Today I have a bunch of this and that….

HAY TESTING RESULTS

Last week, I told you that I was having my hay tested.  It is really easy through Dairy One Forage Lab.  Here is the link the the post all about how to test your hay.

Well, today I received my test results back via email.

I didn’t really know what these scores meant, so I asked the Founder Warrior.

This is what she said (how to read and calculate the numbers below)  VERY USEFUL INFORMATION!!:

So here’s what I look at: always look at the DM or dry matter column – we can’t compare sample results using the as fed column because every sample has a different level of moisture in it and that affects the “as fed” column.  We want to know what the numbers are regardless of water content.  So then I look at the WSC and starch.  WSC plus starch = NSC. No matter what else you read on the web NSC is by definition, without question,  WSC plus starch.  The WSC includes ESC plus fructans that don’t show up in ESC.  Thus it includes all of the potentially harmful carbs.  In this case the WSC plus starch is moderately high – 14.7 + 2.5 = 17.2% NSC.  Too high for a critical case like Tess.  I wouldn’t feed this to my own 19 year-old IR/Cushing’s horse who hasn’t had laminitis (knock on wood 3 times) unless I soaked it.

Here are the results I received from Dairy One:

NATURAL REMEDY FOR CUSHINGS

What is Chastetree Berry? (I copied this from ECIRHORSE.ORG)

CTB, Chastetree Berry (Vitex agnus-castus): An herb with some of the same effects as the drug pergolide and which may control equine Cushing’s disease symptoms in some horses. Most horses will need to be placed on the drug pergolide for effective control.

I am going to try this on my ponies.  Their Cushings isn’t as bad as MamaTess, so I think it could help, couldn’t hurt…  I will still keep them on the Pergolide.

If one peruses the internet, you can find many stories on how Chaste Tree Berries help regulate the hormones that create the Cushings condition.  However, veterinary reports say that most horses will still need Pergolide to maintain.  It seems that the Chaste Berries help with the symptoms but ARE NOT a cure.  So, DRs keep the horses on Pergolide.

If you read blogs and personal accounts, many owners say that 1 heaping teaspoon of ground Chaste Berries twice a day really helps.  Some say 3 heaping teaspoons spread out over 24 hours… I teaspoon for ponies, depending upon size.  Dosage seems to be trial and error.

My ponies will still receive their pergolide but I will add the Chaste Berries to support their bodies naturally – and I will note if I see any differences.

–Where to buy chasteberry?

I went tot Mountain Rose Herbs to order and Ground chaste berries were only $9 per pound!  So, I purchased 2 lbs for Tess and the ponies.

UPDATE FROM A READER WHO USES BOTH CHASTE BERRY AND PERGOLIDE:

Dawn,  that says that chastetree berry MAY help with the SYMPTOMS of cushings (i.e. shedding out, etc.)   There is no scientific data that it controls the ACTH in cushings horses.  That is why the pergolide is necessary.   Pergolide controls the ACTH, but sometimes doesn’t help with shedding out, etc.  Without the ACTH being controlled, the horse’s cushings disease is still raging, however the CTB will make it appear that the horse is better then he is.  This can lead to a false sense of security.  Uncontrolled cushings will cause uncontrolled IR, which in turn can cause laminitis/founder.   Both of which we wouldn’t wish on our worst enemy, having been there ourselves.

My pony is on pergolide and CTB.  He wouldn’t shed out on just the pergolide.  So the CTB has helped immensely with that. 

I just wanted to clarify that because people use CTB in place of pergolide, and they aren’t interchangeable.  They don’t address the same issues.  I need the scientific proof.  I spent a $1000 on meds for my IR pony for a medicine that was never going to help her.  Had I done my research, I would have found out that it wasn’t going to help her and saved myself a whole lot of money and stress/worry over why it wasn’t working.

VERY SAD FATAL LESSON…

I received this very sad email yesterday.   A kind reader wanted me to benefit from her loss – as she knows I have dogs.

I thought we could all learn from this tragic story – we could all learn about STRING/THREAD and dogs…

After all, string makes up baling twine and there are threads in every fabric we wear.

Here is her story:

 

Prayers to this poor baby… and the poor Human Mom who had to endure.  If this tragic story saves just one other dog,  I feel it is worth posting.

 

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