Probiotics have been widely used amongst humans for quite a while now - with the aim of boosting 'good' gut bacteria and in turn boosting a persons health. Although they are fairly new in the horse world - equine probiotics are designed to work in the same way. Imbalance of the Normal Gut Flora Causes Digestive Problems Just like a human, a horse's intestinal tract is an ... Continue Reading »
Equine Digestive System
The Best Diet for Ulcer Prone Horses
The best diet for ulcer prone horses consists of low starch & high fibre. While many companies market pre-packaged feed as 'ulcer-friendly' it always pays to look at the nutrition label. Or even better - make up your own feed from quality ingredients. Feeds to Include Fibre sources such as hay, haylage and grass are vital for a healthy digestive system and should form the ... Continue Reading »
Safely administering bute long term
Bute can usually be used for 5 - 7 days with no adverse effects. But what if you need to treat with bute long term? Thankfully you don't need to cut off pain relief at 7 days because there IS a solution: gastrointestinal protectants like sucralfate are frequently included as part of BUTE treatment for long-term use. How does bute work? Bute (otherwise known as Phenylbutazone) ... Continue Reading »
Using sucralfate as an ulcer preventative for horses
Stress, travel, competition, medication and changes in feeding are all known to be triggers for horses to get ulcers. Unfortunately, these situations are often outside our control and a horse prone to ulcers may be at a higher risk of developing or flaring existing ulcers. But there's good news! An organised horse person can preempt these situations and treat with sucralfate ... Continue Reading »
Suddenly my horse wont eat! 4 reasons a horse stops eating
Most all of us also know that there is a serious issue when old Bessy turns her nose up at dinner time…she normally cleans her plate. There are many reasons why your horse may go “off their food” as we say…some are serious emergencies and others are not. Let's talk about a few reasons why a horse wont eat. #1 - Colic its more than a stomach ache Colic. Just the mention ... Continue Reading »
