Dietetics of Obesity, Equine Metabolic Syndrome, Chronic Starvation of horses Flashcards
How is obesity measured in horses?
Hennekes 9 point system
Bofy fat> 20-25% of body weight
Overfed but undernourished
BCS of 7 is overweight
BCS of 8 or 9 is obese
Breed
Obesity type
Cresty neck/type score
Relationship between BCS and WAT
Nuchal/periorbital fat: poor indicator of total WAT
Heart girth: height at withers and US of retroperitoneal fat are good indicators of WAT
Contributing factors of obesity
- E intake and expenditure imbalance
- Genetic
- Hormonal
E intake and expenditures imbalance
E dense feeds
Ponies left to pasture will consume DM up to 5% of BW
Low exercise becuase of confinement
Grandma effect
Husbandry- winter associated weight loss
Genetical contribution to obesity
“easy keeper”
Inherited survival ability on low quality forages
Hormonal contribution to obesity
Leptin!!
Resistance: decr leptin production
Hyperleptinaemia: decr insulin sensitivity
Conditions that mey be worsened by obesity
- Ortho
- Endocrine/metabolic
- Abd/intestinal
Misc
Ortho problems that can be worsened by obesity
OA
Laminitis
Endocrine/metabolic problems that can be worsened by obesity
EMS
Insulinaemia/ dysinsulinaemia
Glucose intol
Hyperlipidaemia/ hepatic lipidosis
Abd/ intestinal disorders that could be worsened by obesity
Pedunculated lipomas
Misc disorders that could be worsened by obesity
Heat and exercise intolerance
Exacerbation of age related pro-inflamm states
Obese pregnant mares give birth to foals that have higher risk of developing DOD or dysinsulinaemias
What is EMS and how do you diagnose
Obesity
!! insulin resistance
Laminitis
Can be acute or chronic and can be clinical or subclinical
Diagnose: with oral glucose tolerance test or IV glucose tolerance test- frequent sampling
Treatment and diet for EMS
Goal is weight loss
NO GRAIN
Should be hay based- soak to remove sugars
Limit grass: dry lots, grazing collar, turnout field
Supplements: vit E, mins, aa’s, Metformine and levothyroxine
Amount of hay in diet of EMS
1-1.5% of BW
Amount of vit E to supplement to EMS horse
1000 IU/ day
PPID- what is it and how to diagnose
Eq Cushing’s!!
Older than 15
Hypophysis adenoma- degen neuro disease
Diagnose with ACTH or TRH response test
Clinical signs of PPID (9)
- Weight loss
- Lethargy
- Insulin resistance
- Laminitis
- Hirsutism
- Immunosupp
- Repro problems
- Localized adipose deposits
- Muscle atrophy
Treatment of PPID
Pergolide (dopamine receptor agonist)
Give diet for insulin resistance (and aim to keep them lean)
Alfalfa
Antiox
Oil (omega 3)
Magnesium/ chromium
Acute starvation
Ponies and donkeys can have serious implications!- insulin resist, disease, stress
Catab of body fats and proteins
Metab of the fats leads to overproduction of VLDL in the liver- hyperlipaemia and hepatic lipidosis (no ketonaemia)
Lab results and treatment of acute starvation
Incr TG’s in the blood?
Treat via the diet!
Molasses coated grains
High quality hay
Branched chain aa’s
Chronic Starvation
The catab state remains
There is a decrease in the floowing:
- Protein turnover
- Gut size and integrity
- Gut activity
- Body mass
- Activity levels
The decrease of all these leads to a decreased metab rate!!
- decr BCS
- Decr immunity: incr endoparasitism and systemic illnesses
- Gastric ulceration
- Cold intolerance
Killing with kindness- the refeeding syndrome
Start and go slow to avoid cardiac failure
Warm the environment and separate management- careful monitoring of the DMI
Must watch the insulin response- because it drives Mg. K, P IC and this could lead to hypophosphataemia
Clinical signs and lab results of the refeeding sydrome
Incr leptin, TG and urea
Arrhythmias
Rhabdomyolysis
Paralysis
How to avoid the refeeding sydrome
Aim to avoid overwhelming the foregut digestions!!
Give good quality hay/haylage 1kg every 2 hours and then ad lib
Supplement vit E and Se
