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Hair loss after starting Grain Free
12 year old QH mare switched off of Triple Crown Maintenance feed to Alfalfa Pellets and Soybean Meal. Started ex
Exhibiting hair loss. No itchiness. Could this be the soybean meal?
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8 Replies
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@Doc-t she has been on the Alfalfa and Soy for about 4 weeks now.
Everything is great otherwise.
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@Olivia.THD Did you see the discussion here from @DinahC ?
Reply to Rounds With Doc T – Ask Doc T Anything – 2023, April 27th [Replay]
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Thanks for this interesting observation. I have not see any reaction to SBM like this. I also cannot get a reason for it, knowing what I know about SBM in horses.
It’s interesting to know that otherwise, she is doing well. It doesn’t appear allergic (itching, hives, etc.). So I really can’t advise you on this because there are so many variables. Please allow me to say something for all reading this about observations and drawing conclusions.
In science, the expression “Correlation does not equal causation” is a foundational tenet. The loss of hair is unexplained by all of what we know, but the one thing known that has changed in her life is the change in the diet, which is actually an unknown. Could it be the removal of inflammatory foods? Could it be the alfalfa (a legume)? Could it be the SBM (also a legume)? Or could it be a new batch of fly spray or other substance applied to the skin? Or a seasonal weed in the paddock that wasn’t there last year because she was turned out elsewhere?
Being a sharp detective is required, but usually many changes are found confusing and preventing a conclusion. This is why scientific testing was developed, but these controlled studies have their drawbacks too. Even when a tight experiment is run and the data reveals an apparent conclusion, there can be confounding factors not seen at first. This is what was discussed in my podcast #75 last week. Everyone thought mineral oil was a good placebo in a trial until they revisited the data and found it wasn’t.
So, Olivia, let us know what you discover as this progresses to resolution, or, if it gets worse, let us know if returning her to the previous diet correct things. I wish I could be of more help, but as always, we ALL are learning together. Thank you for trying this diet and coming here for help. All I can say is that since using SBM since 1973, I have not seen a skin reaction or hair loss within 4 weeks of feeding it.
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Could that possibly be from a blanket rub during shedding season? I find that my horses will lose their shedding hair much faster in certain spots where a blanket or a rider’s boot are causing friction, but once the rest of the horses gets around to shedding out all looks even again.
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@Olivia.THD – when you have a moment, please update us on the hair loss or if you change the diet again. @Kathy mentioned today that blanket rubbing is possible for your horse’s hair loss. Thoughts?
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Hey there! So as far as the hair loss goes it did remedy but unfortunately this was not my own horse but one at the barn I board at. Daisy is her name.
The hair loss remedied before she removed the Soybean meal. I am chalking it up to a poisonous weed
She ended up removing soybean meal after having a bad ride and doing a quick Google search but keeping the alfalfa pellets.. the mare looks great- much better than when on the old program.
She treated daisy for ulcers for only 7 days in which the behavior that she correlated to the soybean meal remedied and then after the ulcer treatment was stopped (Much too soon) the behavior returned in full force. I do think this horse has had gastric ulcers for a long time based on observed behavior.. we are doing a full 28 day treatment of ulcers with a taper dose. No grain, no soy but hopefully we can bring her back into it as it was just a poor coincidence that the soy was introduced. There where a lot of other variables involved and the gastric ulcers likely where due to the decrease in provided hay.
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Thanks for this update.
There is an expression: Correlation does not equal causation. Unfortunately, many people, including scientists, confuse what they see with what they believe is truth. This occurs in life, as seen in any courtroom drama. Unfortunately, horses bear the brunt of our mistakes. Humans know what they know, and in my blog (and podcast), I describe their “cognitive laziness.” It takes effort to dig deep to find the truth; however, assigning blame to soybean meal or treating undiagnosed gastric ulcers is easier.
And it won’t change in our lifetime. Brace yourself, as “cognitive laziness” will become evident again during the next election cycle. In fact, I think it is becoming worse. I am learning that not all horse owners want to help their horses.
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