Re: RC: Washy Horse

[Sarah Ralston <ralston@AESOP.RUTGERS.EDU>]

>Date: Fri, 08 Sep 2000 16:16:27 -0400
>>Just curious, at what glucose level would a horse be considered borderline 
>>shocky?
>>
>>40?  50?
>
Depends on the horse and how fast it dropped. Probably below 50 in a fast
drop,
30-40 in a slow drop, based on some insulin studies in ponies. 

No one has done intensive insulin studies in horses to my knowledge, except
at 
racetracks and high level show barns where some unscrupulous trainers/
owners used to use insulin overdoses to kill horses for 
insurance-and they for sure weren't measuring glucose levels as the horses
went down in shock. I'm
sure Tom has heard of that trick. Luckily a couple of the perpetrators were
caught in NJ about 15-20 yrs ago because they used bovine insulin-and the vet
was smart enough to have taken a blood sample and have the insulin in it
typed. 
As far as I know, that stopped the practice....
I am hoping to do some controlled insulin studies (no-I won't let the horses
go into shock-will have the glucose ready to flow) as soon as I get funding-
may have some answers for you then.
Sarah and Fling (Don't you dare use me in that study, Mom!)