Pain and swelling in hooves.

It is really important to remember that laminitis is a multi-factorial problem and that even if your horse or pony has laminitis caused by a non-nutritional factor, for example Cushing’s disease or traumatic injury, it is very important to minimise adding to the factors that could trigger or worsen the laminitis. In other words, whatever the cause, it is important to feed a low sugar, low starch, high fibre diet, with calorie intake controlled when necessary.  If there is infection as well, use the natural, plant-based Drawing Out 16 formula which will promote drainage, continue drops until all signs of infection and pus is no longer an issue. This could take weeks to months to clear from surface or deep tissue infections

Pain and swelling in hooves due to arthritic changes and acute flare-ups in chronic laminitis in horses.

Also, a horse with Cushing’s syndrome may also need this formula. Please reconsider jab injections, as laminitis and lameness will only get worse or flare up each time jabs are given. Use alternative oral nosodes. Or even ask for an antibody immunity blood test to show the immune system is still intact.

Is your horse also suffering “colitis” as well as laminitis?

Did you know that encysted strongyles (parasite) can cause Colitis, and then also cause laminitis, which is a common complication of colon inflammation  *See the natural, plant-based formula –  Colitis 83 Set.  Colitis can be caused by a parasite Parasitic Colitis in Horses (encysted strongyles). Larval cyathostominosis occurs more frequently in horses under the age of six (Mair 1993).  As with any pathology leading to colitis, diarrhea is a near-universal symptom of intestinal inflammation and is likewise a primary sign of cyathostomin burden.  * See the natural, plant – based formulas Intestinal parasitic cleanser – EquinePara 50 Mix 100ml, plus the the colitis formula called Colitis Repair 83-1 formula and the Drawing Out 16 formula  (draw out parasite from the enclosed cyst sack – encysted)

 

Laminitis
TOPICALLY:  Can also rub on hoof topically as well. Either put 3 pills or several drops in a spray bottle filled with filtered water and shake, spray on hoof every 10 minutes for 4 repeats for fast relief. or put pills or drops in some cream and rub on hoof as often as possible.

 

Highly recommend
The natural, plant – based Equine IMMUNITY 48 formula the safe alternative to a jab injection. Use the REMEDY will protect as well as help detox from past or recent jab injections. Note:  Tetanus jab injections …. have been known to cause Laminitis.Use the safe alternative natural, plant – based Anti Tetanus 48(D)-2 formula 50ml

 

Needing extra help for pain relief

We have a herbal Bone Pain Anti-inflammatory Relief
1.    the natural, plant – based formula BONE Anti-Inflam 264(B) Mix
2.   the natural, plant – based Pain Eze 32 formula

 

What about the “Master Mineral” – Magnesium

Magnesium is the master mineral catalyst at the center of that whole thing keeping everything in equilibrium because magnesium relaxes your muscles.This critical mineral is actually responsible for over 300 enzyme reactions and is found in all of your tissues — but mainly in your bones, muscles, and brain. You must have it for your cells to make energy, for many different chemical pumps to work, to stabilize membranes, and to help muscles relax.

Magnesium also makes up bone health. It is also an important relaxant for muscles. As well magnesium stimulates the hormone calcitonin, which helps to preserve bone structure by drawing calcium out of the blood and soft tissues back into the bones. This action helps lower the likelihood of osteoporosis, some forms of arthritis, heart attack and kidney (calcium oxalate stones). So, if you’re taking lots of calcium and not much magnesium or none, you are then highly susceptible to these conditions. In fact, it is advised not to take oral calcium supplements with or without magnesium, as we obtain calcium in many types of foods, but magnesium is lost very quickly, from stress, drugs, and calcium.

~  However, the Activation Ease Magnesium Topical Spray .. as maybe a better option.
Either spray on your hands and rub into your horse body or just spray directly on body.  The whole family can use this spray as well.

This special topical magnesium spray is Magnesium Chloride Heahydrate is the form of magnesium that we resonate with the most.  There’s Bioavailability and also its about compatibility both are needed.  Things can absorb, like you could have a magnesium sulfate bath for example, that will absorb in and you will feel calmed by it and feel good, but it dosen’t hold in your tissue to build up a reserve because you gotta have your reserves.  For example if you or your horse or pet have a high stress day (coffee and some drugs deplete this mineral from body) your going to burn a lot more magnesium than normal, there’s not enough magnesium in the food, its just that simple.
So we want to have all the elements and everything set in order catalytic-ally.  The Catalysts like, things like cell salts, which is the deepest levels of the building, the magnesium is the fuel.  If you take magnesium supplements orally your channels could be blocked, so its not getting there, but when you put the stuff on your system it just gets right there geographically that the beauty of that application.  80% of you and your pets central nervous system which is run by your brain is connected to muscles.

Calcium actually or compete/depletes magnesium in the body.
Most of us (and pets) are storing calcium in the blood and soft tissues, so we do not need any more calcium, it is magnesium levels that we need to build up.  

Note:   RBC magnesium blood test is the only type of test that will reveal what is in the cells. Serum Magnesium tests only measure 1% of magnesium in the blood, not the cells of the body.

A review of nutrition and bone health published by the American College of Nutrition, it was noted that among four unique population studies each found a positive correlation between magnesium and bone mineral density.

These studies are backed up by research demonstrating that magnesium deficiency results in:

• Decreased bone strength
• Decreased bone volume
• Poor bone development

Excess release of calcium from bone into the blood without accompanying bone formation. Even mild magnesium deficiency is reported to be a leading risk factor for osteoporosis. Similarly, the use of calcium supplements in the face of a magnesium deficiency can lead to calcium deposition in the soft tissues, such as the joints, where it can promote arthritis, or in the kidney, contributing to kidney stones.

What are the signs of magnesium deficiency in Equines?

As magnesium is needed for such a wide range of body processes, deficiency signs can present in an equally wide range of ways. Ten horses living in the same paddock may show signs of magnesium deficiency in ten different ways, influenced by individual genetic traits that govern how much magnesium can be absorbed and how much is excreted.

Some common signs of magnesium deficiency may include:

*  Nervous, anxious temperament

*  Sudden shying at familiar objects

*  Violent pulling-back when tied

*  Dislike of grooming

*  Aggression towards owners or herd-mates

*  Separation anxiety, herd-bound

*  Restless under saddle, unable to focus on rider

*  Bucking

*  Poor hoof quality, footsore without shoes or boots on hard or rough ground

*  Short stride with inappropriate toe-first hoof landing

*  Laminitis

*  Grass belly

*  Insulin resistant with heavy crest

*  Stiff, braced posture with deep ‘V’ behind withers

*  Front feet placed far back under body when resting

*  Tight, sloping croup

*  Stifle catch

*  Tying-up

*  Excessive sweating in hot weather, shivering in warm, wet weather

*  Dry, flaky skin

*  Sweet-Itch

*  Watery eyes

Other signs of deficiency Lack of magnesium in the diet can lead to increased respiratory rates (the horse takes more breaths per minute), muscle tremors, loss of appetite and aggressiveness or ill temper. It is thought to be linked to grass sickness, stringhalt and azoturia.

~ More recently a link has been made between Magnesium deficiency and laminitis.
Because magnesium is crucial to the deposition of calcium into the bones, magnesium deficiency can also produce all of the problems associated with calcium deficiency.

Why do horses become magnesium deficient?

It’s all a question of balance.  Magnesium deficiency in the UK was comparatively rare before the introduction of chemical fertilisers. The most common type of chemical fertiliser is NPK which contains Nitrogen, Potassium and phosphorus, all of which will unbalance the diet when fed in excess.  Nitrogen Nitrates have been shown to deplete magnesium levels in the soil as well as inhibit magnesium uptake in the gut. Phosphorus It is well known that calcium and phosphorus need to be balanced with each other. For every gram of phosphorus, you need at least 1.7 grams of calcium. When chemical fertilisers push phosphorus levels too high, it causes an unbalanced ratio which prevents magnesium uptake.

~ Potassium … Potassium has very little attention paid to it. This is because until recently it was assumed that, as potassium is plentiful in British grass, and excesses are excreted in the urine, excesses or shortfalls are rare. However, more recent research shows that potassium needs to be balanced with sodium, in the same way that calcium and phosphorus need to be balanced. If sodium levels in grass are normal, but potassium levels are excessively high, it will cause an imbalance which inhibits magnesium uptake. Because sodium (salt) intake is too high in human diets, we often avoid feeding it to our horses which can cause sodium levels to drop too low.

As well as fertilisers, other vitamins and minerals have been found to have a close relationship with magnesium.

~ B Vitamins … Although some of the B vitamins are found in grass and hay, they are mainly produced by the microflora in various parts of the horse’s digestive system. When a horse’s digestive system becomes unbalanced – for instance through excessively high levels of carbohydrate, insufficient fibre or gastric ulcers, manufacture of these vitamins will be disturbed.

Recent studies have shown that vitamin B6 in particular is required to aid absorption. Although no B6 deficiencies have ever been recorded, it has been found that supplementation with vitamin B6 will aid absorption of magnesium.

~ Calcium  … An excess of calcium can depress magnesium uptake, but similarly an excess of magnesium can inhibit calcium uptake.

~ Fluoride …. Although fluoride is not a nutrient as such, it has been found that where water supplies have been impregnated with fluoride salts, it can render both magnesium and calcium inert in the body. Recommended Daily Amount (RDA) The nationally recognised RDA of magnesium is quoted as about 10g daily.

However, this is based on research carried out on cows. Some researchers are now beginning to think that a horse’s requirement is higher – as much as 15g daily.
But when deficient, we need to slow build up the levels of magneisum in the body, as if given very high levels, at the start a horse can develop diahorrea, although this is rare.

Applying a “one size fits all” solution to equine nutrition simply doesn’t work. So how do I feed magnesium safely?
First of all, ask yourself why you think your horse needs magnesium. Not all horses are deficient. If they are grazing on grass that has not been chemically fertilised for at least 15 years, eat organic meadow hay, have a diet that includes non-molassed sugar beet and/or Alfalfa (both of which are good sources of calcium) and likes to lick his salt lick, the chances are that your horse will be able to obtain all the magnesium he needs from the grass. Sources of magnesium

There are many ways to add magnesium into the diet – some are more effective than others.

Epsom Salts
.. these are high in magnesium, and are often used to help with acute cases of laminitis. However, they must not be fed long term as they will cause kidney problems.

Dolomite
A rock that is high in magnesium oxide. It’s not that easy to get hold of in the UK and purer sources of magnesium oxide are now much more readily available.

Magnesium Chloride
Magnesium Chloride is by far the most efficient way to get magnesium into a horse.  Finely ground magnesium which the horse seems to absorb most efficiently.  OR  ReMag Magnesium liquid.  There are many articles on the internet which say that Magnesium Chloride is taken up much more efficiently than Magnesium Oxide. This may be true, but as magnesium oxide turns into Magnesium Chloride as soon as it hits the stomach, I’m not too worried. Both produce good results.

One good source is from Roger Hatch at Trinity Consultants   www.justbespoke.com.
His P45 supplement contains a variety of goodies, including high levels of Magnesium Chloride which have proven to quite literally be a lifesaver in some laminitis cases.

What’s all this got to do with hooves?

When a horse does not wear shoes, their level of sensitivity to stones and uneven surfaces will fluctuate with the seasons.

Often a horse will be striding confidently over gravel one week, then picking their way gingerly the next, then sound as a pound a week later. In the old days, horses who did this were just assumed to need shoes which appeared to solve the problem. However, since owners became interested in keeping their horses without shoes, they began to ask why it was happening, and to see if it could be resolved without resorting to shoes.

One of the benefits of Equine Podiatry is that our practitioners take records of changes in diet and management and relate that to the level of comfort that a horse shows.

Following research by Sue Kempson at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies near Edinburgh, she was finding good results in the treatment of laminitis using magnesium supplementation.

As we were beginning to suspect that many of these intermittently footsore horses showed subtle, but distinct symptoms that we were beginning to refer to as “Low Grade Laminitis” we began to use magnesium supplementation to see if it helped. Not all horses improved, but a significant number did. Not just their comfort levels, but hoof health and shape improved too. Some horses would go from being very sore indeed to completely sound within days of beginning their supplementation.

Owners often also reported that their horse showed improved skin health, respiratory problems eased and the horse’s temperament became more relaxed.  We often use magnesium in the treatment of full blown laminitis and it has been found to have a significant effect in the majority of cases. Unfortunately, it is usually only part of the problem and therefore doesn’t offer a magic cure, although there have been some miraculous recoveries recorded simply through supplementation. So, in short, Magnesium is a very important mineral which can have a profound effect on the health of your horse, but only if your horse is deficient in the first place.

How can magnesium be given to horses?

Many different forms of magnesium are available for horses, ranging from very expensive chelated organic magnesium products to cheap inorganic raw materials.

Magnesium chloride is a very good source of magnesium as it is already in ionic form and therefore easily absorbed by the body. Other forms of magnesium, such as magnesium oxide, magnesium hydroxide and others, must first be broken down in the stomach by hydrochloric acid.   A study was done to compare absorption rates of various types of magnesium supplements, all of which were taken with a meal; it was found that magnesium chloride had a high bioavailability rate, similar to the chelated supplements magnesium lactate and magnesium aspartate.  (Bioavailability of US Commercial Magnesium Preparations,  Firoz & Graber,  2001)

How can magnesium chloride be used?

All forms of dry magnesium chloride are bitter tasting and likely to be unpalatable for most horses.   The unpleasant taste can be masked by dissolving the flakes in water before mixing into a feed.   The flakes dissolve quickly in hot water but will dissolve slowly in cold water.    A convenient way to prepare the magnesium chloride solution is fill a large bottle with a measured amount of water, add an appropriate number of tablespoons of flakes, shake well and leave to dissolve.  The solution does not need to be prepared fresh each day so a bottle may last several days, depending on the number of horses being fed and the desired strength of the solution.

How much can be fed?

There is no rigid rule that determines how much supplemental magnesium is needed by any individual horse.   Just as every person has a need for magnesium that is likely to be different to other people, every horse is also likely to have individual needs.   Gut tolerance appears to act as a guide to the upper limit for each individual horse’s specific needs.  Obviously, if all signs of magnesium deficiency have disappeared before the limit of gut tolerance is reached, there is no need to continue increasing the amount of magnesium fed each day. The aim is to always feed the least amount necessary to eliminate the signs of deficiency.

Failure to provide sufficient magnesium for the horse’s daily needs will result initially in a small daily gap between need and intake, which may not be noticed.   The daily gap may progressively expand to a whole-body deficit, which may result in negative consequences for the horse’s longterm health and soundness. Experience with numerous horses indicates that the strength of the magnesium chloride solution can be slowly increased over a couple of months until no more than a slight softening of the manure is observed (assuming visible signs of magnesium deficiency have not been eliminated prior to that point).  When that point is reached, the amount of magnesium chloride being fed is reduced to the previous level.    This lower level can be maintained until a known increased need arises, for example, impending travel, competition or increase in sugar intake.

Any major changes in weather will have an impact on sugar levels in pasture grasses.  Periods of overcast, cloudy, weather can result in lower levels of sugar in some pasture grasses which reduces need for magnesium; a softening of manure consistency may be noticed during this time, indicating magnesium supplementation can be temporarily reduced.   Conversely, lack of sunlight can increase pasture potassium levels which may inhibit magnesium absorption, thereby increasing need for magnesium.   Horses should be monitored individually.

Sugar levels may increase rapidly with the return of warm, sunny conditions so it is beneficial to increase  magnesium before deficiency signs are obvious.   For laminitis-prone horses, delays of even a day or two may result in damage to the lamina that can take weeks or months to repair.  Similarly, during drought conditions when there is almost no grass available for grazing, sugars may be very high in what little grass is left;  when rain does return the rapid growth of new shoots will very quickly increase the volume of sugar being ingested.  Under these conditions, it is advisable to increase magnesium on the day it starts raining, not wait for the new shoots to appear a couple of days later.  Helpful information on pasture sugar content can be found in the 2010 RIRDC publication Equine Laminitis, Managing Pasture to Reduce Risk.

It is important for the sugar and starch content of any hard feeds to be kept as low as possible at all times.   Magnesium cannot be expected to compensate for the high levels of sugar and starch found in grains, cereals, molasses and other sweetfeeds.  Similarly, any hay being fed should ideally be low-sugar grass hay, although this can frequently be difficult to obtain.

Whichever brand  is  used, it is important to ensure the product is certified as Food Grade and free from heavy metal contamination, especially lead and mercury.

Suggested Use:

Step 1

Dissolve 15g  (1 tablespoon) magnesium chloride flakes in 150ml water and add 10ml of the resulting solution to each feed, preferably twice daily.   Increase by another 10ml every 2 or 3 days until 50ml is being added to each feed.  Starting with this very weak solution allows the horse’s body time to adjust to a new source of magnesium.  Increasing quantity or strength too quickly may cause scouring.

Step 2

Slowly increase the strength of the solution by increasing the quantity of flakes being dissolved, again increasing the amount given to the horse by 10ml every 2 or 3 days.

Step 3

Continue slowly increasing the strength of the solution over a period of some six weeks or so until signs of deficiency have disappeared, or until a slight softening of the manure is noticed.  If this happens, reduce the amount of magnesium chloride fed each day to the previous level, then maintain at this level provided manure consistency is normal.

It is advisable to monitor the horse closely for any signs of returning magnesium deficiency so that the dosage rate can be increased if necessary.  When body stores of magnesium have been replenished, it should be possible to reduce the amount fed.  As the body can only absorb so much at a time, this may take many months and will depend on the quantity of high-sugar feeds ingested, how much magnesium is excreted and the needs of each individual horse.

Body stores of magnesium cannot be assessed by blood test as only around 1% of body magnesium is found in the blood.   Cessation of deficiency signs has been found to be the only reliable way to determine that any individual horse is receiving an adequate daily supply of magnesium from all sources.

How long does it take to work? 

The first changes to a quieter, calmer temperament are often seen within a week, with progressive improvements continuing over a couple of months.  For laminitis or footsore horses, improvements in hoof form and function can take several months to be consistent as the new stronger lamellar connection grows down from the coronet, although improvements in foot comfort can often be seen within a month. Overweight horses have been seen to lose weight within a month.  Relaxation of a stiff, braced posture usually occurs after a couple of weeks.

Feeding magnesium twice per day has been found to produce better results than feeding just once per day as the horse is able to absorb a higher overall daily amount.  For severe problems, an introductory period of feeding small amounts of magnesium throughout the day may be beneficial, providing there is no intestinal disruption.

You are better off using Magnesium Chloride flakes as they are more readily absorbed than magnesium oxide.

Too much magnesium of any form is not desirable but even small amounts of some forms of magnesium, for example magnesium sulphate (Epsom salts) can cause scouring as it acts as an irritant to the intestinal lining.

Scouring can also be caused by increasing the strength of the magnesium chloride solution too quickly;  as with any new feed, the horse’s body needs time to adjust.  If this happens, reduce the amount fed, or even skip entirely for a few of days, then start again at a much lower level, working up more gradually.