selenium/vit E shot

[dara]

I forgot to give my filly her shot when she was born and i dont know if its to late to give it to her now or is it ok to skip it??? :-/she is 3 weeks tomorrow.

[Michelle Clarke]

Never heard of this before, why would they need this...?

[angelsdream]

Sorry - I can't help you either.

[dara]

I was told it was for White muscle disease. Horses in the part of oregon where i am from need selenium added to their diet since hay from our area is deficent in selenium. mabey the vit E is for the disease not the selenium, not sure.

[canadiankigers]

Dara:

Here in Canada we also give the Vitamin E shot. It is part of their first set of shots. I am not sure what your soils are like in Oregon but here in Canada we often lack some of the minerals needed for healthy growth in babies.

When I was raising goats we also gave them this type of shot. As for whether it is too late or not, I would strongly suggest that you call your vet and ask. We usually give it on day three.

Kelly

[fantasykiger]

I don't give them that shot, my horses are fed Horse Guard and provided with a selenium mineral block at all times. My vet assures me that any horse fed this has never tested low in selenium nor needed the shot. So I would put a call into your vet about the shot.

[DianneC]

Selenium was recommended when I was feeding Western Washington local grass and not supplementing with a salt block that contained selenium or a locally oriented supplement. Depends on what you've been feeding. Western WA and OR hays don't have much as it leaches out of the soil but eastern does. NW horse supplement has a good amount I believe. Call your vet is the best idea.

[juslyn]

This is interesting. Jillian had recommended that I put Xana on Horse Guard as she seemed to be lacking muscling. It has made a huge difference! Is this something due to her being on OR land and then feed in the Burns corrals that was deficient or caused from a lack since birth? My other horses don't need this sort of supplements. I guess what I'm asking is this something she should get over now that she lives in CA or a life long condition?

Suzy

[spanishsagegrullas]

Hi Suzy and everyone,

HorseGuard is a super supplement for horses here in the NW. My vet recommended it, even tho I have free choice supplements. They said they might not get enough from free choice. It also has other vitamins and minerals, so perhaps Xana's improvement is not just from Selenium deficiency.

I would guess that since CA hay is not deficient in Selenium, you would not need to supplement Xana her entire life, just until her levels are normal. Once you can get her in a state of mind to be able to pull bloodwork, have her tested. Horses can also get Selenium toxicity from being oversupplemented.

Selenium deficiency causes white muscle disease, which leads to weakness and lethargy. I would doubt that the horses in the wild have this -- they are not fed hay -- and if they would be deficient, I would guess that their ability to survive would be reduced. Bullet's trainer complained of him being lethargic, attributed it to attitude. Even tho I requested bloodwork be done, it was not done until two months later, when I took him out of training there. He was so deficient in selenium that the vet gave us a 6cc shot to give him.

Selenium is given in combination with Vitamin E, if I recall correctly, because it cannot be absorbed with out Vitamin E. Sort of a carrier Vitamin.

What I also learned from my vet, in discussing the free choice vs. individually given amounts of HorseGuard, is that selenium deficiency can also cause the mares to retain their placentas, and contracted tendons in the foals. You can bet I was sure the pregnant ones got their HorseGuard after hearing that!!

Best to consult with your vet. If you are in the Elk Grove area, I know an EXCELLENT repro vet who has a very nice way with the more untrusting altho halterable adoptees.

Diane P.