salt block question

[jodiTowne]

I can't believe I am asking such a stupid question but here goes.....

I picked up a 5# block of salt the other day. When I got it home it said "water softener salt, 99.9% salt". Is this OK for horses?

Thanks and yes you may laugh.

[lisa l aka marci]

Where did you pick it up? And is it white or red......it should say something about for livestock I'd think.

I usually buy the big block of salt, my girls destroy the 5# ones too fast.

[jodiTowne]

Whoops...I meant 50#. It is white and I bought it at a feed store. Maybe I'll just return it to be safe

[lisa l aka marci]

Soudns like a good idea - I did a little looking on line, and water softener salt is sold in bricks too.....if i was home I'd check the bags in the basement for you!

I like the block with minerals (red) for my critters - they eat them up!

[Brigitte]

Once there was no red salt blocks so I bought the white one, turn out it was for goats :roll:

[Mellifluous]

I buy the white ones from TSC, never paid attention to what it said on them. I will get equimin blocks from Southern States for mineral supplementation.

[Terry Wallace]

I use the yellow sulfer salt blocks, always have. A vet I worked for, Dr. Ken Beubien, used them for his horses because the sulfer smell of the horse, keeps some flies away. I have used them for 30+ years...

[CarolU]

I am sure you safe using 99.9% pure salt. I wouldn't use the softener salts that have additives, but regular rock salt is fine and some horses prefer rock salt to blocks.

There really is no such thing as PURE salt. Even laboratory reagent grade sodium chloride has some impurities in it.

[appyday]

I like the red with minerals for everyone but Roger...remember NEVER A RED SALT LICK with an HYPP N/H or H/H horse..

[JennLM]

HYPP N/H or H/H horse?

[appyday]

HYPP N/H or H/H horse?

Yep they cant handle potassium....no electrolites either...no molassas...no feed no hay lol ...they need to be under 1% pot a day.

[JennLM]

I meant what are those abbreviations lol I'm a bit slow today.

[appyday]

Hyperkalemic periodic paralysis (HYPP) is a muscle disease which has been reported in certain lines of registered Quarter Horses, Appaloosas and Paints. Affected horses often display well-developed muscles and are often very successful when shown in halter classes. The condition may be seen in stallions, mares or geldings, can cross breeds and, therefore, is not limited to stock-type horses. The disease also closely resembles a heritable disease in man. Studies at the University of California at Davis Equine Research Laboratory have produced much needed information about the genetics, cause and control of HYPP in horses. An accurate blood test has been designed for diagnostic purposes as well as to identify carriers of the disease.

Signs of the Disease

Hyperkalemic periodic paralysis is characterized by sporadic attacks of muscle tremors (shaking or trembling), weakness and/or collapse. Attacks can also be accompanied by loud breathing noises resulting from paralysis of the muscles of the upper airway. Occasionally, sudden death can occur following a severe paralytic attack, presumably from heart failure or respiratory muscle paralysis.

Attacks of HYPP can take various forms and commonly have been confused with other conditions. Because of the muscle tremors and weakness, HYPP often resembles exertional rhabdomyolysis ("tying-up" syndrome). "Tying-up" syndrome can be caused by many different circumstances, including exercising a horse beyond the capacity to which it has been trained, as well as nutritional deficiencies and metabolic diseases. A distinguishing feature of this disease from "tying-up" syndrome though, is that horses usually appear normal following an attack of HYPP. Horses with "tying-up" syndrome, on the other hand, tend to have a stiff gait and painful, firm muscles of the hind limbs, rump and/or back. "Tying-up" syndrome is also generally associated with some type of exercise. HYPP, by contrast, is not usually associated with exercise, but occurs when horses are at rest, at feeding time, or following a stressful event such as transport, feed changes, or concurrent illness.

Because a horse may be down and reluctant or unable to stand during an HYPP attack, many owners have thought their horses were experiencing colic. HYPP has also been confused with seizures due to the pronounced muscle trembling and collapse. Unlike seizures and other conditions that cause fainting, however, horses with HYPP are conscious and aware of their surroundings during an attack and do not appear to be in pain. Respiratory conditions and choke have also been confused with HYPP because some horses make loud breathing noises during an attack.

Causes of Attacks

Potassium is an important electrolyte and is vital for the normal function of muscles and nerves. In fact, every cell in the body contains potassium, as it is vital for maintaining the cell's volume and electrical activity. High concentrations of potassium are present in the normal diet of horses and large amounts are found in forages such as pasture grasses and hays.

Regulation of body potassium is very complicated and is strictly controlled by hormones throughout the body produced by the kidneys, adrenal gland, thyroid and pancreas. Because normal horses commonly consume an excess of potassium in their diets, the kidneys must excrete excess potassium in urine. Initially, it could not be determined whether this disease was caused by a disorder in potassium regulation or by a disorder of muscle function. Studies of kidney, adrenal gland and thyroid function in horses with HYPP were normal. Investigations of muscle function in these horses, however, revealed a different story.

In early studies, abnormalities in the skeletal muscle by electromyography (EMG) were observed. Electromyography measures the electrical activity present in selected muscles. In affected horses, the muscles displayed a wide variety of abnormalities, specifically spontaneous activity from muscles under no stimulation. These recordings demonstrated that the affected horses' muscles were hyperexcitable (overly excitable). Even when the horses appeared normal, in between attacks, the abnormalities were reproducible. These abnormalities were also observed when the horses were under general anesthesia and under the influence of nerve blocking agents. This proved the theory that the muscle was abnormal.

Abnormal electrical activity within muscle fibers occurs in other muscle diseases as well as HYPP, so the abnormal EMG findings are not enough to definitively diagnose HYPP. Nonetheless, repeated episodes of muscle weakness or tremors in offspring of an affected sire or dam coupled with abnormal EMG findings would be highly suggestive of HYPP.

Collaborative studies with human physiologists Drs. Joel Pickar and Richard Carlsen of the University of California Davis School of Medicine and Dr. Jack Snyder of the veterinary department of Surgery led to the development of a specialized muscle biopsy procedure for horses which allowed researchers to isolate and study small muscle strips in a laboratory setting rather than performing research on the whole horse. Results from these studies confirmed that the isolated muscle was hyperexcitable and that there were abnormalities in sodium and potassium levels.

In horses with HYPP, studies revealed a defect affecting a protein called the voltage-gaited sodium channel, a tiny gateway in the membrane of muscle cells. This gateway controls the movement of sodium particles in and out of the muscle cell. These sodium particles carry a charge that changes the voltage current of a muscle cell, allowing it to contract or relax. In horses with HYPP, the regulation of particles through the sodium channel occasionally fails, disrupting the normal flow of ions in and out of the muscle cell, causing uncontrollable muscle twitching or complete muscle failure.

Further studies using molecular genetics revealed a mutation at one important site in the gene responsible for sodium and potassium regulation. This mutation allows the production of an abnormal protein which alters the structure and function of the sodium channel. As a result of these uncontrollable muscle contractions, potassium leaks from inside the muscle cell into the bloodstream, thus, raising the blood potassium concentration. The identification of this gene mutation is the basis for the blood test used to diagnose HYPP.

An Inherited Trait in Horses: Breeding Trial Results

In humans, HYPP is inherited as a dominant trait which is not sex-linked or carried on the X or Y chromosomes, and either sex may carry the trait. The proportion of individuals carrying a genetic defect which actually demonstrate signs of the disease is called penetrance. Sometimes, an individual can carry a genetic defect, but may never show signs of disease. In humans, HYPP has a high penetrance, meaning that the majority of individuals carrying the gene will demonstrate signs of disease at some time during their lives.

The mode of inheritance of the disease in horses has been suggested to be similar, although there had been no definitive studies to prove this theory. The purpose of the breeding study was to document, in a laboratory setting, the mode of inheritance of HYPP in horses through a controlled breeding study.

Four Quarter Horses (one stallion and three mares) with HYPP were bred to unaffected horses to determine the genetic basis of the disease. The first trial consisted of breeding the affected stallion to an affected mare. Three offspring (two colts and one filly) were obtained using embryo transfer techniques and all three foals were affected with HYPP. This initial study proved that the condition was heritable, but could not distinguish if the trait was dominant or recessive.

The second trial consisted of breeding the affected stallion to 11 unaffected mares of different breeds. The three affected mares were bred to an unaffected Quarter Horse stallion. Seventeen foals were produced from these breedings. All foals were tested for HYPP at two months of age. Of the 17 offspring, 10 were affected with HYPP, proving that HYPP is a dominant trait.

Because HYPP is a dominant trait, the breeding of an affected mare or stallion to a normal horse will result in approximately 50% of the offspring carrying the trait. If two affected horses are bred, then at least 75% of the foals will be affected. The breeding of a normal offspring from an affected horse to another normal horse will result in normal offspring.

Prevention and Control of HYPP Attacks

During a severe attack of HYPP, emergency treatment from a veterinarian is necessary. For long term therapy, many horses can be managed by exercise and diet control alone. Regular exercise and access to a large paddock or pasture is preferred over stall confinement. Maintain a regular feeding schedule, preferably equally spaced, two to three times per day. Avoid rapid changes in feed, such as bringing a horse off pasture grass and immediately switching to alfalfa hay. Most horses improve when the potassium content in the diet is decreased.

An analysis of feed can be very helpful in problem situations. Oat hay contains approximately 1.4% potassium, alfalfa hay - approximately 2.5%, timothy hay - approximately 2.0 - 2.5% potassium and molasses - approximately 6% potassium. The HYPP horses at the Equine Research Laboratory do well on a diet of half alfalfa and half oat hay. Feeding grain such as oats, corn and or barley (each contain only 0.5% potassium) two to three times daily and access to a salt block can be helpful. If dietary management is not sufficient to prevent attacks, then treatment with a diuretic (acetazolamide) can be very helpful. Consult your local veterinarian for proper diagnosis and further recommendations on treatment.

Eliminating this Disease from the Horse Industry

The major focus of this study has been to develop the use of a genetic marker associated with HYPP to identify affected horses to assist veterinarians and breeders in controlling the disease. In collaboration with Dr. Eric Hoffman, a molecular geneticist from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, a horse-specific HYPP gene probe was created using DNA from the affected Quarter Horse stallion. This gene probe offers breeders and veterinarians a tool which can be applied as a safer and more reliable diagnostic test for this disease.

Affected horses which are carriers of this genetically determined disease have many desirable traits. This is the reason that many of these horses are so successful in the show ring. In a recent report by Dr. Jonathan Naylor of the University of Saskatchewan, over 50,000 registered Quarter Horses are related to known carriers of the disease. However, the disease is not widespread in the Quarter Horse breed and only involves certain lines of halter type horses. At the present time, the disease has not been recognized in racehorses or endurance horses.

The recently developed genetic marker test for this disease will allow breeders to identify carriers of HYPP and thus, direct their breeding programs. To eliminate this trait from certain lines, stallion and mare owners should have their horses tested prior to breeding and select normal horses for their breeding stock.

Myths About HYPP

Some people have felt that the disease can be diluted out and not carried to distant generations. This is false because an affected horse has just as much chance to pass on the trait as the affected parent which passed the gene to him. Some people also believe the horse will "grow out of it." This is not true. For unknown reasons, attacks of HYPP tend to occur most often at the beginning of intense training and fitting for shows (age three to seven years old). It is important to realize that horses with HYPP are affected for life. It is possible that older horses do not experience the same conditioning stresses as young horses or that owners have discovered the best management strategies for the older horses with HYPP.

Some people also think that if a horse does not show any signs up to a certain age, it does not carry the trait. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Once again, horses with HYPP are affected for life. There was a stallion and a broodmare with HYPP who did not show signs of the disease until age eight and 15, and both horses only experienced one isolated attack.

Owners and breeders of affected horses should inform prospective buyers of the management constraints these horses have and the potential for future episodes of HYPP.

[Abejita]

considering that the red blocks are still 98% salt and 2% mineral..How much mineral do they get from the red salt blocks? I feed white salt plus a mineral block that is like 2%( I think..??) salt and the rest minerals etc (Buckey Grass Plus) The horses hit that pretty hard especially during certain times of year..Now as far as the yellow ones..If MSM is basically feeding sulfur to your horse ..how would that yellow block compare?

[motorgypsy]

We put out the red and the white blocks and it is funny how some horses prefer one and some, the other. I have heard that they can overdose on trace minerals from the red ones when all they really need is salt.

The sulfur idea is very interesting. I just don't know if you can use elemental sulfur or not??? MSM is a sulfur source but it is an organic molecule of sulfur that the body can utilize. Sulfur is great stuff though for skin problems. A mite was causing a lot of problems in show cats one year and several had to be put down it was so bad and none of the insecticides worked on it. Our vet told us to get some lime sulfur liquid from the feed and seed and dilute it 20 to 1 with water and sponge it on the cat and let it dry. It smells totally vile but really does kill both mites and fungus and bacterial infections of the skin. You have to wear gloves though because it turns your nails a weird color. We try everything else first before we use it but it does work well if you can stand the odor. It really might be a good fly preventative???? I hadn't thought of that.

Terry you really are a fountain of wisdom!!!!! ;-) ;-) ;-) ;-) Thanks!!

[Carol Nelson]

After watching salt block after salt block wash away in the rain (typically it rains in this part of the country :roll: ), get moldy, and sit until the fireants eat it instead of the horses, I no longer put salt blocks or mineral blocks in my pastures. I opt instead to buy the bags of salt at the feed store and add it to their grain feedings. That way I KNOW they are getting their salt intake, and I don't have the waste that I did with the blocks. That and watching the quality of the hay I buy, and feeding Nutrena Safe Choice, has cut my colic episodes to nil....
My view has always been...you can put all the salt blocks in the world in your pastures but if they're not using them.... :confused

If you prefer the mineralized salt, that too can be bought in bags. I use that in the wintertime when the pastures are skimpy. One thing also is you want to watch how much minerals you give them. They should be able to get adequate mineral supplement from good quality pasture grazing.
Remember you will get the same symptoms from too much mineral supplementation as you get from not enough...!

[Abejita]

salt molds???

I only put the 4 lb brick out ..with the heat this past week they were hitting them pretty hard..

[Carol Nelson]

I would buy these High Performance Horse Blocks from TSC, and they are more like a softer cake than a block...and yes, they would mold. When I bought the regular white salt blocks, they wouldn't even touch them.
I guess I have persnickety horses... :lol:

[Linda Y]

Red salt blocks dissolve a lot faster than white.
You can but the salt 'bricks' in their feed tubs, but if you put the red ones in, they will self destruct and leave a too salty residue in the tub.
I buy sacks of feed salt, looks sort of like rock salt only finer. Each horse gets it added to their feed. This is one of the ingredients of the 'emergency diet' that I had to put Cita on when she foundered. It has been so hot that I just keep adding it along with their other supplements. I have heard that a horse can OD on the iron in a red salt block, which is really bad for IR or Cushings horses. So, I try to only use the white or sulphur blocks and add minerals to the ones that need it.

[Mellifluous]

I have put my #50 salt block in a tub and filled it with water - give them some options. The salt block is holding its own, but I have noticed that my older ladies prefer to drink the salty water than lick/bite the block.

[Carol Nelson]

Ha...Mel...makes me remember the day I went to move my then yearling Pinto filly, Canela, from one pen to another. It had rained so the salt block holders were plugged and had a bit of water in the bottoms. Dumb me...I sat my cell phone on top the salt block so it wouldn't fall off my belt...figuring I could grab it quick after I let her into the pen. Well, sweet little Canela went directly to the salt block (Oooo...mom left something new here...) and knocked my cell phone into the water...man, that puppy fried like an egg in butter! :eek: ;-) :lol:

(I believe that one cost me $129 to replace... :roll: ;-) )

[Jaci]

Water softner salt should be pure salt. Some brands are formed into pellets but the most common is the rock salt variety. I have a softner and have bought salt for it for years and it has always just been plain salt.

The bag should list if it has any other ingredients... and if you aren't comfortable with that then you should be able to go to the makers web site and get a list of ingredients.

Jaci

[CarolU]

They also sell rock salt in the grocery store on the baking aisle. Lots of people use it for cooking roasts. It is food grade and very clean.

BTW - the water softener salt I was referring to is the stuff with rust preventatives in it. All others are fine.