Stringhalt on donkey... help!

[Cat the smoosh’s mommy]

My donkey has stringhalt, which is when they are deficient of vitamin e, from not eating grass all winter. I do feed him hay and grain and the grain has vitamin e supplements in it, but that is obviously not helping as much as it should. What do y’all use to help with this condition? Please note where you buy it too, I usually go to fleet farm or out local ag partners to get things but I can also order it. Please help, I don’t want jj to suffer

 

[FluffTheDuck]

Where do you live at? Different parts of the country can have more grass, which can leave to colic. @casportpony

 

[FluffTheDuck]

Do you have a salt lick? Also, if the water froze out there, and you break it but not take the ice out, the donkey will continue to eat hay, with no water. It’s important to have a salt lick / put salt on the hay because salt = thirsty!!

 

[sylviethecochin]

You can find a generic vitamin/mineral supplement at just about any farm store. It'll be in the feed aisle in 50 lb bags (might be smaller for horses; they like to squeeze horse people for every last penny, I've noticed)

Try to get stuff without salt, or he'll end up eating it just for the salt.

EDT: I admit to having only ever had one horse in my life, and not knowing much about them, but every animal I've ever had has had no problem knowing when it was thirsty with or without salt.

 

[FluffTheDuck]

You can find a generic vitamin/mineral supplement at just about any farm store. It'll be in the feed aisle in 50 lb bags (might be smaller for horses; they like to squeeze horse people for every last penny, I've noticed)

Try to get stuff without salt, or he'll end up eating it just for the salt.

EDT: I admit to having only ever had one horse in my life, and not knowing much about them, but every animal I've ever had has had no problem knowing when it was thirsty with or without salt.

I understand I was quoting my 4-H horse club teacher when I was young, and a horse vet

 

[casportpony]

I haven't had a horse with stringhalt, but I did have one with "upward fixation of the patella"

"Stringhalt-like symptoms may also be present in horses affected by upward fixation of the patella, fibrotic myopathy, shivers or equine protozoal myeloencephalitis. Therefore, it’s important to perform a thorough exam with efforts to help determine a diagnosis of stringhalt."
Source:https://dressagetoday.com/horse-health-/what-is-stringhalt-and-can-it-be-treated-53640

There are lots of knowledgeable horse people here, but my go to horse expert is @Folly's place . Hopefully she can comment.

 

[casportpony]

I forgot to ask, has a vet looked at him yet?

 

[FluffTheDuck]

I forgot to ask, has a vet looked at him yet?

I don’t think she mentioned it.

 

[Percheron chick]

Who made the diagnosis of stringhalt? It has nothing to do with a vitamin E deficiency. Most common causes are plant toxicity or injury. With dormant pastures, horses are more apt to eat plants that they would otherwise pass on as that is probably all that is left. Walk your pastures and take any suspect weeds to your extension office if you can not identify them. It could also be in your hay so look in there too. Dry lot the donkey to control what he eats. It can spontaneously correct itself over time or if it progresses surgery is the only option.
Some believe thiamine (B1)promotes healing but all equids produce all the B vitamins they need through hindgut fermentation.

 

[Cat the smoosh’s mommy]

I forgot to ask, has a vet looked at him yet?

Yes we had her out a couple days ago