Previous Questions

I Have a 7 year old gelding showing early stage navicular. He is wearing orthopaedic shoes, has had some steroid injections into his coffin joint and navicular bursa. Have tried Butex and similar substitutes to no avail. He is not lame but rather becomes kind of unsound/choppy intermittently. Can you offer any thing i can try?
From the history you have explained there is probably some arthritis in addition to the navicular. We can recommend Easoflex for the management of the intermittent ‘unsound/choppiness’ and this can be used as and when required. For the arthritis we would recommend ArthriAid which has a beneficial effect on every joint as it helps in the development of new joint cartilage. The Easoflex is used to manage symptoms whereas the ArthriAid has an effect on improving joint condition

I'm thinking of trying gastro care for my horse as she sometimes looks very tight/ tense in her flanks, has erratic behaviour and sometimes is not that interested in her food. I would only be able to give it to her twice a day, a saw somewhere that it should be given 3 times, would it still have some effect. Also how palatable is it, she can be quite fussy about powder suppplements.
Give GastroCare twice daily once given with food and at the recommended total daily intake. Apple flavour powder usually has no problem with palatability and acceptability.

I have a big horse(770KG) who has a joint arthrosis even if he's quite young(12 year old).I live in France and my veterinary surgeon prescribed glucomasine all life long. Can you tell me how much a day should i give him Arthri Aid and is it enough once a day or better twice a day.
12 years for an active or competitive horse would not be young and the signs of arthritis often present at an earlier age. ArthriAid should be given at 50ml per day for the first 20 days and 25ml daily thereafter. It is not necessary to divide the daily intake as the product works over time, the active ingredients are absorbed and work over a period of time as new cartilage is formed.

my horse is 18 years old and has a problem with his near fore joint ,he goes short on it in walk ,i am competing him in a big show next week ,in the time between is there anything i could give him to try to help him ,?
We have two products that could help your horse, EasoFlex and ArthriAid. Please see full details on the website.

Is arthri-aid powder as good as the liquid? How long would 1 litre of the liquid last? And how long would 1.2kg of the powder last?
ArthriAid liquid is recommended to use first as ‘loading’ intake as it is better absorbed and stronger than the powder. However, if concerned about the price use the powder long term and this lasts longer than the liquid. Powder supply is approx 4 months.

Can I give my pregnant mare Arthri Aid?
Yes, it is ok to give your pregnant mare ArthriAid.

Our 3mth old connemara foal has developed a skin allergy.The vet has established its not lice. She scratches all the time,and is not triving,we feel very sorry for her please help.
Try an Omega 3 fatty acid supplement and clean down with betadine . Consult with your vet that there is no secondary bacterial infection, otherwise this needs treating with antibiotics. Is the foal in or out as it's less likely to develop allergies in the field, so leave them out in the field if not already there.

Hello Is Black Walnut tree toxic for horses? Chrisitna
Apologies but this is a species we’re not familiar with in Ireland so can't comment.

my 6yr old mare has a problem with its third eyelid coming out and covering part of eye it looks red and swollen and some fluid under her eye, her eye sight seems fine and it does not seem to bother her
Consult your local vet as could be a meriod of eye conditions and can get serious and affect performance and value.

have being putting a poultice on my horses to draw out infection was working well but just suddenly got imflammed i have being hosing it down with cold water dont really want to give him any antiinflammatory
Well if your horse has an infection you need a vet to prescribe an antibiotic orally or parentally and also maybe an anti-inflammatory. However impossible to advise when can't clinically examine horse. Consult your local vet.

my 6yr old gelding has been lame for 4wks now and was brought to the vet to assess what could be the problem,i had the farrier check his 2 front hooves and there was no problem there.the vet told me he has severe arthritis in his front 2 legs and has also strained his tendons because of the pressure he was putting on his hooves,i only have him a year and it has come to my attention that my horse was used for racing,iv only started doing some showjumping and have always just had fun on him,but what can i do now.i know he will never be perfect again or do the work i was aiming for but is he a dead loss altogether.its breaking my heart knowing he is in pain so young,will he ever be ok again.can he come back on form with medicines or different shoeing,whats available on the market
We have two products that could help you. ArthriAid, which indicated for arthritis in horses and EasoFlex Gel which is a non drug pain killer for acute phases of pain. Please see products in more details on our website.

My male gelded horse has a hard lump on the end of his pennis, attached to that is a redish type of skin. What could this be?
Really you need to call your vet on this for him to access the case

I have a 14.2 grade A showjumper, she is 9, last year she was dignoised with onset of navicular & arthritis,with corrective shoeing she recovered well, but is now lame nearly 2mths,I give her human form of glucosamine chondrotin, cod liver oil, plus had her on my joints I make her french type dressing that is fit for human consumption to keep her healthy and supple. I read article on After Ace, is this expensive and is it totally free of banned substances as I'd still like to have the mare competing.
Its more effective and cheaper to use equine supplements. We recommend ArthriAid its one of the highest strength formulations on the market and works well, see information on website.

I have foal who had a severe scour and was hospitalised for 2 weeks He is now back in my care I am convinced he ahas an ulcer as he is grining his teeth chewing grass hay anything which he retains in his mouth causing his jaw tom bulge I am giving it a 50 kg dose og gastrogaurd daily is this sufficent The foal is in poor condition and has lost a lot of bodyn=mass however it is a greatfighter IS ther anything you maight recommend
See information on web regarding GastroCare. Alternatively we have a new product called FlourishAid, please contact us directly for information as we are preparing our web page link.

I have a four year old horse who has beeen diagonised with arthritis what product can i use to help him.
The most effective product to use for your horse is ArthriAid. ArthriAid is the most potent joint supplement combination on the market. This is due to its combination of three ingredients: Glucosamine, is an amino acid and assists in the body ’s manufacture of cartilage. Chondrotin assists in maintaining the lubrication and shock absorbsion of the joints, while MSM is a naturally occurring sulphur compound which help sooth knocks and return joint mobility. Hyaluronic acid (HA)has now been added to all ArthriAid products for increased potency. While visible results are seen within 10-14 days,for consistently increased mobility long term application is recommended, particularly in the case of older horses. Please check out our website for more details on ArthriAid

causes, symptoms, treatment, prevention and prognosis off ulcers in horses
See information on GastroCare on website page.

i have a potential event horse, 5years old and stands 16.2h. Hes been in medium work from january. Competed in 5 events this year and recently has become unsound. No swelling, bruises or heat. Its hard to distinguise which leg hes lame on as changes. Has been rested 5weeks and a chiropractor done work on him with no improvement. Any ideas?
It's really difficult to say, when something is undiagnosed and the horse is still lame, in general if it’s a back problem the best relief is rest and put him in the field for a month or so and re-assess after that. However if it’s a tendon problem he needs stable rest. Has your vet nerve blocked him ? We have 3 really good products EasoFlex oral gel (a pain killer ), Irap and Orthokine for tendon and /joint damage, however really the problem has to be diagnosed by your vet first.

I think my 15hh horse could have a back problem! he was rearing when riding him sometimes he can be ok other times not! i got his teeth done etc, could this be the reason why, he is very easy to handle no bad ness in him what so ever, should i get the vet to check his back?
Its really difficult to say, when something is undiagnosed, in general if it’s a back problem the best relief is rest and put him in the field for a month or so and reassess after that however if it’s a tendon problem he needs stable rest .Has your vet nerve blocked him ? We have 3 really good products EasoFlex oral gel (a pain killer ), Irap and Orthokine for tendon and /joint damage, however really the problem has to be diagnosed by your vet first before you can consider treatment. Horse are very sensitive to teeth problems and having sore teeth with a bite in can cause behavour problems such as this, so best get an equine dentist in to access the situation, I think this is the more likely option. Did you change bits or do anything different of late that could be upsetting him ?

My soon to be 21-year old mare, has been really ill last year. She developed over the years, lumbs that appeared in the early spring after the winter, they were painful. They used to disappear when she was going on the field for the summer. But in the winter of 2007-2008 she developed also nosebleeds, and also on her hindlegs, the bottom part, say about 10 cm from her hoofs she developed open wounds with scabforming,they are a bit yellowy. She has been in Holland, where we live to Utrecht to the hospital for horses. They did not know what was wrong with her.She was on antibiotics and prednison. She did not have any nosebleeds in hospital, and she came home, and the first thing was that she had another nosebleed. We have changed the bedding into shavings rather than straw, and also started giving her haylage, instead of hay. Just like in hospital. After we have finished all the medication, she started to pick up, and after careful timing with turning her out on the field, she was really getting better, so now and then she had colic, but nothing really serious. Now over the winter period she has developed on one hindleg the same wounds like last year. And also on the other hindleg where the wounds were the hair has not grown back. Before the first of May, when the horses are turned out on the field again, I would like very much for this problem to be sorted out. With insects and everything. But if I go back to Utrecht, or another vet than it is very likeley that we will get antibiotics for her again. Which if possible I would like to prevent. All the other problems seem to have been an allergy. But no-one knows it. And I can not think of anything that causes the wounds on her leg. I did notice that my horse eats soil when I am walking with her. Has she maybe got a shortage of something?
Its very difficult to know with such a merid of problems. Have you taken bloods from her and are they normal ? This should show whether she is deficient in anything and if so MultiBoost would help, especially if anyway anaemic. Unless an external allergen it seems that his allergies and most of his problems are autoimmune related therefore would be worth trying to built up condition and help support immune function. We have a product called MuscleAid that you could give with MutliBoost, this has a ingredient called ca-hmb (ca hydroxymethyl butrate ) which helps support immune function.

my 5 year old has white above one hoof that has become infected. this time of year my pasture gets muddy and wet what can i do?
This is usually a fungal or bacterial infection so best to ensure horse legs are washed disinfected and kept in dry pastures, otherwise will return. Nothing for a supplement point of view will help this.

For how long I can continue giving my horse anxicalm powder...?
You can give AnxiKalm powder long term with no negative side effects. In fact the most benefit is seen after 4- 6 weeks of therapy.

I have a horse who seems to be an intermittent headshaker. The vet is a bit stumped as to the cause as it is not really triggered by anything in particular. Do you have any products aimed at headshakers?
One of the reasons for this could be gastric ulcers or irritation of the gastric mucosa and we have a product called GastroCare, which is an antacid which could help with this. See all the details on our website.

I fed a well know joint supplement for last 5 yrs to my 17.2 Holstein, now 11yrs. Last year he had a shortneing of stide on one limb, only really noticable on a circle which on investigation was diagnosied as osteoarthritis of the stifle joint. Spavins and kissing spines were identified through the investigation, amazingly these have never caused him any problems. He was prescribed intra articular therapy and an anti inflammatory course with increasing workload. He has been re assessed regularly with some improvement. My vet is non commital about the efficiacy of joint supplements, do you think arthi aid would help him? Many Thanks
Currently we have three pharma glucosamine and chondroitin products registered as pharmaceuticals in Europe, so this really is proof of effect, you don’t get registration until you have proven efficacy ,this is for the human market. The problem with the equine products on the market is a lot of the supplements are sub-therapeutic in dosage ,you need a minimum of 10gm of glucosamine daily for a horse of your size and Arthriaid and Cosequin are the only two I know off hand that contain this dosage. So best way to prove effect is to try the product you would need to give him 50ml daily for a minimum of 20-30 days and then decrease dosage from there ,should you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact me, Clare Hughes MPSI BSc Pharm

My 23 year old connemara mare is in light work 6 months now after aperiod of having foals. She was doing really well but recently has shown discomfort in her stifle/flank area on her off side. The muscle in this area tightens up with work and even quivers/tremors after gentle work. She is not visiblty lame but feels "unusual" when riding her. No known trauma to area. Should I rest her or continue light work? Is there any linament I could apply to help relax muscle?
It is most likely osteoarthritis, especially is view of her age and probably carrying excess weight as a brood mare, so the best thing to do is give her a joint supplement. Currently we have three pharma glucosamine and chondroitin products registered as pharmaceuticals in Europe ,so this really is proof of effect, you don’t get registration until you have proven efficacy, this is for the human market. However the problem with the equine products on the market is a lot of the supplements are sub-therapeutic in dosage, you need a minimum of 10gm of glucosamine daily for a 500kg horse and Arthriaid and Cosequin are the only two supplements I know off hand that contain this dosage . So best way to prove effect is to try Arthriaid for a minimum period of 1 month ,you would need to give him 50ml daily for a minimum of 20-30 days and then decrease dosage from there. Should you require any further information please do not hesitate to contact me,

My Appaloosa pony has SCC in his third eye lid. What is your recommendation. It is very small at this point. He is turning 13 next month.
Unfortunately this would be something you vet would have to access by clinical examination and then decide on treatment . We sell nothing that could help, apologies again.

Do you have any thing for a strain of the orgin of the suspensory on both hind limbs, horse has been treated with anti inflammatory med, and shock wave therapy?
Yes we have a therapy called Irap for producing autologous condition serum (ACS), which is an injectable that has worked really well on suspensory ligaments, needs to be given by a vet who is familiar with this treatment, so if you tell me where you live I can put you in touch with a clinic who can help. Irap is a syringe system which is used to produce autologous condition serum (ACS) ACS contains active quantities of autologous antiinflammatory and regenerative cytokines. Whole blood is taken from the horse into the Irap syringe. This is then incubated, centrifuged and the serum extracted for re-injection into the horse from which the blood was taken. What can it be used for? Joint lameness, muscle injuries, tendon and ligament injuries. Has it been tested? A blinded placebo controlled trial gave excellent.

what are the reasons for farriers
The reasons for using farriers choice are stated below : · Contains high concentration of Biotin. Clinical reports shown an improvement in hoof quality from feeding 10mg to 30mg of biotin per day to an adult horse. Comben et Al (1984). Varying degrees of improvement in hardness, integrity and condition were reported. Kempson (1987) suggested that structural defects in the stratum externum of the hoof horn could be remedied by biotin alone. Contains MSM. MSM is rich in sulphur, which can further aid the integrity of hoof formation improving intrinsic tensile strength. The protein in the hoof keratin contains 4% sulphur. Contains calcium, which is essential to maintain the structural bonds of the internal hoof laminae. Contains a rang of amino acids most importantly methionine and cysteine, which are required for keratogenosis and thus influence strength of the hoof horn. There is a direct relation between hoof horn hardness and relative cystine content. Coenen & Spitzlei (1996). Methionine can be converted to non-essential amino acids cysteine. Contains zinc oxide, whereas biotin improves elasticity and tensile strength of the hoof horn, administration of zinc to horses improves hardness. Since the feed level requirement of zinc of 50mg/kg dry substance is usually not reached, supplemental administration is required especially in cases of hoof problems in foals following orthopaedic intervention. A significant number of horses in training develop hoof cracks or sand cracks during dry weather as a result of excessive drying out of the hoof wall, reduced flexibility or high loading stress on the quarters during exercise. The unique formulation of Farrier’s Choice promotes hoof growth, improves bonding and resilience of the hoof wall in horses prone to sand cracks or brittle hoof walls.

Does anxi calm compete contain any substances which contravene Jockey Club Rules or contain anything relating to it being a metabolite of Acepromazine.
I confirm that AnxiKalm compete does not contains any prohibited substance as stated in the most up to date WADA - 2009 Prohibited List, therefore requires no withdrawal prior to competition use .Please see attached list. Hope this answers your question, however if you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Do you have anything for stable cough?
No we don’t as a stable cough is nearly always environmental caused, that is it is due to the dust generation from the surroundings, feed and bedding, so the best way to confront this is put the horse on a non dust generator for bedding such as paper and feed with a haylage type of hay that has no dust, also moisten hard feed so no inhalation on ingestion. And this will substantially get rid of problems associated with allergic rhinitis in horses.

Why should I give my horse Gastro Care?
GastroCare is given to horses with stomach ulcers or gastric irritation. Used three times daily Gastrocare acts to neutralise excess gastric, reduce the exposure of the stomach lining to acid and help the stomach repair irrit

Why Should I give my horse easoflex?
All horse owners are familiar with the effects of general knocks, bumps and bruises when their animals have been out. These can range from mild stiffness to a condition that may prevent training or working. This is particu