RE: yellow snow...?

["Catherine Foster" <foster@unbc.ca>]

Hi there,

I understood that it was the amount of protein that the horses were
discharging through their urine.  When my horse's urine was that colour they
were generally on an alfalfa with a high protein content.  When my horses
are on grass hay their urine is a normal yellow colour.  We get -30 C here
and winter generally sets in the end of October until March/April.  I live
in northern BC.  I have a 100 gallon water tank with a de-icer plugged in
all the time so they always access to above freezing water.

Cathy (Come on Spring)

-----Original Message-----
From:	Robert Morris [mailto:bobmorris@rmci.net]
Sent:	Thursday, January 07, 1999 2:20 PM
To:	ridecamp@endurance.net; Cameron Wood
Subject:	Re: yellow snow...?

The color change occurs because of oxidation of the urine!

Bob Morris
Morris Endurance Enterprises
Boise, ID
-----Original Message-----
From: Cameron Wood <wood.cameron@acd.net>
To: ridecamp@endurance.net <ridecamp@endurance.net>
Date: Thursday, January 07, 1999 8:05 AM
Subject: yellow snow...?


>Hi group,
>     I wondered if any of you (especially in snowy areas) have had any
>experience with reddish-colored urine in the pasture. Lately I've been
>seeing "reddish-orange" patches in the snow along with the more normal
>yellow pee.   Anybody have a clue what's causing this, and if it's
>something I should be concerned about?  All my horses seem to be fine,
>eating & drinking normally & active. It's been very cold here, in the
>single digits with minus 15F windchills most days and colder at night.  My
>guys are on 24hr turnout (no barn, yet :-((  )  with a shelter large enough
>for all of them to share (which they do). They are all in good flesh right
>now & getting  extra timothy/alfalfa to help keep them warm.  I have not
>stood out in the cold long enough to watch them all urinate to see which
>horse is staining the snow orange, or even if the fresh urine is this color
>(would it turn orange later?)
>  I have asked my vet about this, she doesn't have an answer.  My neighbor
>is also seeing the same thing in her horse's pasture, and her horses seem
>fine too.   I am concerned that it's because of the severe weather.... that
>maybe one of my horses is burning muscle to stay warm and the reddish color
>is myoglobin in the urine....?  I have a hard keeper that isn't very cold
>tolerant and always needs extra care in the winter.  Any ideas? Thanks for
>your input.....
>
>Shannon LVT
>Laingsburg, Michigan
>
>