Could Cinnamon benefit your laminitic?

Laminitis remains a poorly understood condition, despite considerable research over the years. One of the more recent studies has sugested a similarity between humans with type 2 diabetes and equine metabolic syndrome, wich could explain why some horses appear more prone to laminitis than others. This syndrome which causes insulin resistance will result in high levels of circulating blood glucose that will eventually starve the cells of nutrients and energy if the glucose cannot be stored correctly.
Following trials with humans, it is believed that an extract of cinnamon could help the cells to respond to insulin and as we already know that cinnamon has inportant antioxidant properties, the results of this study would advocate the inclusion of cinnamon in supplements for horses and ponies prone to Laminitis.
Laminitis is a multifactorial condition so it is important to consider its entire aetiology.
'Think Laminitix', a new supplement from Brinicombe Equine, combines cinnamon with other essential nutrients such as magnesium, live yeast,, anti-oxidants, and MSM to provide the best possible nutrition for your laminitic.
'Think Laminitix' is availible as a solid low sugar lick, or in granules - each tub providing up to a six week supply.
This Article discusses one of many products available in our special needs department for 'laminitis' - have a browse round.

Untill next time - look after yourselves - and your four legged friends
xx

Equine Laminitis - no longer the spring fever of ponies!

So Here we are - a month down the line from my last post, and we leave all the snow of february behind us, and move into spring. And with the move forward, comes the beatifull weather, the longer, brighter evenings, and the spring grass.
We all know the dangers that spring grass brings along with it, and one of them is laminitis.
Equine Laminitis is a painful condition of the feet. The actual word means ‘inflammation of the sensitive laminae’. These laminae are the membranes that hold the bone of the foot (pedal bone) in place inside the foot. So when they get inflamed it is as if your horse has to stand on a very badly bruised fingernail. The pain must be similar to when we shut our fingers in the car door but it is worse for the horse because he or she has to stand with all his or her weight on those bruised areas.
The cause of almost all equine laminitis is poor digestion. When food is not broken down properly in the hindgut of a horse, acids and toxins are produced which leak into the body and damage blood vessels throughout the body. When blood vessels that supply the feet are affected in this way the amount of blood flowing down to the sensitive laminae is reduced and they become swollen. This swelling or inflammation means that they cannot do their job of holding the pedal bone in place properly and this results in a lot of pain. As the situation gets worse and if the flow of toxins is not reduced then the laminae can be so damaged that the foot bone sinks right through the sole of the foot and the horse will have to be euthanased. When the foot bone sinks a little the pedal bone is said to have ‘rotated’.
The sort of food that causes equine aminitis is rich young spring grass with high levels of fructans. However rich grass can cause the problem at any time of year and even frosty grass in the winter can damage the digestion in the gut so much that the wrong sort of bacteria start to multiply and release toxins. Another cause of equine laminitis is the sudden ingestion of large amounts of cereal or concentrate feed. Large amounts of such rich food in the gut cause a lot of acid production and again encourage the growth of the wrong sort of bacteria.
Food is not the only cause of equine laminitis however. An increasingly common cause of the disease is a hormonal imbalance called Cushings Disease.In addition any infection in the body might produce enough toxins to damage the blood vessels and thus cause equine laminitis. Womb infections after foaling are a particularly well-known example of this cause of equine laminitis. In addition pounding of the feet can cause sufficient damage to the laminae to cause equine laminitis. This form of the problem is called concussion laminitis. Stress can also make horses more likely to get equine laminitis (and any other disease).
Medical treatment of digestive equine laminitis by your vet most commonly involves the use of painkillers or anti-inflammatories and diet adjustment. There are also antibiotic preparations on the market which although not absorbed into the rest of the body act on the bacteria in the guts, reducing the number of harmful ones that cause the acid build up. If you are using control on the intake of food to manage equine laminitis remember that reducing food intake means that your horse may not be getting all the best nutrients he or she needs for proper recovery of the sensitive laminae. This is why equine laminitis supplements are very important not only for ensuring that your horse recovers but also to make sure that he or she does not become nutritionally deficient.
Because Equine Laminitis is really a nutritional problem it is also possible to help horses a lot by using nutritional approaches.
Aloe vera, probiotics and antioxidants can help a lot if used skillfully with the correct advice.

Some myths refuted.

• Drinking cold water after exercise may cause colic but not laminitis.


• Allergies; there is little evidence that hypersensitivities are causally related to the development of laminitis.


• Pregnancy; pregnant animals can develop laminitis just as easily as barren animals.


• Oestrus; there may be a relationship between oestrus and laminitis in some animals, however these cases are rare and changes in diet and management may prevent such cases.


• Heat in the feet; a very unreliable diagnostic indicator. Foot temperature normally varies throughout the day.


• Standing in streams or cold hosing; although the numbing effect of cold water may appear to make the animal more comfortable initially, prolonged cold will exacerbate vasoconstriction and further reduce dermal perfusion. It is doubtful whether hot or cold applications makes a significant difference to the outcome of a case. If the owner must do something, it is preferable to use warm fomentations.


• Hereditary predisposition to laminitis; in this country is unproven. However families of animals often have the same owner whose predisposition to recurring poor management is certainly proven.


• Laminitis does not just affect the front feet. Just the hind feet may be involved, or one foot or all the feet.

If you take anything from this article - let it be this....Don't be fooled into a false sense of security that laminitis only affects fat ponies; it can strike any horse or pony at any time. Don't ignore the predisposing signs such as a cresty neck, sore feet or a change in hoof shape, these are all warning signs and its time you really have a chance to take preventative action because waiting until it happens could prove disastrous for your horse.
In the coming years laminitis really could be the single biggest risk to your horses health.

Until next time look after yourselves......and your four legged friends!
xxx

Winter Health Problems: Stiffness and Arthritis

Hi guys!
Its been 2 weeks since my last blog, and we've had some atrocious weather conditions to deal with, and many INCHES of snow! This harsh winter started early 2008, and we're still soldering on through it in February 2009. Roll on summer!
The trouble with this awful damp, cold, grey, windy weather is it also brings along with it the disruption of our horses routine, knee deep mud, and the aches and pains that even the healthiest equine feels in these minus temperatures! Although arthritis can affect horses all year round, special care needs to be taken in the winter, when the cold can exacerbate the problem.

The most likely to feel these painful ailments is the elderly equine. With our horses living longer nowadays than ever before, some well into their 30's, and even 40's, we are all well aware of the stiff joints, unusual swellings, lameness and distress that arthritis brings.
My own horse (and best friend) at 27 years of age has many ailments, one of them being Arthritis. I come across many equines in my my job, who are in the very beginning stages of, or who have chronic, arthritis. This terrible, terrible winter (the wost UK winter in 19 years) has taken them to the extreme end of this uncomfortable, painful complaint.

(My 27 year old taken this week)

The past few weeks have proved just that, by the most popular items that have been bought by my customers.

The products that have helped keep my OAP friend sound, and joint happy are Nutri-Science Arthri Aid HA, which combines high strength Glucosamine, Chondroitin, MSM and HA (Hyaluronic Acid), & Equine Herbals (nz) Devils Claw Flex, which can be as effective as using phenylbutazone (Bute), though it does not contain anything other than herbs in liquid form. He also wears magnetic boots, a magnetic rug, and has the equissage 3 times a week....but we'll talk about those another time!
Arthri Aid, and Arthri Aid HA, seem to be preferred amongst my clients, with the next in line in popularity being Cortaflex.
No Bute Liquid In a Nutshell, is a Glucosamine/ MSM product which has the extra assistance of a natural soothing ingredient called Devils Claw. This can be used to promote soundness and joint flexibility when other avenues have failed.

Take a look at my website to see many other mobility,joint care and soundness aids for your 'best friend'
So.......

What is Arthritis?:
Also known as degenerative joint disease (DJD), it's progressive joint inflammation due to trauma or wear and tear, leading to erosion of articular joint cartilage, which then becomes frayed and thinned, causing pain and loss of function. Arthritis mainly affects your horse's weight-bearing joints.

Why your senior horse is at risk?:
Regardless of how good his conformation is, his risk of arthritis increases with every passing year. That's because the longer he lives, the bigger a target he becomes for injuries and wear and tear that lead to joint degeneration. His joints almost never get a break. Even standing at rest they're bearing his weight on tiny patches of cartilage. Plus, there's a metabolic shift that occurs around age 15, leading to an escalation of cell death within bone, cartilage, and fibrous tissue. Tendons and ligaments become less elastic, more easily torn. Cartilage thins, absorbing less shock. Its shape changes, too, due to a lifetime of pressure and torque, causing joint bones to be less aligned and the cartilage, ligaments, and tendons more susceptible to strain. Your horse's reactions slow down with age - especially if he's retired to an inactive lifestyle -making him more prone to a stumble. The faster you identify arthritis in your horse, the quicker you can attack it.
There are two kinds of equine arthritis: the sneaky kind and the obvious kind. In the obvious kind, the joint's been traumatized or infected, so is sore enough to cause lameness.

Your horse is lame? - CALL YOUR VET.

In the sneaky kind, the joint isn't sore at first, so there's little or no lameness. But that doesn't mean that arthritis isn't marching forward. The first sign will be a little joint puffiness. If you don't look for it, you'll likely miss it - and miss out on your chance to help minimize future joint damage. Watch for these subtle but telltale signs:

• Slight puffiness in lower-leg joints.
• Stiff, choppy gait when you first begin work, which improves when he warms up.
• Reluctance and/or resistance to perform maneuvers that previously came easily for him, such as stops and collection.
• He may raise his head and hollow his back.

How to identify the signs:
Inspect your senior horse's joints every day: Visually inspect and feel each leg joint, preferably an hour after mild exercise (such as hand-walking or hand-grazing), which will minimize any joint puffiness resulting from inactivity. Press your fingers gently over each joint, feeling for smooth, well-defined bone and fluid-free soft-tissue areas. As a joint becomes puffy, you'll feel bone edges become obscured, and soft-tissue areas begin to fill, like a springy water balloon. If you're unsure, look for asymmetry. Compare the left leg to the right leg, or compare a suspicious joint to the same joint on a young, sound horse.
Find a puffy joint?:

CALL YOUR VET

You can also do a soundness check, below

• If your horse is lame, CALL YOUR VET!
• If there's no hint of lameness, gently probe the joint with your fingers, including the puffy part, while watching your senior horse for signs of pain, such as a wringing tail, flinch, or snatching the leg away from you. If you find any sign of tenderness, CALL YOUR VET
• If there's no sign of lameness or tenderness, start Arthritis Home Treatment (below) as your primary treatment -you could even call your veterinarian for advice.
• If the swelling fails to improve within an hour after your home treatment, CALL YOUR VET!

Use these steps to help battle degenerative joint disease in your senior horse.

Step 1:

Take Him Out Of Retirement. Why would this help?: Regular exercise, tailored to your senior horse's condition, increases circulation of nutrients into, and wastes out of, his joints while strengthening muscles that protect them from stress. A well-conditioned horse generally has significantly thicker and healthier cartilage than does an unfit horse of any age. Plus, fitness enhances stamina and athletic ability, which helps protect your horse from the most common 3-part cause of joint injury:

• FATIGUE, which leads to
• POOR FORM, which leads to a
• STUMBLE.

Finally, regular exercise works wonders for a horse's attitude, appetite, digestion, and overall sense of well-being.

How to do it: Turn your horse out, and/or put him to work-carefully. (For how to start or maintain your senior on an exercise program, seek advice from your veterinarian.) Pasture living is ideal; paddock turnout is better than a stall. Your senior horse evolved to graze and step-with each step, he gently compresses and releases the sponge like cartilage in his joints, promoting joint-fluid circulation that helps keep his cartilage as healthy as possible. Grazing on pasture also is best for his mental outlook and digestion. Avoid stall confinement unless advised by your vet for a specific condition. Horses weren't designed to stand still in a "cave." Doing so freezes up joints already compromised by years of weight-bearing and wear and tear. You'll be doing your senior a big favor if you allow him, and encourage him, to move within his capabilities.

Step 2:

Make his diet joint-friendly.Why would this help? Specific nutrients can have a significant impact on joint health. There's evidence that adding the dietary supplements at the right time can help your senior horse avoid serious arthritis and/or live more comfortably with it. there are many supplements out there, have a look on my website -always consult with your veterinarian before changing your senior horse's diet or medications.

How to do it. Work with your veterinarian to select one or more of the joint-friendly supplements to help ease your horses discomfort.

Step 3:
Work The Affected Joint Passively.Why would this help? Passive range-of-motion exercises are well documented to encourage cartilage and soft-tissue healing in inflamed joints while decreasing scar-tissue formation (which causes a loss of range of motion).

How to do it. Pick up the affected leg. Gently bend and straighten the affected joint (s), repeating about 10 times per joint.

Step 4:
Improve Your Senior Horse's Flexibility.Why would it help? Stretching breaks down adhesion, improves circulation, warms and limbers muscles and ligaments, improves range of motion, and helps prevent injury.

How to do it: Perform pre-work stretching exercises with your horse, along with a warm-up session before each day's exercise.

Step 5:
Keep Him Comfortable - Safely.Why would it help? Breaking the pain cycle can help break the inflammation cycle and speed healing.

How to do it. Talk to your veterinarian about a treatment that not only relieves your senior horse's joint pain but also is in his best interest as an individual. There are side effects to consider, which can become more of a problem with increasing dosage and duration. In many cases, your senior may benefit from a combination of conventional medications with alternative therapies.

ARTHRITIS HOME TREATMENT

Confine your horse to a box stall or small paddock for 24 hours (or longer, if prescribed by your veterinarian). If necessary, place a familiar companion nearby, to keep your horse from fretting and pacing. Ice the swollen joint. Using a flexible ice pack (such as a bag of frozen corn or peas) inserted between the folds of a clean cloth (a hand towel works great), hold ice pack on for 5 minutes; take off for 15 minutes. Repeat 3 times in a row. Apply stable bandage. If the joint is wrappable, applying a stable bandage will help reduce swelling and inflammation. Hand-walk your horse.
Twice a day remove your senior horse's bandages, hand-walk him for 15 minutes, then re-wrap and return him to his stable. Gradually increase his exercise. After the prescribed period of confinement, leave the bandage off but keep your senior horse confined for half the original length of time. (If he was to be confined for 24 hours, confine him now for 12 more.) Provide 15 minutes of mild controlled exercise 4 times a day. Examples of controlled exercise: hand-walking, long reigning in walk and/or trot, or riding in walk and trot, depending on your senior horse's condition before the problem appeared, and on how he's responded to treatment. If swelling, tenderness, and/or pain persist or return, you're going too fast.

Follow up: Check for return of swelling 1 hour after final exercise session. If it hasn't returned, go to Step 6. If it has, call your veterinarian for a re-evaluation, and keep your horse confined.

Step 6:
Turn him out. If he's symptom free, he can be turned out and resume a gradual return to work, if applicable. If not, call your vet. There may be a more severe problem than was originally thought.

Never leave symtoms of lameness/puffyness untreated. Your veterinary surgeon will advise you on how to help your horse deal with the uncomfortable, sometimes painfull condition.

Untill next time.....look after youselves, and your four legged friends! xxx

New Year, New Start, New Business!

So Here we are......My first ever blog post for my new company 'Healthy Happy Horses!', and a fresh new start in 2009.

My company started because of my adoration for my four legged friends which runs very deep, and has done from a child. The urge to help them and their owners in every way possible has guided me through many years of education (both theory and painful practical), to gain the knowledge to do just that. Though, as all us horsey people know too well..... we never stop learning!

My aim for my business is to provide a service which will help not only the equine owners in my immediate area, but those across the country too. Who knows? Maybe even all over the world!!!

I currently provide professional advice to those confused by all the supplement options out there, as well as a personal delivery service of supplement, first aid, and health products to those in the area. If you find yourself outside of my delivery area, help is still available, and a courier service delivers your items within 2 - 3 days.

I also provide a Mobile Equissage Equine Massage Therapy Service. The Equissage pad and hand unit is an amazing piece of kit, and i have witnessed profound results. Have a look on my web page for the Equissage to see treatment prices. Alternatively, check out http://www.equissage.co.uk/ for full product breakdown.

As a BHS qualified freelance riding instructor ; with over 12 years teaching experience, I also travel to clients within my area who are looking for personalised training, with a view to achieving a relaxed, happy and healthy partnership between horse and rider, whilst keeping riding fun.

With first hand experience of training for both pleasure and competition riding, I encourage riders to understand their horse, and how their balance will influence the horses ability to work, and use his muscles correctly.

See my riding instruction web page for prices and more information

I will keep you all up to date with how the business goes and give you updates on products used, equine info that I come across on a daily basis, and case studies.

Until next time.....take care of yourselves, and your four legged friends! xxxx