Colic or Ulcers?

Colic is a common concern for many horse owners and we are trained from an early age to recognize the signs. Gastric ulcers however can present similar symptoms as colic, but the problem occurs in an entirely different part of the digestive system. Not eating or drinking is a shared symptom of both colic and gastric ulcers but there are many other signs that are more unique to each problem.

Colic is a complication in the hindgut of the horse. The hindgut refers to the section of the digestive tract that includes the cecum, large colon, small colon and rectum. This section digests the forage that makes up the majority of the horse’s diet. A severe case of colic can result in a need for emergency surgery, so it is important to watch for those beginning signs to stop it when possible. Repeatedly lying down and getting back up, biting at abdomen, pawing, and lip curling are all warning signs of colic in the horse.

Gastric ulcers occur in the foregut of the horse, essentially the stomach. When your horse’s stomach is empty for periods of time the stomach lining becomes more susceptible to harsh gastric acids, which in turn can cause ulcers. Adding the stress of show, training, travel, etc. can irritate the stomach even more so with performance horses it is important to understand some warning signs. A lack of energy, dull hair coat, teeth grinding, weight loss, and agitation at feeding time can all be indicative of gastric ulcers. The only way to accurately diagnose an ulcer is from a veterinarian exam. 

Watch your horse closely for any signs of abdominal pain or any behavior that’s out of the norm, it may be a sign that something is wrong with the GI tract. As with humans, this system is often overlooked but is vital to proper health and development. Check with your veterinarian if you have questions!

                

How to Avoid Unwanted Behavior in Horses

Horses are naturally very social animals that live in herds and spend the majority of their time consuming small meals throughout the day.  Today, a lot of horses are confined to living in a stall with minimal pasture/social time and given large infrequent meals high in concentrates.  This type of modern management system does not allow the horse to express natural behavior like it normally would in more of a pasture-based system within a herd.  As a result, horses may develop unwanted behavior such as cribbing, weaving, stall/fence walking, separation anxiety, and even aggression.  There are four key areas to address when trying to avoid unwanted behavior in horses.

The first area to address is the amount of time your horse has outdoors.  This may sound simple and truthfully it is- horses need to spend as much time outside of their stall as possible.  Turnout time can include a pasture, dry lot, or exercise paddock.   If this time can include grazing that is ideal for your horse so that they can consume fresh forage which in return makes for a healthy digestive tract.

Next area to evaluate is how much time does your horse spend alone?  If your answer is all the time then you may have noticed that your horse is eager to be with other horses and may act out in certain situations.  Horses are naturally very social animals and want to be with other horses.  A herd size of 4-10 horses of the same sex works best (with the exception of stallions).  If your horse cannot be in a herd consider getting another animal as a companion such as a goat, donkey, or sheep.  Horses spend time establishing dominance and relationships so try to minimize introducing new horses frequently to the herd.

Another important area to consider is your horse’s diet.  Is your horse getting enough forage in its diet for its weight, age, and activity level?  Forage (pasture or hay) is the basis of a horse diet and when not given enough horses can start unwanted behavior such as cribbing and wind sucking.  Also, when forage is limited or large amounts of grain are fed horses are more likely to colic.  Horses need small frequent meals to mimic their natural behavior of grazing rather than a couple of large meals a day. 

Lastly, training can have a lasting effect on how your horse behaves.  Make sure that your horse is receiving the kind of training that allows the horse to rest, eat, and socialize.  Certain training methods can be abusive and pushy resulting in unwanted behavior.

Source: University of Minnesota Extension

Original Article: http://www.extension.umn.edu/agriculture/horse/care/horse-behavior-and-stable-vices/

Understanding Low Sugar Forages

Adapted from: Low Sugar Forages by Ron Genrick and Stephanie Valberg, Minnesota Extension

 

Sugars supply forages with energy required for re-growth, and are a nutritional component needed by both forages and horses. However, some horses, likes some humans, are sensitive to the sugar content of hay and pasture forages, which can lead to potential health problems.

These problems include: laminitis (founder), equine metabolic syndrome, Cushing's syndrome, or forms of tying-up. In general, horses with obesity, metabolic syndrome, Cushing's disease, and pasture-associated laminitis are unable to take up sugar in the form of glucose into their tissues because they have developed a diminished response to the hormone insulin ("insulin resistance"). Obese or fat horses, and horses over 15 years of age are more predisposed to insulin resistance. Because some forages can contain high sugar content, whether hay or pasture, they may be problematic for horses with these specific conditions. These sugars are in the form of fructans as well as simple sugars like glucose. When basic techniques were developed to analyze forages for "sugar", most did not distinguish between the proportions of fructan and simple sugar. The differences may be important for horses because glucose is absorbed in the small intestine and triggers an insulin response, whereas fructans are passed to the horses' hindgut and fermented without triggering insulin.

Diets high in simple sugars, and the type of starch found in grain, are not good for horses with insulin resistance as they result in very persistently high blood sugar. Horses with a predisposition to laminitis should not be fed forages high in fructans. This is because fermentation of fructans in the large intestines by microbes can upset the microbial balance, and makes the gut environment more acidic which releases toxins into the bloodstream which exacerbate laminitis. Unfortunately, there is no grass that is consistently low in sugar. Most cool-season grasses, like orchardgrass and fescue, can have high sugar content. Timothy and crested wheatgrass tend to be medium in sugar content, as are most warm season (native) grasses. Alfalfa hay/pasture is not the solution for horses that are sensitive to sugar content. Alfalfa tends to be higher in digestible energy, calories, and protein content than grass. More calories can result in weight gain, and high levels of protein can lead to glucose production in the liver.

Currently, it is thought that a safe sugar content for sensitive horses is 10% or less. Testing is a good starting point for determining sugar content in hay, but caution should be used to ensure that a representative sample is taken.

The below analyses can be very useful in helping to select a suitable feed for horses, especially those that show sensitivity to starch and sugar.

Non-fiber Carbohydrate (NFC): is a mathematical estimate of noncell wall (non-fiber) carbohydrates consisting of starch, sugar, pectin and fermentation acids that can serve as energy sources for the animal. Although not always perfect, the NFC value is often used as an indicator of the level of starches and sugar in a forage sample.

Non Structural Carbohydrates (NSC): an analysis of the non structural carbohydrates (starches and sugars) in the forage. Not to be confused with NFC, which is calculated, not actually analyzed for. Since some horses can be very sensitive to dietary starch and sugar (i.e. horses with Cushings Disease or laminitis), the NSC level can be helpful in selecting hay choices. Hay containing greater than 10% NSC should not be fed to these horses. Unfortunately, neither NFC nor NSC can give an exact measure of fructans, the complex sugar correlated with founder and other horse health issues.

Just looking at a forage sample or knowing the species will not give you an estimate of sugar content. As a last resort, up to 30% of the sugar content can be flushed from most grasses by soaking in water (60 minutes in cold water and 30 minutes in hot water). Care should be taken to ensure all soaked hay is eaten, as unconsumed damp hay will eventually mold.

Determining sugar levels in pastures is extremely difficult because of the many factors that must be considered. Currently, a hay feeding research project at the University of Minnesota is underway to better understand the role sugars play in sensitive horses. The feeding of insulin resistant horses can be very tricky, please consult your local extension agent for more information.

Hoof Abscesses

          One morning you head to the barn to feed and your favorite horse comes up three-legged lame.  I’m not talking a little limp but fully, hardly weight bearing lame!  He was perfectly fine and 100% sound just the evening before. One of my most embarrassing memories (yet most educational moments) was when I called the vet to the barn absolutely certain the mare I had just brought in had broken her hip during the night out in the pasture.  The vet watched her hop out of her stall, picked up her foot, dug around for about fifteen seconds and told me to pack her a few days.  And magically the mare (who I was adamant had a broken hip) was miraculously standing weight-bearing on that foot now! Lesson learned – always start examining a lame horse from the hoof up. 

           Hoof abscesses happen when bacteria becomes trapped in the sensitive hoof tissue and develops a build-up of infection that causes painful pressure against the solid hoof wall or sole. There are different ways this can occur:

•            Foreign matter such as gravel, dirt or even sand penetrates and travels through the sole-wall junction (the white line) or the sole of the foot
•       A deep sole bruise from stepping on a sharp object such as a stone or stick or glass
•          A horseshoe nail, often called a “hot”  or “close” nail, that is driven inside or close to the white line area of the hoof wall
•         Wet weather or wet dirty stalls that cause hoof walls to soften for bacteria to enter
•         Dry weather that create brittle feet that may crack
•           Untrimmed feet that have long toes or crushed heels that stress the white line area

      Initial signs of an abscess other than lameness include a pounding fetlock pulse, that foot being warmer than another, and even swelling in the pastern and fetlock area.  Using hoof testers, your veterinarian can usually locate the area of the abscess and open that area to allow just enough room for drainage and relieve the pressure. It is then important to encourage drainage of the infection and prevent any dirt or debris to enter the opened tract by keeping the foot wrapped with a medicated dressing such as Animalintex Poultice or a povidone pack with Epsom Salts.  Ichthammol or Magna Paste are other good products that can be used as drawing salves.  It is important to keep the hoof packed until the draining stops and the tract is dry to prevent further infection.  (Duct tape is a good choice to keep the hoof dry and the packing material in place.) On occasion, a stubborn abscess may require soaking in a mixture of warm water and Epsom salts to encourage drainage but that should be used only as necessary to prevent the hoof wall and sole from becoming too soft.

           

By the time a horse exhibits signs of an abscess, the infection has already developed and is sitting there festering. If left unattended, hoof abscesses can spread into other areas of the hoof such as the coffin bone or navicular area.  Very serious issues then quickly develop so it’s best to consult with your veterinarian even in the simplest of abscesses to avoid a more serious and costly problem that may even result in long term unsoundness in your horse.