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[RC] Horse problem/interpreting blood analysis - Ridecamp GuestPlease Reply to: Sally Hafkemeyer hafke7@xxxxxxx or ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ========================================== I have a horse with some new problems. Hoping you Ridecampers can help. I'll try to keep it fairly short. He's a now 14 yr arab gelding that I completed 460 endurance miles with last year. At the end of ride season in late Oct. I'd had blood drawn. Vet said he had low hemoglobin and was (ideopathic) anemic. Advised Red Cell supplementation. I was reluctant to supplement additional iron w/o really knowing more. I'd asked about possibility of ulcer (gelding has anxiety/behavior issues sometimes), but vet thought not likely due to his lifestyle and eating habits. Horse has been out to pasture since Nov. Always a good eater/drinker, has 10 acre pasture/hay 24/7 with his best pals. Has no history of colic, wormed regularly(including tapeworms in late fall), heated water tank, etc. In January he had first colic episode. Two weeks later coliced again. Another week later he coliced a third time. All fairly mild. Between the first and last episodes, we rewormed, added soaked beet pulp, changed water tank and checked for stray voltage. After the last colic, I started giving him aloe vera juice with his feed (1 cup 2x daily). It's now been one month w/o further incidences. I had vet draw another blood sample in mid Feb. I have results and vet says all within normal ranges except Na+ @ 153, but still o.k. But some of these exams are on the low side of normal (i.e.,Hb, MCHC,MCH,RBC,Mon.,Lym#,Mon#) and others (Gra.,RDW,MPV,PDW,Na+) are on the high side. Questions: If I have sample taken when horse is under no physical/situational/environmental stress, and some of these numbers are close to the "edge" of normal range, would any stress such as conditioning or hauling or whatever, be likely to send them outside normal range? I intend to continue to draw samples...what would be a good schedule? At least monthly? Or dependent on health/work load? Can anyone point me to a good website or book that will help me educate myself on how to read these results? I have to say that I'm considering the benefit of adding aloe vera juice to his diet regularly. Or at least before, during, and immediately after any major stress. Perhaps this would be a good additive to our beet pulp mashes for rides. Unlike other ulcer meds, no side effects whatsoever. No worry about drug issue that I'm aware of. I'm hoping for some good discussions and great ideas. Thanks to anyone who's willing to help, Sally H. ===========================================================REAL endurance is sleeping in the tack compartment of your trailer w/the door open, and your horse snorts/snots on your forehead every 30 min! ~ Heidi Sowards ridecamp.net information: http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/ ===========================================================
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