Tag Archives: EMS

Diet and Laminitis – No Link to Fructan

Posted on September 3, 2020 by Dr. Kellon

Horses and ponies, donkeys and mules, may develop laminitis on diets based on either hay or pasture. The cause isn’t fructan.  It isn’t hind gut acidosis.  Here’s the science. The AAEP’s Laminitis Working Group did a four year study with … Continue reading →

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Safe Supplements for Metabolic Horses

Posted on July 16, 2020 by Dr. Kellon

When evaluating supplements for horses prone to high insulin levels there are two basic areas to consider – the active ingredients and the base. On the ingredients front, some things to generally avoid include:  Added iron.  These horses often have … Continue reading →

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All Carbs Matter in Equine Metabolic Syndrome

Posted on June 8, 2020 by Dr. Kellon

There are physiological differences between humans and horses. For example, horses don’t produce high levels of ketones, even when starving.  Horses with EMS are not at high risk for cardiovascular disease the way humans are. They develop laminitis instead. Despite … Continue reading →

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Is Acorn Toxicity in Horses Real?

Posted on November 9, 2019 by Dr. Kellon

Squirrels aren’t the only ones hoovering up the Fall crop of acorns. Horses love them too. A yummy treat courtesy of Mother Nature – or are they harmful? Many people report their horses regularly indulge in acorns in the Fall … Continue reading →

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Do You Need an Oral Sugar Test to Diagnose EMS?

Posted on October 27, 2019 by Dr. Kellon

It has been established that high blood insulin is responsible for about 90% of all laminitis cases and best current estimate is 10 to 15% of the equine population is at risk of EMS – Equine Metabolic Syndrome.  A central … Continue reading →

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Insulin Problems – Forget about NSC

Posted on October 2, 2019 by Dr. Kellon

Hay or pasture is a major component of any horse’s diet, and is likely to be virtually the complete diet in animals that are obese.  Since insulin resistance is often part of the reason why a horse or pony becomes … Continue reading →

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Obesity and Metabolic Problems

Posted on August 31, 2019 by Dr. Kellon

The vast majority of us are well familiar with how easy it is to gain weight with the wrong foods or simply too much food and how hard it can be to lose it. The same is true for most … Continue reading →

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Also Trending – Lectin-Free for Insulin Resistant Horses

Posted on July 21, 2019 by Dr. Kellon

In much the same way that the Keto diet is a reincarnation of Atkins, Gundry’s lectin-free diet for humans actually draws heavily on the Blood Group Diet and Paleo Diet that came before it. Unfortunately, another similarity is that some … Continue reading →

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The Real Cause of PAL – Pasture-Associated Laminitis

Posted on June 22, 2019 by Dr. Kellon

It isn’t fructan.  It isn’t hind gut acidosis.  Here’s the science. The AAEP’s Laminitis Working Group did a four year study with the goal of identifying laminitis risks. Other than diet, EMS pattern obesity, known EMS or PPID and use … Continue reading →

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Can EMS Horses Graze Dead Winter Pastures?

Posted on January 6, 2019 by Dr. Kellon

Unless you are living in an area with very mild winters, your pasture grasses will shrivel and turn brown over the winter. However, that plant is not dead and horses will be more than happy to eat it. This could … Continue reading →

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