Facts about Intestinal colic
Colic in babies can be something that just relegated as part of the development process and the hardships of child caring; but in horses, it is a different thing. Colic in horses is an emergency case. In fact, this is one of the worst nightmares of horse lovers and horse owners. This is because despite treatment, most horses will not get better, especially those who do not respond to therapy so well.
Colic is a term used to refer to abdominal pain that results from problems in the digestive organs and system. Often, colic is caused by obstructions and impactions in organs such as liver, intestines, bladder, uterus, ovaries and kidneys. Colic can also be associated with the stimulation of the nerve endings within the intestinal walls.
Other sources of pain are distentions in bowel movements. Intestinal colic may also be the result of inflammations in some parts of the body, impactions and twistings. It may also arise from rectal problems brought on by trauma in breeding in mares, manipulation of the rectum as well as some neurologic disease. Strangulations caused by lipoma may also cause intestinal colic.
The gastro-intestinal tract is made up of a series of parts appended in one long tube. The esophagus itself, where the food starts to go down, is three feet long. This empties to the stomach and then to the small intestine, which is 72 feet long. This may seem quite long when you imagine it inside the body of a horse; it does not extend straight out but are placed in stacks with twists and turns. This is perhaps the reason why problems in the intestine are so common in horses. Unlike in humans, horses have narrower tubes, which make it more likely for them to develop obstructions and impactions in these areas.
And because they have no way of relieving the pressures in their stomach and abdomen such as with vomiting, their pain tends to build up until, the pain is just too much for them to bear. Problems in small intestines tend to be more common in the southeast parts of the country than the other areas. Often, this is the consequence of feeding horses with Bermuda grass hay that is most common in those parts.
Some of those affected may respond to therapy. They are given conservative therapy as treatment. Others, whose cases are more severe, may need surgical interventions to treat their problems. The challenge for doctors is to know the difference between those who needs interventions and those who need surgery.
Often, severe cases wherein obstructions cannot be removed without the help of a surgeon’s hands will have to undergo surgeries. Examples of these cases are those that have displacement or torsions in various parts of the intestines and those with small incarcerations in the intestines.
Below are some signs that surgery is already needed to treat intestinal colic: severe pain in the abdominal areas, rectal remains that are not normally seen, and long durations of painful episodes despite medical therapy.
Surgeries done to treat intestinal colic may be categorized as complicated or uncomplicated, depending on the severity of the problem and how the body responds to other means of treatment. If for instance, the bowel has adequate blood supply, the problem can be corrected without going through a complicated process. Otherwise, segments will have to removed and examined.
To Bran Mash Or Not To Bran Mash
Bran mashes have traditionally been touted as being good for older horses to help them keep their weight on – the result of worn and aging teeth. Now, it seems that feeding bran mash may dangerous for your horse’s hooves. The long and short of the information is, do not feed bran if your horse has any hoof problems.
Oats or other grain brans contain phytate, which is high in phosphorus and will block absorption of calcium in the small intestine, producing a systemic calcium deficiency. Calcium is necessary for the strong bonding of keratinized cells to produce a strong hoof. But, what about the fact you were trying to regulate stool consistency? Try sugar beet pulp instead. If you are using bran to prevent sand colic, use psyllium. Really, to be blunt, you aren’t likely going to be feeding your horse so much bran mash that his hooves will be in trouble. Bran mashes are not usually the sole food given, they are used in combination with other forage and pellets. So if you do have hoof problems, what about using Biotin – a popular hoof growth supplement? Well, this is interesting, it seems research shows that if your horse has a normally functioning GI tract, a biotin supplement isn’t needed. And feeding more than the physiological amount of biotin does not improve hoof growth and strength. Ok fine, so what it the point? Point is instead of biotin or mash, feed loose salt, vitamin C, copper and zinc.
Be sure your horse has access to loose salt and not just salt blocks. On the other hand, horses fed a premixed feed often get adequate amounts of salt, so you won’t need loose salt. Copper and vitamin C are catalysts for forming healthy, connective hoof tissue. Make sure copper and vitamins are provided in adequate amounts. DL-methionine, praline, glycine and glutamic acid are major building blocks for healthy connective tissues.
Zinc is required for a healthy hoof. Without it, the hoof suffers parakaratosis, a defect in the maturation of keratin, leaving the hoof soft and structurally weak. Zinc and copper need to be in balance by the way. Bottom line? Don’t feed supplements just for the heck of it. Figure out if you really need them in the first place by talking to your Vet. And if you do, only start with one at a time so you can see if it is actually effective.
Does your horse need Horse Supplements?
Most people are fond of feeding their pets; some people know how to elaborate a very complex diet when choosing a Puppy Food. The horses are no exception when it comes to their feeding because every owner will try to conceive the best diet ever. He will try to sprinkle the horse diet with different types of supplements, herbs, minerals and other nutrients. But the owner should pay attention to the fact that every horse is able to run quite efficiently on its basic food, the food it has evolved on, namely the common grass. If a horse tends to gain weights quite quickly or is ridden in a light manner, grass pasture and even hay may be the perfect diet. The hay will contain all the necessary nutrients and the horse will not need Horse Supplements.
But if the horse is working hard or has difficulty when it comes t maintaining its proper weight, the diet should be chosen carefully. Grain, concentrates and other supplements are to be added to the regular diet in order to improve the animal’s health. Even the horse that is nursing a foal will be fed carefully but the owner should also pay attention to the possibility of over feeding his pet. This over feeding may occur if too many supplements and concentrates are added to the normal diet; over feeding can cause severe health problems such as abnormalities in the horse’s joints. Even the risk of colic is increased if the owner does not pay attention to the horse’s diet.
The mineral deficiencies are not a singular case when it comes to horses. In fact, this type of deficiency is quite common among horses. The good quality pasture or hay should provide the horse with all the necessary minerals. But growing foals can require foe extra diet measures such as the Horse Supplements that contain extra calcium and even a small amount of phosphorus. Selenium is another mineral that can be missing from the horse’s diet; a salt block that was enriched with selenium is to be added to the regular diet. But this nutrient has to be added in a careful manner because over supplementation can be very dangerous for the horse’s health. The veterinarian should be asked for advice in order to find out whether selenium is to be added or not.
Even the vitamin deficiencies are likely to occur but this is quite rare when it comes to horses. Other pets, such as dogs, may actually require extra doses of vitamins. For instance, a puppy may need Puppy Food that is enriched with all the nutrients that are highly necessary for its proper growth. But the horses are in a special position because their digestive system is able to produce all the vitamins that are need. The owner can also choose to add biotin to the regular horse diet in order to improve its growth or thickness; but he should not forget about the common hay and grass that will contain a large amount of nutrients.
The horse must have easy access to salt; even some Horse Supplements or concentrates are likely to contain this nutrient and they are to be chosen in order to provide the horse with the necessary amount of salt. The supplements that are rich in salt are to be preferred instead of the common block of salt. This block can actually get very dirty and the horse will refuse to eat salt that has grit in it. Even some herbal supplements can be added because this type of supplements is able to calm the horse. They are also promoting a hoof growth and the coughs and colic will be alleviated. The color of the horse and its coat condition will be improved as well. The weight gain will be promoted and the overall health and condition will be increased. The horse’s joints will be protected by these herbal supplements and healing will be promoted as well. Actually, these herbal supplements are quite popular among the horse owners and several reports have been made in order to emphasize the importance of these supplements.
But the veterinarian should always be asked for advice in order to make important changes in your horse’s diet; the nutritionist should be asked for advice too in order to avoid over feeding or dosing. Many drugs and supplements can become dangerous if the owner does not pay attention to the required dose. Research is to be done is order to find out more about the supplements that are proper four your horse and no such supplements are to be taken without having a prescription or the specialist’s advice. Therefore, the veterinarian remains your best guide ever.