Written By Juliet M. Getty, Ph.D. Let me tell you about Bugsy. He was an Appendix Quarter Horse I rescued a few years ago. When he came to me, he was significantly underweight, suffered from an old stifle injury, and had a distrustful attitude. A few months later, he’d filled out, was running up and […]

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Written By:Erin Malone, DVM, University of Minnesota Most colic episodes will fully resolve with no long lasting consequences. However, if toxins are released into the abdominal cavity or bloodstream, or if colic surgery is required, the horse will be at risk for other problems. Certain bacteria carry toxins. Many of these are found in the […]

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Written By: Erin Malone, DVM, University of Minnesota When your veterinarian arrives to examine a colic, she/he will try to determine the severity and the general type of colic. It is very unusual to be able to diagnose the exact cause of colic, but she/he may be able to determine if it is more likely […]

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Newton, Wisconsin – Omega Fields, Inc. is proud to announce Pat Parelli’s (www.parelli.com) endorsement of its new probiotic product “Omega SureGut” (https://www.omegafields.com/equine-products/omega-suregut.html). Pat Parelli was experiencing intestinal difficulties with a horse named “Freckles”, here is what Pat has to say about Omega SureGut; “Freckles came to Pat’s Performance Barn from a neighboring ranch in Colorado. […]

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Prebiotics in Horses

By Dr. Kris Hiney

Last month we discussed the use of probiotics in horses, including the definition and types of probiotics, their effectiveness, and when their use might be warranted.  This month we will address a closely related and often misunderstood topic: prebiotics.  The use of both of these feed additives may work synergistically to promote digestion in your horse, keep his immune system in top shape and allow him to face the various stressors which may be present in his life.

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Digestive Aids in Horses
By Dr. Kris Hiney

This month we will explore the use of digestive aids in horses, in particular probiotic usage. Probiotics are increasingly used in human medicine, production animal species, and of course in horses.  More owners are looking for safe and effective alternatives to pharmacological methods for promoting the well-being of their horses.   In this article we will discuss what type of organisms fall under the probiotic umbrella, the form in which they may be fed, their effectiveness and when their use might be warranted.

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Colic Prevention II by Dr. Kris HineyThis month we will finish our discussion of common causes of colic in the equine, and what you might do to prevent them. Previously we discussed the importance of having a thorough emergency plan in place in order to make a potential colic less stressful for you. We followed that with a discussion of the most common management practices which will help minimize your horse’s risk of colic. These included quality and consistency of the diet, proper hydration and parasite control to name a few. This month we will focus on some of the less common reasons horses may colic. Although less common, they are no less important for the owner to be aware of these possibilities.

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Strategies to Reduce Your Horse’s Chance of ColicBy Dr. Kris HineyLast month I encouraged all horse owner’s to develop a preparedness plan in the event their horse colics. This month we will discuss strategies that will hopefully minimize the chance that you will need that plan. We will discuss feeding strategies as well as other important management techniques that will help keep your horse happy and healthy.Feeding your horse properly is one of the easiest ways to help prevent episodes of colic. Remember the digestive anatomy of the horse, with its small stomach and large hindgut for digesting forage does not often fit well with modern management practices. The horse is designed to forage continuously throughout the day, typically for almost 18 hours. This provides a continuous input of material to the hindgut without overwhelming the stomach.

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Equine Colic: Are You Prepared?Written By: Dr. Kris HineyMost horse owners at one time or another have experienced that dreaded sight of finding their horse rolling or kicking at their belly in their pasture or stall. After all, almost 1 million horses colic in the United States each year, or about 11 in every 100 horses. It really is not a matter of if, but when a horse in your care will colic. But now is not the time to panic, but to act logically and calmly. The keys? Be prepared, and have a plan. This month we will discuss what symptoms you may see, what to do, and how to create a firm plan of action. Next month we will discuss several important strategies you may implement to decrease the likelihood of your ever needing this plan.

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OUCH, MY STOMACH HURTS! May, 2013 – By Walt FriedrichHorses are grazers. We all know that. They would spend 24 hours out of every day, doing just that if they could. It’s quite natural, and the wild ones actually do that because their lifestyles allow it. Domestics – not so much.Oh, they would if they could, but only the lucky ones get to spend much time on pasture. A large percentage of domestics are routinely stalled overnight as well as part of the day, effectively removing them from graze for more than half of their lives!And that’s unfortunate for a number of reasons. Here’s a big one: ulcers.

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