Lactanase 10 gm/Scoop Dosages & Usages

In relation to horses, and performance horses in particular, the word “fatigue” is typically used to denote a horse’s inability to continue to perform at the desired level. This may manifest as slowing down, not being able to jump as high as is optimal for the individual horse or executing increasingly poor movements as a course or race progresses.

Fatigue is quite different from exhaustion in this context. Fatigue is a protective evolutionary device that is meant to prevent a horse from exercising to the point where it causes damage to its body.¹ A general rule of thumb is that the harder a horse works, the more quickly it is likely to fatigue. Since fatigue is protective, can be taken as a sign that the horse is struggling to maintain the intensity of exercise in which it is engaging. Once fatigue begins to set in, a rider has several options:

• Decrease the pace and continue exercising
• Rest the horse and resume exercise at the same pace
• Stop exercising
• Push the horse to continue at its current pace

The latter, of course, would be seen as the least prudent measure if concern for the long-term well-being of the animal is considered. Due to the changes that come about with the onset of fatigue (i.e., a decrease in gait), there is an increased risk of injury as fatigue becomes more pronounced. For example, a fatigued horse may be more likely to stumble and suffer a tendon injury.¹ Horses that are pushed too far beyond the point of fatigue may also be at increased risk of developing other conditions after exercise, such as colic, tying-up, laminitis or heat exhaustion.

Recognizing Fatigue

The signs of fatigue in the horse can also vary according to breed and the activity at hand. In general, these signs can include:

• Slowed pace
• Inability to increase speed
• Decreased responsiveness
• Diminished coordination (stumbling, loss of balance)
• Increased frequency of brushing or over-reaching
• Augmented vertical motion
• Augmented frequency of changes in lead in canter and gallop
• Increased head and neck movement
• Harder breathing
• Hitting obstacles
• Inability to perform specific movements

Since horses are considered “fight or flight” animals, the horse may be willing to go further than a human athlete in terms of combating fatigue. This is because during hard exercise, a horse’s adrenaline level is around 10 times higher than a human’s.² By design, adrenaline masks pain and allows a horse (or a human) to push itself harder than may be beneficial to its welfare. For this reason, it is important that the signs of fatigue are recognized and that riders know how to delay its onset.

In performance horses, fatigue may occur during specific movements. For example, a horse who’s limbs initially achieve a good height in the piaffe, but gradually becomes lower and lower is probably fatiguing. Alternatively, a horse that achieves a 9 for extended trot at the start of a test but only 6 for the same movement later in the test, may do so because of the development of fatigue.³ In showjumping, many horses begin to develop some degree of fatigue by the end of a round. This is because the muscles need a certain amount of time to recover between jumping efforts.² The higher the jumps and the shorter the distance between them, the sooner fatigue will start to occur.

In endurance trials, fatigue may take many hours to develop and is likely to be due to depletion of glycogen, electrolyte loss, dehydration and a component of central nervous system fatigue. Fatigue in eventing during the cross-country phase may be the most complex to try and understand. A prolonged period of cantering, slowing down for jumps, accelerating after jumps, the jumping efforts themselves, hills, turns and water all make the effort highly variable.³

The Mechanics of Fatigue

Biomechanically, fatigue occurs either in the central nervous system (Central fatigue) or the peripheral nervous system (Peripheral fatigue) or both. Most commonly, fatigue begins in the muscles. In the latter case, the brain sends signals for what needs to happen, but the muscles cannot deliver.² It is important to bear in mind when considering this dynamic that there are other muscles in exercise other than the muscles involved in running and jumping. Fatigue of muscles in the airway can also result in a reduced capacity for exercise.

What brings peripheral fatigue about (biochemically) involves depletion of glycogen, accumulation of metabolic end-products and lactic acid, increasing calcium imbalance and a disruption to electrolyte balance. The main cause of peripheral fatigue is the failure of ATP to resynthesize in addition to accumulation of inorganic phosphate ions and ADP. This means the metabolism of the muscle is abnormal and therefore causes metabolic discrepancies. Central fatigue is mainly caused by a pathology involving the motor neurons of the body, causing them work inefficiently.³

What Brings Fatigue About?

Several factors can influence how hard a horse exerts itself during exercise. Among these are the horse’s natural athletic ability and fitness, the speed, intensity and duration of the exercise; the horse’s age, health and body condition, environmental conditions, terrain and the pattern of exercise. Here, one of the most critical factors is fitness.^1,3 As a horse becomes more physically fit, it becomes more resistant to fatigue. It can still occur, but the horse will be able to exercise for longer before the onset of fatigue. Training is also thought to be associated with a higher capacity to tolerate pain or discomfort. Horses are also likely to fatigue earlier, for example, if they are exercising on soft ground compared and or over hilly terrain. Rapid changes in pace will also hasten the onset of fatigue.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Fatigue

Sometimes, fatigue is serious enough to warrant the attention of a veterinarian, who will initially collect a thorough history of the animal from the owner or manager, and will perform a complete physical exam. To properly diagnose a horse with fatigue, the veterinarian will probably run multiple tests, including metabolic screenings and blood work.

Since peripheral fatigue affects many metabolites, tests can show if the horse is experiencing the typical metabolic symptoms of fatigue. Typical test results of a horse suffering from fatigue may include abnormal ranges of glycogen levels, pH, creatine phosphate ratio and inorganic phosphate. The veterinarian may run serum tests to check the horse’s serum biomarkers which will include lymphocytes, lactate, ammonia, and oxidative damage.² The information relayed to the veterinary team, the examination, and the results of the horse’s lab work will give the information needed to make a proper diagnosis.

The results of diagnostic tests will determine the proper course of treatment. If there is an actual medical condition underlying the horse’s fatigue, then it should be treated accordingly. The veterinarian is also likely to review the nutritional needs of the horse with its owner to ensure they know how to keep him sufficiently hydrated when exercising.

During the course of giving the fatigued horse water for rehydration, studies have shown that a saline solution of 0.9% NaCl is advisable,³ as it allows the horse’s body to establish a higher plasma sodium concentration, facilitating a faster recovery of body weight. It is crucial to consult the veterinarian at the outset of assessing the horse suspected of suffering from fatigue. The source of the horse’s fatigue and proper treatment will determine the quality and speed of its recovery.

Lactanase Powder for Performance Horses

Many supplements for have been developed to counter and prevent the effects of fatigue in horses. To properly utilize energy anaerobically or aerobically, sufficient quantities of vitamins are required in the horse’s diet.

Lactanase is a horse supplement that was developed specifically to address the metabolic and energy needs of performance horses. Lactanase enables the release of energy from both carbohydrates and fats, which in turn helps to support optimal muscle function and metabolism in competition horses.

Lactanase’s active ingredients include

• Sodium Acetate 71.54 mg/mL
• Calcium Chloride 2.65 mg/mL
• Magnesium Chloride 2.84 mg/mL
• Potassium Chloride 4.46 mg/mL
• Dextrose 50 mg/mL

Suggested Dosing: 1 scoop blended thoroughly with feed.

Lactanase powder helps support optimal energy release and muscle function in all classes of horses, but is widely used for performance horses. Lactanase supplies nutrients important for the formation of acetyl coenzyme A in the horse's body (Acetyl coenzyme A is the gateway to the Krebs cycle, where the release of cellular energy takes place).

Lactanase has a supportive effect against muscle stiffness as a result of long periods in transportation. It also decreases the LDH factor, a muscle enzyme that is released when horses have to stand still for longer than a few hours after exertion. Thus, it is particularly useful during transportation. Lactanase has absolutely no stimulating or energizing effect, so there is no danger of disqualification when used in sanctioned events.

¹Marlin, D. Understanding and Recognising Fatigue in Horses. In: haygain.co.uk, 13 March, 2019.

²Aspen, C. How do you know when you’ve worked your horse too hard? In: Horse & Hound Ask The Vet (Spring 2012).

³What is Fatigue and Exercise? In: wagwalking.com., May 2018. https://wagwalking.com/horse/condition/fatigue-and-exercise

About NexGen Pharmaceuticals

NexGen Pharmaceuticals is an industry-leading veterinary compounding pharmacy, offering sterile and non-sterile compounding services nationwide. Unlike other veterinary compounding pharmacies, NexGen focuses on drugs that are difficult to find or are no longer available due to manufacturer discontinuance or have yet to be offered commercially for veterinary applications, but which still serve a critical need for our customers. We also specialize in wildlife pharmaceuticals, including sedatives and their antagonists, offering many unique options to serve a wide array of zoo animal and wildlife immobilization and anesthesia requirements.

Our pharmacists are also encouraged to develop strong working relationships with our veterinarians in order to better care for veterinary patients. Such relationships foster an ever-increasing knowledge base upon which pharmacists and veterinarians can draw, making both significantly more effective in their professional roles.

Disclaimer

The information contained in this blog post is general in nature and is intended for use as an informational aid. It does not cover all possible uses, actions, precautions, side effects, or interactions of the medications shown, nor is the information intended as medical advice or diagnosis for individual health problems or for making an evaluation as to the risks and benefits of using a particular medication. You should consult your veterinarian about diagnosis and treatment of any health problems. Information and statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration ("FDA"), nor has the FDA approved the medications to diagnose, cure or prevent disease. Medications compounded by NexGen Pharmaceuticals are prepared at the direction of a veterinarian. NexGen Pharmaceuticals compounded veterinary preparations are not intended for use in food and food-producing animals.

NexGen Pharmaceuticals, LLC does not recommend, endorse or make any representation about the efficacy, appropriateness or suitability of any specific dosing, products, procedures, treatments, services, opinions, veterinary care providers or other information that may be contained in this blog post. NEXGEN PHARMACEUTICALS, LLC IS NOT RESPONSIBLE NOR LIABLE FOR ANY ADVICE, COURSE OF TREATMENT, DIAGNOSIS OR ANY OTHER INFORMATION, SERVICES OR PRODUCTS THAT YOU OBTAIN THROUGH THIS BLOG POST.