Horse Health
(Excerpts of this article have been published prior in Hawaii Horse Journal, Natural Horse Magazine, and Equine Wellness)
Although many people in the horse world are beginning use the term “pro-biotic” in regards to their horses gut health, and more are becoming familiar with the benefits of “probiotics” for themselves due to the Activia commercials in regards to regularity, there are many varieties, not all human probiotics are horse friendly. However, what many may not realize is the major role these live beneficial organisms play in their horse’s health, besides keeping their horses guts healthy and moving, including the addition of pro-biotics and pre-biotics, along with live beneficial bacteria from yeast cultures (which are the most common) to their bucket feed.
Pro-biotics boost our horse’s immune health, prevent some forms of colic, and may help our horses steer clear of equine ulcers by keeping the bacteria in balance as well as help to prevent some laminitic episodes. Pre-biotics help in the beginning process of digestion to break down the hay as it passes through the stomach forward, while probiotics also help boost the immune system.
What most do not realize is that for horses who are sensitive, including Insulin Resistant, Cushing’s Positive or who are laminitic prone from rich green grasses, Probiotics and Digestive Enzymes may be able to help maintain gut health and thereby hoof health as well! If fed in advance and on a regular basis a horse owner may be able to prevent spring time laminitis in their sensitive horses if they were to eat too much of a good thing!
Did you ever wonder why so many horses become laminitic in the spring and fall? I have, and over the course of the last 10 years or so, it brought about more questions as well.
One of the leading causes of laminitis in the spring is the rich green grasses, and the reason that is so for many horses is because they have unhealthy guts and cannot properly digest the grasses or the sugar they contain they may be turned out on, which then leads to a proliferation of bad bacteria, a die off of the good in the gut and subsequent laminitis from the imbalance.
In the spring horse owner’s typically worm and vaccinate their horses, because “they always have”. These practices are now coming under suspicion in sensitive horses as being one of the causes of laminitis and colic during the spring and fall months. (More on this later in the article.) When we chemically worm, and then vaccinate on top of that it totally upsets the entire digestive tract of the horse, then we may turn them out for a treat on some lush pasture, for a triple whammy, then they come up lame, and laminitis may set in….. one of the most dreaded things that could happen to one of our horses!
In fact, in her book, Equine Supplements and Nutraceuticals, Dr.Eleanor Kellon, DVM, states “Pro-biotics improve digestion, protect against dangerous bacteria such as salmonella, and reduce gas accumulation.”
These mighty microbes are definitely worth a closer look so jump on-board while we take a trip into the world of pro-biotic “bugs” -- beneficial microorganisms…that is…..
Digestive systems and good gut bacteria –working together for health
To fully appreciate beneficial bugs, it’s important to have a basic understanding of the role they play in the equine digestive system.
When a horse starts grinding food with his teeth, his mouth releases enzymes, and thus begins that mouthful’s approximately 100-foot journey through the digestive tract. The food mixes with digestive juices as it enters the stomach where digestive enzymes and billions of microbials begin their work. Although a horse’s stomach is relatively small compared to its size, it is tasked with initiating the breakdown of nutrients using digestive enzymes and stomach acids; very little absorption takes place there.
Instead, soluble carbohydrates, along with minerals, fats and proteins, are absorbed in the small intestine. Insoluble carbohydrates that are not so easily digested, as well as any undigested soluble carbohydrates, then pass to the cecum, the “fermentative vat”, before moving into the large intestine. A variety of live microbials in the cecum break down the remaining nutrients into a viable usable form -- absorbable volatile fatty acids which the horse uses for energy and nutrients.
Without a strong army of beneficial intestinal bacteria, the food moving through the digestive tract is not “fermented” properly, and some remains undigested. When it hits the gastro-intestinal tract, this undigested food may lead to colic, bloat, or laminitis and increase the possibility of developing food-related allergic conditions.
The Good, Bad and Neutral?
Although people often think in negative terms when they hear the word “bacteria”, in reality there are three kinds of bacterial micro-organisms -- “good” (beneficial), “neutral” and “bad” (i.e. E. Coli, salmonella. et al).. Horses need a balance between these, thankfully only a few of the “bad” lactic acid-producing bacteria are needed to keep the good and neutral in check. As long as the balance of good, neutral and bad bacteria remains constant and the gastro-intestinal tract is stable, the horse stays healthy.
However, when the delicate balance is upset, the horse may not be able to properly digest or assimilate the nutrients he needs from his food. This can manifest itself as a dull coat, skin conditions, allergies, inability to maintain weight, slow hoof growth, sore feet, or other medical conditions including intermittent diarrhea, and in the spring laminitis.
Imbalance-tipping the scales
The population of beneficial live micro-organisms in the cecum remains relatively “stable” under normal conditions. As long as a horse is never stressed, never needs to be chemically wormed, is never vaccinated, never has a change in feed, and never needs antibiotics, then the balance should remain unaltered.. However, as we all know, our horses do experience stressful events, may need antibiotics or worming on occasion, and do have feed changes with the seasons and each load of hay.
Some of the most common causes of digestive disturbances in horses include:
• stress brought on by sudden changes in food, unseasonable weather conditions, moving, travel, competition, training and showing.
• Rich green spring grasses
• chemical worming
• parasitic infestations
• vaccines
• viruses
• fevers
• antibiotics
• breeding season, pregnancy, foaling, and weaning -- both for mare and foal.
Another far too common source of digestive disturbance is starch and/or sugar overload. Grazing on rich spring grass or eating a diet too high in sugars can disrupt beneficial microbials, causing partial die-off. This raises the acidity in the gut, changing the natural pH balance, resulting in massive destruction of the normal micro-flora. Recent laminitis studies have indicated the toxins caused by this die-off can lead to laminitis and overall general inflammation in the horse’s body which can show up as unspecific soreness.
Unfortunately, the micro flora/microbial balance in a horse can be upset much faster than it can be restored. The effect may not show up immediately, but a horse's beneficial intestinal bacteria can be depleted or destroyed and the pH of this environment severely altered during digestive upset.
Therefore, it’s wise to be pro-active by reducing stressors, when possible and supplementing with pro-biotics and digestive enzymes during at-risk times or after chemical worming, vaccinations, or changes in feed stuff. Some people feed pro-biotics daily as a preventative and for their immune boosting effects, some feed it only after chemical wormers or vaccines for up to a month’s time to replace the good bacteria killed off by the chemicals, others feed it for one week each month to make sure their horses always have added support. It all depends on the horse and the situation. I feed it to my horses every day!
Spring and Fall Laminitis
For quite some time now, way over 10 years, I have had occasion to notice that my phone rings more often with calls from people who have laminitic horses in the Spring and Fall, so my first question is when did you last vaccinate and last chemically worm, and the most common response is within the past two weeks, and usually together! I suspect that these poor horses just got hit too hard with chemicals and their guts were not healthy enough to withstand the double hit. Many in the mid-west and the east vaccinate two times per year, when horses really do not need to be vaccinated that often. Blood titers can be pulled and it can be determined if they actually need any vaccines at all! In regards to chemical wormers, why not do fecal counts first and see if your horse even needs a chemical wormer before one is given, then you can also determine what kind by what shows up in the fecal counts!
Pro-biotics help prevent ulcers
During his presentation at the 2005 American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) Practice Management Seminar: Focus on Equine Colic, internationally recognized veterinarian Frank Andrews, DVM, MS, Diplomat ACVIM, discussed colonic ulcers in horses.
Dr. Andrews suggested we all consider implementing methods to decrease stress and to avoid the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). He also recognized pro-biotics and digestive aids as important tools in helping the many performance horses that may have colon pain.
Author Bio. Jessica Lynn is a writer and the owner of Earth Song Ranch, a licensed natural feed and supplement manufacturer based in Southern California. Jessica has been involved in alternative health care, homeopathy and nutrition for almost 45 years, using it for her family, including her kids, grandkids, horses, border collies and cats. She personally researches and formulates all of the Earth Song Ranch nutritional products including her high potency digestive enzymes and super strength horse friendly pro-biotic/prebiotic formulas.
Contact Jessica via e-mail at Jessica@earthsongranch.com or at 760-749-6377 (home office) or at 951-514-9700 (cell for emergencies) for more information or informative articles go to www.earthsongranch.com
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