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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 824
 
Location: Duvall, WA | oija - 2019-02-22 11:22 AM
Wild1 - 2019-02-19 10:16 PM
Have not tested for PSSM, I've been reading a little on this..is this just a blood test from my local vet? Or does anyplace else test with hair? I feed mostly alfalfa hay, right now it's 50/50 grass/alfalfa. I feed Purina Strategy at 4-5lbs per day per horse. No other supplements except a himalyan salt block
There are two tests. One is a muscle biopsy that is minimally invasive and the other is a genetic test. One form, PSSM 1 is genetic and the other may or may not be genetic (we don’t have a genetic test anyway that is proven). A muscle biopsy is really the best way to know. The vet can look under a microscope and see if there is starch that is knotting the muscles by clumping up. That is why you feed them a low NSC (non soluble carbohydrates) diet. You are trying to give them less starch/carbohydrates so they don’t have the muscle clumps which is what makes them so body sore and often ****y. Essentially you are feeding them a low carb diet, something below 11 percent NSC ideally. There are special formulated feeds just for this. Check out purinas well solve feeds since you are already feeding purina.
ETA the genetic test can be done through AQHA. You just pull some hair. But it won’t give you an answer if she has pssm 2. Only a biopsy can do that.
<> This is not true. Equisec does testing for PSSM 2 and all the other varients, it is a hair test. And I agree, that sounds like PSSM. | |
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 Expert
Posts: 3782
  
Location: Gainesville, TX | NipntuckLR - 2019-02-24 10:46 AM
oija - 2019-02-22 11:22 AM
Wild1 - 2019-02-19 10:16 PM
Have not tested for PSSM, I've been reading a little on this..is this just a blood test from my local vet? Or does anyplace else test with hair? I feed mostly alfalfa hay, right now it's 50/50 grass/alfalfa. I feed Purina Strategy at 4-5lbs per day per horse. No other supplements except a himalyan salt block
There are two tests. One is a muscle biopsy that is minimally invasive and the other is a genetic test. One form, PSSM 1 is genetic and the other may or may not be genetic (we don’t have a genetic test anyway that is proven). A muscle biopsy is really the best way to know. The vet can look under a microscope and see if there is starch that is knotting the muscles by clumping up. That is why you feed them a low NSC (non soluble carbohydrates) diet. You are trying to give them less starch/carbohydrates so they don’t have the muscle clumps which is what makes them so body sore and often ****y. Essentially you are feeding them a low carb diet, something below 11 percent NSC ideally. There are special formulated feeds just for this. Check out purinas well solve feeds since you are already feeding purina.
ETA the genetic test can be done through AQHA. You just pull some hair. But it won’t give you an answer if she has pssm 2. Only a biopsy can do that.
<>
This is not true. Equisec does testing for PSSM 2 and all the other varients, it is a hair test. And I agree, that sounds like PSSM.
Equiseq is NOT a reliable or trustworthy company. They have no published research to confirm their hypotheses. AND they are willing to badmouth and support others badmouthing horses based on their unproven tests. Just because they have a test they claim tests for genetic variants does not mean jack when they have not PROVEN it according to reliable and ETHICAL scientific best practices. | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 863
| I emailed Equisec, they do not test for PSSM 1, so where does a person get this done? Must I go through my local vet? I'm confused on all these PSSM types sorry. Back in the day we never tested or I guess had these problems   | |
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 My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | Wild1 - 2019-02-24 11:23 PM
I emailed Equisec, they do not test for PSSM 1, so where does a person get this done? Must I go through my local vet? I'm confused on all these PSSM types sorry. Back in the day we never tested or I guess had these problems
I bumped up one of the PSSM threads for you. | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 863
| Thanks, I'll read through all that later on :) | |
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| Wild1 - 2019-02-24 9:23 PM
I emailed Equisec, they do not test for PSSM 1, so where does a person get this done? Must I go through my local vet? I'm confused on all these PSSM types sorry. Back in the day we never tested or I guess had these problems
For PSSM 1 - testing is pretty easy and can be done through UC Davis or the AQHA 5-panel test (if your horse is AQHA registered). Seems like more of our barrel bred horses are actually more likely to be positive for a different variant and that testing can be done through EquiSeq, or a muscle biopsy (biopsy has to be done during an 'episode' though) for PSSM2. | |
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Expert
Posts: 3782
Location: Gainesville, TX | Wild1 - 2019-02-25 7:45 AM
Thanks, I'll read through all that later on :)
I PM'd you. | |
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| Wild1 - 2019-02-19 8:16 PM
Have not tested for PSSM, I've been reading a little on this..is this just a blood test from my local vet? Or does anyplace else test with hair? I feed mostly alfalfa hay, right now it's 50/50 grass/alfalfa. I feed Purina Strategy at 4-5lbs per day per horse. No other supplements except a himalyan salt block
I have dealt with the symptoms that you are having with my gelding and doing the following has made him a new, happy horse, as well as my other horses that I didn't even think had "issues". 1. Consult with an Equine Nutritionist about your horse's diet. It is quite astonishing what balancing the diet can eliminate, especially when balancing the minerals. In my experience, this was the MOST IMPORTANT step. I recommend Dr. Elenor Kellon DVM http://www.drkellon.com/ or Leslie Maynard - Leslie can be found on facebook https://www.facebook.com/HorseHelpStore/ 2. Find a Structural Integration Specialist (aka Equine Rolfer) - the gal that I use has been the only body-worker that has been able to achieve lasting results with any of my horses. I have previously used an excellent chiropractor, a massage therapist, an acupuncturist, and a holistic vet that does all of the above plus many other techniques. All seemed to help, temporarily but I definitely had to have them out often to sustain. With SIS, after the initial series, the frequency drops dramatically given your nutrition is on point, hooves are balanced, dental is up-to-date and your tack fits. 3. My gelding was still having a bit of anxiety so I tweaked his diet to include taurine and added one Nrf2 pill and that has done the trick for him. I have done the 5 panel testing on a different gelding and he was negative. I did suspect that if he did have PSSM that it would be one or more of the variants but I didn't want to spend the money to test for those so I made tweaks to his diet and his symptoms disappeared. If you follow any of the PSSM groups on facebook, dietary changes are the first line of defense and the most effective in preventing symptoms but balancing gets left out in many instances. So many elements affect muscle health and pliability, as well as connective tissues, immune and respiratory systems, etc. | |
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