Indy's mom
Well-Known Member
Hi! I'm usually just a lurker but looking for opinions/help. Let me start by saying I do have a vet appointment scheduled for this Wednesday, I'm just getting anxious for answers!
I have a 3 yr old minimal dwarf mare that has had no health issues up until now.
In late winter I switched from feeding "Born To Win" to "Carb Guard" because my 2 other Mini's that we show were getting a little to fat. Everyone started looking good on the Carb guard including the dwarf. I actually thought she had looked the best I'd ever seen her and couldn't wait to clip her in the spring. Clipped her in April and was happy with how she looked. Everything seemed to be going well with her...
Now a few weeks ago I looked at her and thought she was losing weight and I wasn't happy with how she looked. So I increased her grain and hay a bit. Then last week I noticed that she had no muscle on her hind end. She is already very fuzzy so that is why it wasn't extremely noticeable. I figured the muscle loss was because she is pretty inactive! Out all day but not very active. I added a supplement (accell lifetime) after noticing the muscle loss (my blacksmith suggested it). Then yesterday when she was wet from rain I really noticed that she looks bad! She still has the big, round, dwarf belly but under her furry coat you can easily feel ribs, backbone and hip bones!!!
So to me she seems to be dropping weight and muscle suddenly and rapidly! She doesn't at all act sickly. She has always been VERY laid back and droopy so hard to tell!
Just curious if anyone has any experiences like this or any opinions that I can share with my vet. Although my vet is a wonderful, knowledgeble man, most vets around here don't have much "mini" experience never mind dwarfs!!!!
Hoping it turns out to be something stupid like needing her teeth done (again) but preparing myself for worse!
I want to switch her back to the Born to Win but I think I'll wait until after the vet does bloodwork so I don't mess up any results(?)
Fingers crossed for this little girl, she has taught my daughters a ton about loving horses!!!
Tammy
I have a 3 yr old minimal dwarf mare that has had no health issues up until now.
In late winter I switched from feeding "Born To Win" to "Carb Guard" because my 2 other Mini's that we show were getting a little to fat. Everyone started looking good on the Carb guard including the dwarf. I actually thought she had looked the best I'd ever seen her and couldn't wait to clip her in the spring. Clipped her in April and was happy with how she looked. Everything seemed to be going well with her...
Now a few weeks ago I looked at her and thought she was losing weight and I wasn't happy with how she looked. So I increased her grain and hay a bit. Then last week I noticed that she had no muscle on her hind end. She is already very fuzzy so that is why it wasn't extremely noticeable. I figured the muscle loss was because she is pretty inactive! Out all day but not very active. I added a supplement (accell lifetime) after noticing the muscle loss (my blacksmith suggested it). Then yesterday when she was wet from rain I really noticed that she looks bad! She still has the big, round, dwarf belly but under her furry coat you can easily feel ribs, backbone and hip bones!!!
So to me she seems to be dropping weight and muscle suddenly and rapidly! She doesn't at all act sickly. She has always been VERY laid back and droopy so hard to tell!
Just curious if anyone has any experiences like this or any opinions that I can share with my vet. Although my vet is a wonderful, knowledgeble man, most vets around here don't have much "mini" experience never mind dwarfs!!!!
Hoping it turns out to be something stupid like needing her teeth done (again) but preparing myself for worse!
I want to switch her back to the Born to Win but I think I'll wait until after the vet does bloodwork so I don't mess up any results(?)
Fingers crossed for this little girl, she has taught my daughters a ton about loving horses!!!
Tammy