Can a Cushings horse have alfalfa pellets?

Alfalfa can be a good option for a horse with Cushings if they are a hard time holding their weight because it is more calorie-dense than grass hay.

What is the best feed for a horse with Cushing's?

Horses and ponies diagnosed with PPID/Cushing's Disease should be fed a low sugar and starch diet. As alfalfa is naturally low in both sugar and starch, there are a number of feeds in our range that are suitable.

Can alfalfa pellets cause laminitis?

Alfalfa hay can cause horses to founder and develop laminitis due to the excess nutrients provided by the high quality hay if too much is fed.

Do alfalfa pellets have a lot of sugar?

Alfalfa Has Low Starch and Sugar Content

When oil is added as a coating to alfalfa, sugar levels are typically less than 5%. Feeds are rarely (if ever) sugar free, as even straw contains some sugar, but the low-sugar and starch content does highlight the alfalfa health benefits for your horse.

Can Laminitic horses have alfalfa?

Feeds with a combined sugar and starch content of less than 10% should be fed to horses with laminitis. If horses are underweight and need to gain condition, consider adding alfalfa-based forages as they contain more calories per pound, but are low in sugars and starches.

Ask the Vet - Should I feed alfalfa cubes or alfalfa pellets?

Is alfalfa OK for Cushings?

Alfalfa can be a good option for a horse with Cushings if they are a hard time holding their weight because it is more calorie-dense than grass hay.

Is alfalfa hard on horses kidneys?

Alfalfa (lucerne) products, whether hay, cubes, or pellets, are not known to cause kidney problems in horses.

Can you feed a horse just alfalfa pellets?

Therefore, alfalfa pellets can be used to add pellets to a horse's diet but it is not necessary. The impact that pellets have on a horse's diet is minimal. Alfalfa pellets for horses usually come in fifty-pound bags and can be found at almost any feed store.

Is it OK to feed horses alfalfa pellets?

You can add alfalfa pellets or cubes to a grass hay diet for the same effect. Alfalfa is also suitable for horses prone to gastric ulcers, because the extra calcium acts as a buffer against stomach acid.

Will alfalfa pellets put weight on a horse?

Alfalfa is higher in calories and protein than grass hays, which makes it an excellent choice to help to add weight to a thin horse. If your horse tends to be wasteful with his hay, he may eat more when offered alfalfa hay cubes or pellets.

Does alfalfa cause inflammation in horses?

THREE RISKS OF FEEDING TOO MUCH ALFALFA TO HORSES:

Horses that are on high protein diets become overly acidic which can cause inflammation in various body systems including the joints and hooves. They may get “hot”, anxious or agitated, or show signs of liver or kidney stress.

Which is better alfalfa cubes or pellets?

There is no nutritional difference between alfalfa pellets and cubes, so the choice between the two is based on which type your horses prefer and which you prefer to feed and store. Alfalfa pellets, cubes, and hay provide the same essential nutrients per pound.

Is alfalfa good for senior horses?

Therefore, the key to feeding older horses is to use high quality protein from sources like alfalfa, soybean meal and canola meal without oversupplying their requirements.

What happens if a horse eats too much alfalfa?

Alfalfa hay can cause diarrhea in a horse that overeats it because the hay is rich and full of nutrients. Overeating alfalfa can also cause a horse to have excess gas, develop laminitis, and founder.

Can you reverse Cushings in horses?

The Right Medicine PPID cannot be cured, but its effects can be controlled with medication and management. The drug most commonly used to treat horses with PPID is pergolide mesylate, a dopamine agonist that helps to regulate the pituitary gland.

Are oats good for horses with Cushings?

Even though oats are the grain lowest in sugar and starch, at around 45 to 50% starch they are still far too high in starch for horses on a low sugar and starch diet, eg insulin resistant horses, horses prone to laminitis, those with disorders like Cushings or PSSM etc, as well as many horses who are prone to ulcers, ...

Can alfalfa pellets cause colic?

Any feed material can cause a digestive impaction if it is consumed rapidly. Many horses are safely fed diets consisting solely of alfalfa pellets without problems. However, poor quality alfalfa pellets or a rapid change to an alfalfa pellet diet can contribute to colic symptoms.

How many pounds of alfalfa pellets do you feed a horse?

Usually 15-20 lbs per day of alfalfa or timothy pellets for a 1000# horse. pellets daily over 2-3 weeks. Put the pellets in a bucket, cover with warm water, and then dump them into a large muck bucket and feed immediately.

What are alfalfa pellets good for?

Alfalfa Pellets act as a slow-release fertilizer that is an excellent source of nitrogen. Alfalfa also contains trace minerals and triacontanol, a naturally occurring growth promoter, which is great for roses!

Does alfalfa make horses pee more?

Because alfalfa is high in protein and because excess protein will normally be converted to urea, a horse that gets more than its share will urinate more than usual.

Does alfalfa cause bladder stones in horses?

Although it's not known why horses develop bladder stones, one theory is that high levels of calcium in a horse's diet may contribute to the problem, and alfalfa contains significantly more of that mineral than grass hays.

How much alfalfa should I feed my horse a day?

Horses can normally eat 1.5-2% of their body weight in hay, which equates to 18-24 lbs. of hay per day.

How long do horses live with Cushing's?

Well-managed horses should live about five to seven years or more past diagnosis. In severely affected horses, however, laminitis and recurrent infections are time-consuming and expensive to manage and can shorten the horse's anticipated life expectancy dramatically.

What happens if you don't treat Cushings in horses?

If a horse has untreated Cushing's Disease, it is more likely to develop laminitis and the laminitis will be more difficult to control. If an equine has any of the clinical signs suggestive of Cushing's, a blood sample can be taken to check ACTH levels in the blood.