Impending winter weather and loss of pasture access make all owners of thin senior horses anxious. There are things to consider when a horse is underweight that span all age groups, but seniors have additional considerations.
A thin older horse
Winter weather and loss of pasture access make owners of thin senior horses anxious, so it is important to make sure that all dietary needs of a senior horse are met.
Older horses need frequent, but not necessarily aggressive, dental care. Problems such as worn teeth, loose or missing teeth, abscesses and gum irritation from food packing into diastemas (gaps at the gum level) are common older horse issues which interfere with effective chewing and/or cause pain.
Wear also changes the angle of the chewing surface, which reduces the effectiveness of chewing.
The goal of dentistry should be to remove pain, not necessarily "fix" things. Horses with significant dental issues reap the most benefit from a wet, if not soupy, diet. Hay cubes or pellets can be thoroughly soaked, as can complete feeds, beet pulp and bran. Get professional advice in formulating the diet.
I commonly recommend incorporating psyllium into these wet senior diets. It further increases how easily they are swallowed, as choking is a concern with seniors, and is an excellent prebiotic. Use 1 to 2 oz of psyllium husk fiber per meal.
Older horses often have reduced natural immunity to parasite infections and may even become positive for parasites normally only seen in foals, like roundworms. This is one cause of weight loss you can control. Keep an eye on fecal egg counts and work with your vet on developing an individual deworming program for your senior.
Supplementing fat, up to 0.5 kg per day, considerably increases the caloric density of the diet. Begin with a flax based supplement to replace omega-3 fatty acids if the horse is not on fresh grass. Use at least 0.12 kg per day of this or even up to the full 0.5 kg per day.
If feeding less than the full 0.5 kg per day of flax based supplement, I recommend making up the difference with something that will not upset the omega-3:omega-6 ratio, like Uckele's CocoSun.
Senior citizens of all species may suffer from reduced digestive efficiency. The diversity and amount of microflora in the large intestine of the horse decreases with age. A supplement with both high digestive enzyme activity and good numbers of live probiotic organisms can be very helpful for seniors.
Vanishing toplines is a common complaint with older horses. When this is seen the horse should always be checked for PPID - pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction, aka Cushing's Disease, because high cortisol activity in these horses causes muscle loss.
There may also be a factor of poor protein digestibility and/or inadequate key amino acid intake. Supplementation with the triple combination of L-lysine, DL-methionine and L-threonine is an inexpensive safeguard on the nutritional end.
Problems such as heart failure, kidney failure, liver disease or malignancies are rare in younger horses but anything goes with a senior. All of these may have weight loss as a component. It's always wise to involve your veterinarian when having weight issues with a senior.
Odds are one or more of the factors mentioned earlier will be the explanation, but keeping your vet informed of the issue and what was tried will save precious time in deciding on diagnostics and treatment down the road.
Uckele Health & Nutrition, maker of CocoSoya®, offers formulas to support the thin senior horse.
Tri-Amino helps maintain strong muscles, healthy weight, and supports a healthy topline with the three most essential amino acids, L-Lysine, DL and Threonine.
CocoSun Oil and Granula is rich in concentrated Omega 9 extra virgin sunflower oil and the unsurpassed appeal and benefits of extra virgin coconut oil. Omega 9 provides a cool- calorie energy source to build and maintain healthy weight without a blood sugar rise. Non GMO and soy free formula with all natural ingredients.
Absorb All is a high strength digestive formula to support healthy gut and digestive function. Supports the intestinal tract to help maintain healthy gut flora, proper gut pH, and to promote healthy digestion and bowel health. Combines high levels of digestive enzymes, beneficial Probiotics, and microbial fermentation ingredients.
Psyllium husk fiber is a great fiber source as a bulking and binding agent. When Psyllium husks combine with water, they form a gelatinous mass that flows through the horse's intestinal tract that helps to keep waste moving through the intestines and prevents blockages to keep your horse's intestinal tract flowing regularly.
About Dr. Kellon
Dr. Eleanor Kellon, staff veterinary specialist for Uckele Health & Nutrition, is an established authority in the field of equine nutrition for over 30 years, and a founding member and leader of the Equine Cushings and Insulin Resistance (ECIR) group, whose mission is to improve the welfare of horses with metabolic disorders via integration of research and real-life clinical experience. Prevention of laminitis is the ultimate goal. www.ecirhorse.org
Uckele Health & Nutrition, maker of CocoSoya, is an innovation-driven health company committed to making people and their animals healthier. On the leading edge of nutritional science and technology for over 50 years, Uckele formulates and manufactures a full spectrum of quality nutritional supplements incorporating the latest nutritional advances. www.uckele.com