Weight Gain for older horse

Dr. Lowder,
I have a 30 yr old Thoroughbred gelding and I cannot get weight on him. I am worried, and have tried everything from beet pulp to corn oil he gets Dumor 14% senior feed around 14 lbs plus beet pulp every Day free choice of hay and vita plus. Do you have any suggestion for me what else I can do? I would really appreciate it.

THANK YOU!!!!

Hello,

It is very hard sometimes to get weight on an older horse.

Guidelines for feeding a senior feed are shown on the bag, but a good rule of thumb is as follows:

1. Feed 0.5 percent of body weight in grain; however, if you are feeding a complete ration it may take up to 15 lbs. a day.
2. Feed 1.5% of body weight in hay cubes or mixed hay. However, most older horses cannot chew hay and thus must be on soak hay cubes or no hay at all. Be sure to have good grass year round. Yes, plant winter rye.
3. Add corn oil to his feed gradually. You can start by adding 1 tablespoon to his feed for a few days and then increase to 2 tablespoons for a few days and so on until you reach 1-2 cups of corn oil in his feed per day. If diarrhea develops, reduce the amount of oil or stop completely.
4. Add rice bran to his Senior feed. You can get rice bran at your local feed store.
5. Implement a regular deworming program. It is best to deworm every 4-6 weeks rotating between Ivermectin one month and another dewormer (such as Strongid or Panacur) the next.

Please begin feeding two to three times a day instead of once a day. Make sure you have his teeth examination by a veterinarian with an interest in dentistry.

If he does not gain weight in approximately two months, you may consider running some tests to determine the cause of his weight loss. Tests we may consider include:

1. Liver and kidney function tests.
2. Low-dose dexamethasone test for equine Cushings
3. Glucose tolerance test
4. Rectal exam and/or abdominal ultrasound to rule out gastrointestinal neoplasia.

I hope that you have found this letter helpful in solving your weight loss problem. Increasing his caloric intake, monitoring his eating habits, and instituting a regular deworming program he should begin to gain weight. If he does not gain weight, you can explore further options and perform the tests mentioned. I wish you the best of luck and thank you for visiting HorseCity. Please feel free to email with any problems or concerns.

Thank You,
Dr. Lowder