MSM Side Effects?

[Eventaholic]

Has anyone had any side effects when starting their horse on MSM? We recently started Moo on MSM hoping to help her headshaking syndrome. Her manure has been fairly watery for the past couple of days since starting the MSM, and she at least seems a bit more jittery than usual (although she IS a TB mare, so who knows). We're heading into what is supposed to be a pretty long stretch of fairly hot weather- about 90+ degrees every day, a big jump from the super rainy 60 degree weather we've been experiencing for the past month. (Anyone else in New England miss the sun?) So I'm a little concerned that if she keeps up the loose manure plus hot weather she might get dehydrated. She is still in the first week receiving a slightly higher dose, as recommended by the packaging- should we drop her down to the "maintenance" dose a few days early?

[ImJumpin]

One that I've heard of and did experience with my horse was spookiness. A horse that never reacted at everything thought his shadow was out to get him. Stopped the MSM and he returned to his normal self.

[Huntertwo]

I have my mare on MSM (double dose) and have not noticed anything in the way of spookiness. Manure is normal also.

And YES, I'm in NE also and miss the sun...Starting to forget what it looks like. :no:

[ryansgirl]

My 29-year old has been on it for a very long time - he's never acted any different (he's a TB too :D) other than being more comfortable. :)

[Flipper]

Well, you've got me thinking, now.... I started my draft cross (who's normally fairly spooky) on msm @ 6 weeks ago, for his lameness issue. Since then, he's been much more reactive (jumpy); I've just been blaming it on the fact that his workload's been cut way back, and he's still getting grain (though it's about 1/3 of his normal ration). Maybe it's the msm.... I think I"ll try taking him off it & see what happens.
Yes, I think I remember what sun is... it's been so long since I've seen it.:cry:

[Eventaholic]

Flipper, I'm also in western MA and it's TRYING! I can aaaaalmost see it! Tomorrow 85 and sunny!

Today manure was normal (day 5), and she was a liiiittle "eeeeh gasp!" but then she also isn't a fan of the "rain" (it's really not raining, it's just pretending that it is). I'm going to try to keep her on it for several weeks so she can have a chance to adjust and I can see if it affects the headshaking.

[JumpWithPanache]

I had mine on it for about four months as a joint maintenance. Mare is usually looky, but had gotten past the "OMG... jump sideways" baby reactions. With MSM her spookiness and general personality got hotter. Took her off of it and she's back to the usual look but not react self. She's a Selle Francais for reference sake, and a real light weight (half a horse dose is more than enough sedative for stitches).

[buck22]

my older mustang becomes a real jerk on msm, crabby, snotty, belligerent... just a real jerk. I stop the msm and he immediately goes back to being sweet. If he were a slightly spooky horse he'd probably be moreso on msm too.

I thought I missed the sun, then it peeked out for 10 minutes while I was riding and nearly burned my reatnas out :lol: apparently I've forgotten what it looks like :D

[EqTrainer]

Some horses are withdrawn when they don't feel good. Put them on something that makes them feel better and you get a different horse. Sometimes you don't like that horse nearly as much as you liked the other horse :winkgrin: food for thought!

[Mimi La Rue]

I purchased a horse about 3 months ago and put him on SmartRepair (it has MSM in it) about 2 weeks after I got him. About a month ago he became extremely looky and spooked at stupid stuff. I wonder if it could be the MSM? I will take him off it and see if the normal calm horse who didn't bat an eye at anything returns. Do you know how long it takes for the MSM to get out of their system?

[Nes]

The one thing I did find with MSM is that it can make them pee FOUNTAINS (and sometimes very smelly). I noticed this in two different horses, in the same barn.

[nickydoms]

My understanding of MSM is to promote healthy development overall. Especially beneficial to bone & joint. Was a B-1 supplement recommended rather than MSM for the head shakes?

[Eventaholic]

Vet very clearly said MSM, although I have used B1 on my former TB mare and was very happy with the results. B1 had not been suggested by anyone for the head shaking as of yet- her triggers seem to be more sunlight/allergen related, not so much stress related.

[BarbB]

Some horses are withdrawn when they don't feel good. Put them on something that makes them feel better and you get a different horse. Sometimes you don't like that horse nearly as much as you liked the other horse :winkgrin: food for thought!

Exactly. My older mare has been on MSM for about a month now. She is always spooky, spooks are bigger, bucks are bigger (fortunately not under saddle) trot is loftier, "aren't I cute?" attitude is in full force.
This mare was a rescue and everytime I fix something and relieve some pain she lets me know she feels better. But she also gets more trainable because she is not worried about hurting.

There is a reason so many cheap sale horses are skinny and not on any supplements.

[Flipper]

With my horse I think there's a very fine line between feeling better on MSM & jumping out of his skin (no, really!) every time a bird chirps - like he's had a bit too much caffeine.... Maybe if the sun comes out & it's 85 & humid like they promise, instead of this spooky, freaky, windy, showery crap, & if I stop the MSM, maybe he'll be able to relax (& me too!).

[lstevenson]

I wonder why MSM would make a horse spooky? :confused:

[Dan]

Our vet said that MSM is something you should only have to supplement in the winter months. The grass changes so that you do not need it in the spring and summer.

Dan

[dbadaro]

i had my horse on msm until recently. he wasn't any spookier than before.

if you're worried about her losing water-can you get her an electrolyte?

[acoustic]

I've heard that MSM can irritate ulcers. Anyone know?

[purplnurpl]

I've heard that MSM can irritate ulcers. Anyone know?

I heard the exact opposite! :lol:

[2DogsFarm]

I've had my 2 - 27yo TB and 16yo TWH - on MSM for about 2 years now.
Started as a joint supplement for the TB and for respiratory issues in the TWH.

Neither has had any noticeable change in temperament, but I have noticed the TB peeing up a storm. At his age I'm happy to see healthy kidney function.

[acoustic]

I heard the exact opposite! :lol:

I know! I just googled it and it appears to be more helpful than harmful. Darn those crazy western ridin' folk that tried to convince me that it is evil, lol.

Ah well, good to know either way, no matter how misled I previously was.

[ImJumpin]

I wonder why MSM would make a horse spooky? :confused:

Not certain, but one possible explaination-- Sulfur (essentially what you are getting from MSM) is a calcium receptor antagonist (it blocks calcium from being absorbed). Calcium levels can influence anxiety in humans. Perhaps a similar reaction in some horses-- explaining why they aren't all spooky on MSM, only certain ones.

I assure you that the increased levels of spookiness in my horse's case was not due to the fat he was feeling better. He has spunk, but that is MUCH different from spookiness. The same horse on banamine or bute on occasions where he had been worked hard, etc never got spooky.

[sid]

I've had all my horses on it daily -- many from a few weeks of age. About 8 of them are now between 16 and 19 years old. So that's a long time - no problems. In fact, if there was only one supplement available to me, it would be MSM. (above glucosamine/chondroitan even).

Some MSM products may contain fillers -- could that be the problem some people say they have? I use Vita Flex MSM (pure).

[Oakstable]

Sid,
What do you use MSM for?

Have you tried dropping it and noticed changes?

[Buffyblue]

I had 4 older horses I put on it and had a bad reaction in one of the four - she dropped a ton of weight really quickly and was very jumpy. My vet had me take all of them off it . I haven't used it since on any other horses.

[austin]

I took MSM and it helped my knee pain but made me so aggitated I had to stop taking it.

[Equilibrium]

I have a headshaker on MSM and it has done wonders for her. And this is a filly we have always had to watch with regards to stupid behavoir. And I'm not getting anything reactive out of her at all which is a miracle.

But I have 2 others on it for arthritis. A 14yo ex-chaser and a 12 yo broodmare. I use it with other things and I guess you could say they're a little reactive. A little spooky at certain things, but not something that affects my life or theirs. But as I got them in later years, I couldn't tell you what they were like before. What I do know is they are healthy, sound, and happy so a little spookiness really doesn't bother me.

Terri

[Fantastic]

There are 22 horses here (all ages - foals to old broodies, and many riding horses in between), and they are all on MSM. Not one of them has any negative reaction to it. One FEI horse can have smelly poo, but the current brand I use doesn't seem to be a problem. Fellow breeder friends and I feed it to our young growing stock to promote healthy tissue, and I am talking from foals on up. Riding horses receive larger amounts of MSM for it's anti-infamitory properties.

[Oakstable]

I wonder if the horses who get jumpy are on the cheaper MSMs that have fillers.

A friend of mine uses MSM for her arthritic knees and swears by it. She lives in SF and used mass transit, and sitting for any time at all was agony.

She buys the pure stuff through me from Dynamite.

[sid]

Oakstable -- I start all my babies on it to help prevent physitis, for working horses and elderly horses for its natural anti-inflammatory properties.

My gosh -- I started using it back in '87 for a VERY arthritic former schoolie/competitor (jumper) I had bought for my then husband. I thought the horse was 18 -- turns out he was, as my dentist said, at least 28! Frankly, he was more likely in his 30's. His front teeth were pretty much worn down.

There was a remarkable difference using MSM for a horse who could not be shod comfortably without bute. Within a year, he was moveing like a 3 year old. He lived until his 40's - MSM every day -- and never needed bute.

[Eventaholic]

Oakstable- I'm using Vita Flex, which is supposed to be 99.8% pure. Although I still can't decide if she really is any jumpier than usual, or if there are other factors involved.

For those of you who use MSM for headshaking, how quickly did you notice a difference? What symptoms exactly did you see disappear?

[BarbB]

I wonder if the horses who get jumpy are on the cheaper MSMs that have fillers.

A friend of mine uses MSM for her arthritic knees and swears by it. She lives in SF and used mass transit, and sitting for any time at all was agony.

She buys the pure stuff through me from Dynamite.

I use it on myself and my mare and I buy the pure stuff, either powder or crystals. I had never noticed before, but there are a lot of MSM products that are in alfalfa or flax or rice bran. I would think that those should not affect the spookiness factor, but there could easily be other things mixed in that could.
I think I will stick to the plain stuff.

[Flipper]

I wonder if the horses who get jumpy are on the cheaper MSMs that have fillers.



My jumpy guy has been on vita-flex. I took him off it 2 days ago. Yesterday, he was still jumpy for the farrier, but better under saddle. I'm wondering how long it would take to get out of the system... any guesses?

[Buffyblue]

Mine were on Vita-Flex too.

[Equilibrium]

Oakstable- I'm using Vita Flex, which is supposed to be 99.8% pure. Although I still can't decide if she really is any jumpier than usual, or if there are other factors involved.

For those of you who use MSM for headshaking, how quickly did you notice a difference? What symptoms exactly did you see disappear?

My filly starts in the spring and I immediately know as she starts having problems eating out of a metal feed pot after being out all day. Start on the MSM, put feed pot on ground - it helps have no clue why. Also she has a white blaze and pink nose so she gets sunblock every day which also helps. I've never had issues with her under saddle, but I ride very early in the morning. But usually within a week, her symptoms start to minimize. We are in full summer now and she's been brilliant. Oh and if your horse is grazing in a bunch of buttercups, this can really cause some problems. Same as if Rape Seed grows around you.

Terri

[fooler]

We had some 10 horses on MSM at my old barn with no problems. Then I started giving my then 13 Yr TB Mare MSM when we made the move to Prelim, becuase of the increased work load. I took her off of MSM in roughly 2 months as her:
Stomach was gurgling all of the time
She had constant gas
Loose manure
Finally she stopped eating - once we gave her feed without MSM she ate. Now I check the joint supplements to avoid MSM.

Made sense to me as MSM is sulpher and I eventually developed an allergy to Sulpher after taking it for many years for ear infections (long story). The last time I took sulpher I developed mouth ulcers after the 2nd pill, not to mention the upset stomach.

Up until this thread, my mare is the only horse I knew of to have a true physical adverse reaction to MSM.