What Does Selenium Deficiency Look Like In Horses?

Signs of Selenium deficiency may include muscle disease and wasting (frequently perceived as weight loss), impaired movement or difficulty getting up, difficulty swallowing, coughing when eating, respiratory distress and impaired heart function.

How do I know if my horse is selenium deficient?

The signs associated with Selenium deficiency include poor coat and hoof quality, sore, achy muscles, poor performance and poor fertility.

What are the symptoms of low selenium?

Two conditions are associated with severe selenium deficiency: 1) Keshan disease, a type of cardiomyopathy, or disease of heart muscle, and 2) Kashin-Beck disease, a form of osteoarthritis. Symptoms: Nausea, vomiting. Headaches.

What does selenium toxicity look like in horses?

The chronic signs of selenium toxicity are characterized by hair loss of the mane and tail, cracking of the hooves, and often signs of lameness, excess salivation, and respiratory failure. Severe overdose of selenium can lead to death.

What causes selenium deficiency in horses?

Plants growing in acidic soils do not efficiently take up selenium from the soil, so areas that are acidic with low levels of selenium in the soil will produce forage even more deficient. The majority of the horse population in the U.S.does not receive adequate amounts of selenium from forage.

Does alfalfa hay contain selenium?

Field sampling of the alfalfa revealed a selenium gradient in the resulting hays (Table 2). Upper portions of the field produced the lowest concentrations of selenium (0.19-2.5 ppm), whereas the flat areas by the creeks yielded high se- lenium levels (19-58 ppm).

How do I add selenium to my horse’s diet?

Selenium (Se) is an antioxidant mineral that is necessary in the horse’s diet. Horses derive selenium by consuming hay or grasses that grow in soils that contain this trace mineral.

What is the best natural source of selenium?

Brazil nuts, seafoods, and organ meats are the richest food sources of selenium [1]. Other sources include muscle meats, cereals and other grains, and dairy products.

What are the initial symptoms of selenium toxicity?

Selenium toxicity can occur with acute or chronic ingestion of excess selenium. Symptoms of selenium toxicity include nausea; vomiting; nail discoloration, brittleness, and loss; hair loss; fatigue; irritability; and foul breath odor (often described as “garlic breath”). Selenium is found in the environment in soil.

What is the classic selenium deficiency disease?

Based on the above evidence, it was concluded that selenium deficiency is the major cause of Keshan disease, although other etiological factors could not be ruled out.

Is there selenium in hay?

These hays typically have a selenium level of 0.06-0.2 ppm. Using a hay lower in selenium can dilute the diet and reduce the total amount of selenium consumed daily, if it is not possible to switch entirely from the local grass hay you have.

How can I tell if my horse is deficient in a nutrient?

Symptoms of Vitamin Deficiencies in Horses

• Vision/eye changes – specifically reduced ability to see in dim or low light conditions, increased tearing, changes in clarity of the cornea.
• Immune system – increased sensitivity to pneumonia.
• Impaired reproduction.
• Increased appetite.
• Muscles – progressive weakness.
• Hoof changes.

What grains are high in selenium?

One cup of cooked long-grain brown rice will provide you with 19 mcg of selenium, or 27 percent of the recommended daily amount. Enjoy this grain with your favorite 3 oz portion of chicken or turkey to get up to 50 mcg of selenium — almost the entire recommended daily amount for adults.

What happens if a horse gets too much selenium?

Symptoms of too much selenium include gradual weight loss, a loss of hair from the mane and tail and a break in the hoof wall at the coronary band. The changes to the feet can cause a lameness similar to that seen with laminitis.

What plants are high in selenium?

Dietary sources
Plants that accumulate selenium include alfalfa, cruciferous species such as cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower, as well as yeasts. Most selenium in animal tissue is in the form of selenomethionine, which is primarily stored in the skeletal muscle.

How fast does selenium work horses?

Once a horse is severely deficient, achieving normal levels of selenium through diet alone can take several weeks. As the muscular system is highly solicited in the athletic horse, selenium deficiency has a direct impact on performance.

What foods should be avoided with selenium?

Medications that slow blood clotting (Anticoagulant / Antiplatelet drugs) interacts with SELENIUM. Selenium might slow blood clotting. Taking selenium along with medications that also slow blood clotting might increase the risk of bruising and bleeding.

How long does it take for selenium to work?

How long does it take for your body to digest/absorb selenium? Some sources indicate that your body can absorb up to 89% of the selenium you consume. Most of this absorption occurs within the first 24 hours after ingestion.

Where is selenium deficiency most common?

Some areas of the United States have more selenium-rich soil than others, but Europe tends to have lower selenium levels than America. Low soil selenium, and therefore a higher chance of deficiency, is more common in Eastern Europe, China, and New Zealand (Shreenath, 2019).

Are eggs a good source of selenium?

One large egg can add about 28% of your daily selenium requirement. Most of this content is concentrated in the egg’s yolk. However, the egg whites have about 9 micrograms of selenium, which is a great option for people watching their cholesterol intake.

What fruit is highest in selenium?

More Selenium-Rich Fruits
White grapefruit is relatively high in selenium, as compared to other fruits. Half a white grapefruit, which weighs about four ounces, provides 1.7 micrograms of selenium.