Supplement advice for Pssm2/MFM for a horse with chronic kidney disease

[ladipus]

I’m looking for diet and supplement advice for my 13yr Dutch Wb mare who was diagnosed in 2022 by Dr Valberg via muscle biopsy with pssm2, MFM, and VEM… at that time we added KER MFM pellets, KER

NanoQ10, KER EO3 Oil, and Emcelle liquid Vitamin E …she was doing great until October 2024 when she suffered an acute kidney injury from a vaccine reaction which caused her to colic, and then required nsaids (banamine) and unfortunately further taxed her kidneys resulting in acute kidney injury …at that time I discontinued the MFM pellets because she had gone off her feed and became quite fussy about eating, and also because I needed to now limit her protein/ bcaa intake as well as trying to avoid any excess added alfalfa, calcium & soy (all of which are in the ingredients of the MFM pellets) …my mare has since recovered and has been doing well,but she has started to have some alternating hind end stiffness and lameness which I’m concerned could be a sign that her pssm2 and MFM is worsening ?

Anyhow -so my question is how can I help and supplement her to support her muscle myopathies without adding further stress to her kidneys.

Her diet now currently is a low sugar orchard grass hay along with (soaked )2 cups Pink Mash, 1 cup Hygain Zero &1 cup Keyflow Sensicare, 1/4 cup ground flax, Vermont Blend Pro, KER EO3 oil (30 mls), KER NanoQ10, 5,000IU Swanson Vitamin E capsules, Insulin Wise, 30mls Animed Effortless HA, MSM, SmartBreathe Ultra, and APF Pro

I sent this to Dr Valberg and this was her response:

Hi Michelle,

I asked a nutritionist to have a Quick Look and they were concerned your diet isn’t balanced for vitamins and minerals and is low in protein. Horses with kidney disease need the low end but adequate protein, some omega 3 fatty acids and low end of calcium requirements.

My recommendation would be to get a nutrition consult. I have worked with Katie Young at ktyoung60@gmail.com. She can work in the MFM pellet but balance the rest of the diet for your horse’s kidney issues.

She does have a consultation fee.

Hope that helps, Stephanie Valberg

I’m a bit confused because my mare is getting omega 3 fatty acids from her 1/2 cup /day of ground flax plus 60 mls daily of KER EO3 oil ?? along with what’s in the pink mash plus the small amount of feed she’s getting ??

[JB]

I agree you would be best served with a PhD Nutritionist for all this. Katie is excellent. Dr Rachel Mottet, Dr Claire Thunes, also excellent.

A lot of horses are on forage + a forage balancer, plus Vit E and Omega 3 if it’s a hay-only diet, and very often that’s nicely balanced, so like you, I’m a bit confused about that, unless you submitted an analysis of your hay and the HZ and VB aren’t cutting it

[ladipus]

@JB …no I did not give them a hay analysis?? when my mare first got diagnosed with the muscle myopathies 2 yrs ago I consulted with Dr Shannon Pratt Phillips -this was prior to the kidney injury-however she didn’t feel as if her diet was out of balance.

[JB]

She’s good too! Since you already consulted with her, maybe she’s where you go again.

[ladipus]

I was thinking that way too about it.