My app. mare has anhidrosis, using ONE AC is there something better?

Question

She was sweating good, then we had a heatwave, she was nursing a 4mo. old colt and the barn mgr, failed to put a new mineral block out for her (went without for 4 days) as requested. Could these conditions have caused the problem? She along with my other 3 mares (they have no problem sweating) are PMU rescues from Canada.

Answer 1

They don't know for sure what causes it, but it could be related to thyroid insufficiency or a problem with the receptor cells of sweat glands that normally respond to nerve stimulation. I know that sometimes rescue horses are thyroid deficient since their diets lacked iodine needed by the thyroid to form hormones.  Just guessing, though. There isn't much other than fans and other cooling methods that help it....the electrolytes you are giving claim to help with the effects if you work your horse, and may have some advantage in maintaining the balance of body fluids.  If it was found that the horse is hypothyroid (low thyroid hormones), correcting that might help.  I don't know anything about the beer treatment....why only that brand??????????

What's wrong with Miller Genuine Draft or Corona????????

Thanks....any idea why it works?

ADD....does it start them sweating again?

Wow!   That's good to know.  Thanks.

Answer 2

Guinness beer.  One with each feeding in the morning and evening.  It is an old method and from my personal experience - the best method.

Edit:  The darker the beer the better - that is why most use Guinness.

It is not exactly known why it works - mostly because it is not know how Anhydrosis in horses work.  Some people think it is an issue with dopamine, some think it is an electrolyte/dietary issue, some suggest a possible thyroid problem.  Beer is an old remedy that still proves to work.  Coffee grounds can have some effect to, but beer works the best from what I have seen.  Why the dark beer works better, Guinness sells itself as having a higher alcohol content and more hops - maybe it has to do with that.  On the few horses I have seen with Anhydrosis, beer always works.

Oh yeah!  They start sweating all over.  Not in a bad way, but yes there is a drastic change.