Question

I have had my horse on Nano-E for about three years. I started after she was diagnosed with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM). Her annual blood tests are great! About a month ago when she decided she no longer liked Nano-E top-dressed on her feed, I began to give it to her orally with a syringe. I will be going out of town for six days. Can I stop the Nano-E, or must I ask her caretakers to administer it? If I can stop it, do I give her more when I return? And if so, how much for how long?

Answer

We are happy to hear that you have had success with Nano-E. A short-term pause in supplementation should be fine, although not ideal with a medical condition like EPM. Is your mare grazing on fresh pasture? If she is, pasture will supply some natural vitamin E during that time.

Generally, vitamin E can be stored in the body for a few months, so six days without would not typically be of concern, but blood levels can drop rapidly once supplementation ends. You may consider trying a reduced amount of Nano-E while you’re gone, as much as she will tolerate in her feed.

If you do end up completely pausing supplementation, we would suggest a loading dose for a few days on return. You’re currently providing 2,000-2,500 IU/day so you could bump this up to 3,000-5,000 IU/day (12-20 mL) for a few days. If she is on pasture for at least six hours daily or tolerates at least half her current dose while you’re gone, this is not necessary.

If her EPM is stable, pausing supplementation would likely be insignificant, but if she is still struggling or currently experiencing a flare-up, we would recommend having her caretakers continue supplementation.