Got the Thyroid results back on my FAT mare

[Mona]

I talked to the vet today, the results are in, and she said sure enough, the mare I wondered about because of her being so FAT since I bought her at age 3, and also has a tough time carrying to full term, has hypothyroidism.

Her T3 tested a "high normal". Normal is .90-2.40. My mare was 2.4

Her T4 was 8.5 with 12.0- 40.0 being "Normal"

Her EFY4 EQD was 8.3 with 10.0-28.0 being "Normal"

So, I guess now we start her on 1/2 tsp/day of Thyro-L for 8 weeks, and then have her retested to see if we need to adjust the dosage.

 

[Karin - NaKar Miniatures]

Well, Mona, at least you now know that she does have a problem and isn't just fat of her own accord! Sure hope the medicine works for her.

 

[Dona]

Mona, I had a mare with the same problem that I had tested. She also came back "high normal". My vet said "high-normal" is pretty common with Miniatures, but we started her on Thyro-L anyway to see if it would help. It didn't.

But the following year....long after we had stopped the Thyro-L because it wasn't helping.....she did become pregnant & carry to term with no problems. Had no problems with her after that either. I hope it works for your mare.

 

[Mona]

Mona, I had a mare with the same problem that I had tested. She also came back "high normal". My vet said "high-normal" is pretty common with Miniatures, but we started her on Thyro-L anyway to see if it would help. It didn't.

But the following year....long after we had stopped the Thyro-L because it wasn't helping.....she did become pregnant & carry to term with no problems. Had no problems with her after that either. I hope it works for your mare.

Hi Dona. It's n ot the T3 level that is the problem with my mare, it is her T4 and ET4 levels that are low. I just threw that T3 level in, as it was the first in the list of results.

I did get 2 live foals from this mare. One 4 years ago, and one this year. She aborted one late term last year or the year before. The other times she has come up open. So I know she can stay in foal and carry to term, but because she seems to "miss" more often than not, and has always been a butterball, the combination of both, is what made me decide to test her.

:

 

[backwoodsnanny]

We just had a mare diagnosed with low thyroid as well and she also is on the same meds. She was also hard to get in foal and we lost her foal last year in a late term abortion that there was no obvious reason for now the vet thinks that this may very well have been the reason. She has been on a low sugar diet for about a month and this was discovered because of laminitis which also according to my vet was probably caused by the thyroid problem. She was on low carbs because he thought she might be Insulin resistent but nope its thyroid. She is much improved after only a week on the thyroid meds. Good luck with your girl. Small price to pay to know what the problem is and perhaps save future lost foals.

 

[Becky]

Interesting that you started this thread! My vet was here today pregnancy checking several mares. I had him check a little mare that I bought last fall. I was hoping she was in foal as I haven't seen her in heat this spring. Ultrasound showed she was open with very little activity and my vet said she is way too fat!! He mentioned testing her for thyroid and I said how about just putting her on Thyro L, so he said to put her on it. So she is starting it today and a low sugar, low starch, low fat diet as well. Sure hope it helps as I would really like to have a foal out of this mare!

 

[KanoasDestiny]

Mona, I hope that all goes well with your horse and her condition. I am sure that you will love her unconditionally whether she can produce beautiful babies or not, but losing some weight surely wouldn't harm her.

:

 

[Michelle@wescofarms]

Thanks for sharing this information Mona (and everyone else). Best of luck with your mare.

I had a vet out here from UCD in February that flat said there was no known studies to indicate that there were thyroid problems in mins (or horses in general) - I had to bite my tongue as she was one of those know it all types.

Just curious though, do those of you that have and breed mares with known thryoid problems disclose this to potential buyers? Including foals from these mares?

I like to know as try to avoid thyroid issues, along with stifle problems in breeding animals. I don't know that either is hereditary, but try to avoid those two things anyway!

 

[backwoodsnanny]

I would tell a potential buyer about the thyroid just as I would tell someone anything else that I think could show up with a foal. Now that I know yes I would tell a buyer. My vet feels that though it is possible for the thyroid problem to pass on it is equally possible that it wont. Just as with anything else that is inherited there is a 50/50 chance at least that is what my vet believes. Not sure of any published statistics.

 

[Mona]

Just curious though, do those of you that have and breed mares with known thryoid problems disclose this to potential buyers? Including foals from these mares?

That's a good point/question Michelle. As for this mare I just had tested, I have her only live foal(before this year) here. She is 4 years old now, and just foaled her first this year. So there were no others to inform anyone about. This daughter I have though, settled easily, on her first cycle bred, and carried to term, with no problems. She is not overweight like her mother, so at this point anyway, shows no sign.

My other Hypothyroid mare, I told the people when I donated her to their program that she had a low thyroid and that she would have to be on Thyro-L and sent a supply with her to keep them going for some time. However, I know for sure that she had 2 colts and a filly before I bought her. Then when I owned her, she had given me 3 fillies, but it wasn't until her being heavy in foal with the 3rd one, that she foundered(maybe laminitis? I never knew there was a difference until a previous thread about low thyroid). There was no reason that I could think of to cause that, so Miniv here on the forum suggested I test for thyroid, and sure enough, she was right! I did sell that filly, but I don't recall if I told her buyer about her dam being low. If I did, it would have been just in general conversation, and not as an alert, as I never would have thought of it actually.

I know that 2 of her 3 fillies that I sold from this mare, have had multiple foals, and as far as I know, have not shown signs of hypothyroidism. I know the owners though, so I sure can tell them about it. Maybe a bit late now that they bought them, but as I say, it's not something I would even think to mention, as I never thought about it being hereditary??

All this said now, I would DEFINATELY disclose the fact to the new owners(if I ever decided to sell) that the mare herself is low thyroid, because she needs to be on meds to maintain proper levels.

 

[littlesteppers]

Well..don't mean to steal your subject.But I had 3 mares tested for low thyroid AFTER a dystocia

I was wondering if this could be related somehow..

Now there is the question..what came first the egg or the chicken??

:

:

 

[Mona]

Well..don't mean to steal your subject.But I had 3 mares tested for low thyroid AFTER a dystocia

I was wondering if this could be related somehow..

Now there is the question..what came first the egg or the chicken??

:

:

Were the mares full term, or late term? My mare aborted late term(6 weeks prior to her due date). Had to have the vet get the foal out as it was malpositioned.(still butt first) The cord was severely twisted, so vet figured the foal died in utero due to oxygen deprivation. Do you think this is the same??

 

[littlesteppers]

: Well two where full term 335days and 325 days..One was 8 month pregnant so it was an abortion..

:

:

 

[northernmi]

Some things I"ve read think there could be an association between dystocia and hypothyroid mares when not treated and think the possiby higher. They also will carry(sometimes) alot longer than most mares without this.

 

[littlesteppers]

Some things I"ve read think there could be an association between dystocia and hypothyroid mares when not treated and think the possiby higher. They also will carry(sometimes) alot longer than most mares without this.

Aha! Thank you..will have to look into that! :saludando:

:

 

[northernmi]

forgot to add, even on meds they can go over their due date by some time.

 

[Mona]

My first mare that had this was what I considered my "10 month mare". She always foaled full term babies at 10 months. So she never went over.

The mare I have now, foaled right on time. She was due April 2-16, and foaled on the 12th. Her last foal was born at 342 days, so again, I feel that is quite normal.

 

[Becky]

I wanted to comment that testing one time for low thyroid may be inconclusive. One of the vets here (and I've read this too) said that a horse would need to be tested several times a day over a period of time to get an actual result on the test. Thyroid levels fluctuate during the day (and it can be dramatic) depending on whether the horse has just eaten, not eaten, time of day blood is taken, etc.

If a horse is suspected of having low thyroid, it may well be beneficial to start a horse on the medication.

Having said that, I recently acquired another mare who was on Thyro L. Her weight was good when she arrived and she showed no symptoms of any problems and after discussing it with my vet, I have weaned her off the Thyro L. I am now breeding her and time will tell if she gets in foal and carries to term without medication.