FAQ - Horses Woofs n Hoofs Go Natural

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FAQ - HORSES

Overview:

-Colic
-Laminitis and Founder
-Bute
-Protein
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How can I prevent colic in my horse?

Horse colic is one of the most serious equine health problems a horse owner will face. But, with the proper preventative measures, you can help minimize the chances of your horse developing this condition.

Displacement (the intestines shift into an unnatural position) and torsion (the intestines twist, thereby creating a blockage) are both fatal unless medical attention is sought immediately. Surgery will almost always be required to cure these forms of colic and, even then, you'll need to hold your breath. The bad news is there really aren't any preventative measures you can take to protect your horse from these two forms – it's a matter of both anatomical predisposition and/or bad luck. The good news is these are far less common forms of colic, and the rest you can take measures to prevent.

Another fatal form of colic is gastric distension, caused when your horse consumes too much too quickly, thereby causing stomach expansion. This can be particularly dangerous when the horse consumes too much of a food substance that naturally expands when exposed to moisture. The reason severe overeating is so dangerous is a horse cannot vomit. So, once the stomach contains too much food to handle, it could very well rupture.

The most common forms of colic are digestive issues that can generally be resolved easily enough. They can range from gas (generally uncomfortable, but mild in nature) to a partial or full blockage (these can be very hazardous if not addressed immediately). Like us, a horse's body is designed to work optimally under specific circumstances, and when their normal state of being is disrupted, it can lead to the horse form of indigestion, constipation, etc.

To help keep your horse's digestive health in optimal health, make sure you keep the following factors in mind:

	Diet – Your horse's regular diet should consist of a predominance of roughage, not grain. A horse's body is designed to consume roughage, so when too much protein is introduced via grains or pellets the body may not be able to digest it properly.
	Diet Changes – If you need to change your horse's diet, try and do it in a gradual manner rather than all at once. Sudden transitions can create digestive problems.
	Water – A horse should always have access to fresh, clean water. When the horse does not drink enough water the body dehydrates a bit and the digestive system slows down. The waste isn't passed through the intestines properly and colic results.
	Exercise – A horse is designed to move around regularly. In fact, if you watch them graze in a field you'll notice they are almost always in motion. If a horse is stalled too long his system will slow down, resulting in a potential colic.
	Intensive Training – Exercise is obviously very beneficial for a horse, but if your horse is suddenly placed on an intensive training program to prepare for a show or race their system will be stressed and the risks of developing colic are higher. Watch any horse under an intensive exercise program carefully.
	Cooling – After your horse finishes an exercise session, they must be allowed to cool down before eating or drinking. If your horse must have some water right after an exercise session, make sure you limit their consumption to very small amounts of warm water.
	Parasites - Make sure your horse is on a proper parasite prevention program as intestinal parasites can cause colic. If your horse is already infested with parasites, make sure you gradually de-worm them. If too many parasites are killed at once, it can create a blockage within the intestines.
	Stress – Stress is as harmful to a horse's overall health as it is to our own. Try to ensure your horse is kept as calm and happy as possible. Pay closer attention for colic when the horse is placed in stressful situations, such as transportation.
	Pregnancy – Mares are at a higher risk of developing colic, both before and shortly after the foal's birth

Prevention can do wonders to minimize cases of colic, so make sure you don't underestimate its importance. It's also important to know how to detect warning signs for colic and what to do should your horse exhibit them.
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What exactly is Laminitis and Founder?

Laminitis is inflammation of the sensitive structures in the hoof called the lamellae. The lamellae are the means by which the coffin bone is held tight within the hoof capsule. When viewing the sole of a healthy hoof, you can tell how good the connection is by looking at the white line. If the white line is tight, (narrow in width) then there is a strong connection. If the white line is stretched then the connection is compromised. Untreated laminitis can lead to Founder which is where the bone rotates within the hoof capsule and sometimes results in the bone penetrating the sole.

What are the symptoms:

Less activity and a reluctance to move when led
Lying down more than normal
Depression
Reluctance to turn
Standing atypical- laminitic stance - hind feet further under the body with weight rocked back and front feet further out in front of the body
Tight muscles
Hooves warmer than normal
'Bounding' pulses in affected legs
Pain response when pressure is applied to sole
Blood in the white line
Fever rings visible on hoof wall

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What exactly is Bute and is it OK to give to my horse?

Environment, work, and genetic background can make a horse susceptible to stress and/or injury. When an injury occurs, inflammation and the pain associated with it causes the horse’s nutrient system to become overloaded with cellular debris. This causes his stomach to produce more acid. As more acid is produced, the body manufactures certain chemicals to coat the stomach so as to prevent harm to delicate tissues. These chemicals, in turn, cause inflammation and pain in the injured areas.

Bute (tradename) (chemical names: Phenylbutazone and Butazolidin) acts by blocking the formation of these chemicals. Because these chemicals are needed to protect the stomach lining and the lining of the digestive tract, the result over the long-term can be ulcers in the mouth, stomach and intestines. Over an extended time period, the horse may become uninterested in food and may subsequently lose weight, plus a host of other detrimental effects. In addition, the use of Bute can eventually cause decreased blood flow to the brain, resulting in decreased brain activity, disorientation, and eventually death from shock. Some horses also exhibit other symptoms, such as teeth grinding, diarrhea and swelling under the jaw, chest and belly.

I believe that Bute is not the so-called “miracle drug” it is believed to be. I personally would use Bute on my horses only in one scenario: to alleviate pain and make his final days bearable, because there is nothing else that can be done to save him anymore.

Cold is an extremely effective way to block inflammatory reactions in their tracks and also provides pain relief. The feet and lower legs of horses are very tolerant of cold. It can also be used for wounds, stings, bites, etc. on the body. For the feet and lower legs, stand the horse in cold running water, a bath of ice water or use ice wraps. To avoid the mess if you don’t have ice wraps, place several cotton leg wraps soaked with rubbing alcohol or witch hazel in the freezer and use these after they have super-cooled for an hour or more. (You should change them every 15 to 20 minutes for best effect.) Sore, hot feet can be packed with a poultice that has been chilled in the freezer when you’ve finished icing. Ice/cool as often as possible and as long as possible for best results. Horses’ lower legs have been kept in ice-water baths for one to two days with no ill effects.

A variety of herbs have been used as substitutes for phenylbutazone, aspirin, and other anti-inflammatory drugs. For rapid control in acute situations, your best bet is a product with an effective dose of Devil’s Claw. For long-term control of pain and low-grade inflammation in chronic conditions, try products based on Boswellia, curcumin, and ginger. Woofs 'n Hoofs has some products available.

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How important is Protein in a horse diet?

According to the National Research Council (NRC) nutrition tables, horses require only 7.5 to 12 percent protein as an adult. The lowest percent of protein in commercial feed available is 10 percent, and it is common to see protein levels in the feed of 14 to 16 percent. Since horses are made to live primarily on roughage, there is no physiological reason to have protein levels so high. High performance horses usually eat more grain so, if they need slightly more protein, they will usually get it from the increase in volume. Certain horses have a greater requirement for protein and can benefit from the addition of protein to their diet; that must be decided on an individual basis. When feeding excess protein, it needs to be treated as nitrates since protein is just one form of nitrogen, and nitrates can be toxic. Young animals digest protein well. Some can tolerate more protein and can use it to grow muscle but, many breeds of easy-keeping horses do poorly on excess amounts of protein when young.

Excess protein, besides being expensive, is one of the more harmful practices in feeding horses. Too much protein throws the intestinal tract digestive process out of balance. Poor digestion and an altered pH are often the result. Remember, horses are grazing animals, and require little protein compared to dogs, cats, and people. In the cattle industry, the ill effects of excess protein have been well studied, yet farmers still feed too much of it. Excess protein can contribute to ulcers and poor digestion. Horses are made with the cecum as a fermentation vat to digest fiber, not excess protein.

In the horse industry, people spend a lot of money trying to combat the ill effects of too much protein in horses. Some examples of these are:
-horses become tense
-uptight and difficult to ride
-have swollen hind legs
-cannot keep enough weight on because they are burning up energy digesting the protein
-have mastitis
-have liver and kidney problems
-soft feet and frogs
-have a poor hair coat

Plant protein byproducts such as soybean meal are often poorly digested because they are energy deficient. The oils nature put in the soybeans to aid in digestion and utilization are removed through a toxic solvent process. The lack of energy in the soybean meal can contribute to incomplete digestion.

Alfalfa hay is extremely high in protein, mostly because excessive amounts of nitrogen are used on the fields. When feeding alfalfa hay from nitrogen-fertilized fields it is impossible to get the protein content of the diet down to a healthy level for the horse. Some horses do very well with alfalfa, while others cannot tolerate it. And, some horses are allergic to anything with alfalfa in it, even the small amounts present in supplements.

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My horse's feet are as swift as rolling thunder
He carries me away from all my fears
And when the world threatens to fall asunder
His mane is there to wipe away my tears.
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