in non-structural carbohydrates (NSC), so you might want to have your forage tested. They do well on senior feeds that are fortified with lysine, methionine, biotin, vitamin E and organic trace minerals (copper, zinc, manganese and selenium) to help maintain muscle mass, ...
How much NSC should a horse eat?
Research which established some of the current recommendations of 10-13% NSC in the diet for Cushing’s Syndrome or Equine Metabolic Syndrome horses is based on total diet intake.
What to feed a senior horse with Cushing's syndrome?
If your horse is not maintaining weight, you may need to increase the feeding rate of the senior feed or add a low starch, rice bran based high fat supplement. Most senior horses with Cushing’s Syndrome do very well on a senior feed and appropriate medication.
Can you give horses pergolide?
As the number of horses known to have Cushing’s Syndrome increases, questions on how to feed horses with this condition also increase. As a starting management practice, your veterinarian may recommend pergolide as an added medication for your horse. This is available from a number of pharmaceutical sources by prescription.
Is Safe Choice Senior Horse Feed good for horses?
It has all the amino acid, vitamin, and mineral content they need to stay feeling their best, while keeping that NSC low and the calorie level low. For horses that need a few more calories, our SafeChoice Senior horse feed is a great option. Also has all the nutrition they need, but more calories from fat.
How much starch should I feed my horse with PPID?
We recommend feeding no more than 1g of starch per 1kg of bodyweight per meal.
How often should I weigh my horse for PPId?
We recommend taking your horses fat score and weighing them using our scientifically validated weigh tape every fortnight.
Why do horses need amino acids?
Essential amino acids are very important for muscle growth and remodelling and ensuring you have the right source and amount is essential.
What is the most common endocrine abnormality in horses?
Equine Cushing's Disease, now better defined as Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID), is one of the most common endocrine abnormalities of horses and one of the most common diseases in horses older than 15 years of age.
Why is it important to feed your body oils?
Feeding oils is a great way to supply a dense source of calories. Some oils are more easily absorbed and the balance of omega 3 and 6 is important. A correct balance can help with coat , joints, inflammation and boost the body condition.
Does ACTH cause insulin resistance?
This leads to an increase in circulating blood glucose levels, which in turn will affect insulin production and can lead to insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is a major risk factor for laminitis.
Can horses eat starch?
Avoid feeds that are high in starch or sugar: Horses and ponies with PPID struggle to maintain normal blood concentrations of glucose and insulin. Feeding high levels of sugar and starch will make this worse as it will lead to a rapid increase in blood glucose, and hence insulin levels. This increases the risk of insulin resistance ...
