What In Hay Causes Diarrhea In Horses?

Mouldy hay is common in hot and humid conditions, but can cause serious problems for your horse’s gut and overall health. Mould is a source of mycotoxins that can disrupt your horse’s microbiome and causes diarrhea. Avoid exposure of feedstuffs to moisture by storing forage or hay in a cool, dry, and dark environment.

Can alfalfa hay cause diarrhea in horses?

The challenges you are facing are unusual considering we often hear of horses that develop loose manure from alfalfa and not vice versa. Consider the quality of the grass hay you were feeding. Mature, poor-quality hay can sometimes cause digestive irritation and potentially contribute to diarrhea.

Why does my horse poop in his hay?

Horses with a diet that includes high-fiber foods, such as pasture and hay, will have lower digestibility which leads to more manure. Even though horses efficiently handle fiber through their gut bacteria and cecum, they can’t digest all the fibers they eat.

Can horse get diarrhea from eating grass?

Diarrhea- Higher moisture content and the change in ration can trigger a “loose stool.” The feces usually become firmer as the horse adapts to the pasture, but in some cases a horse must be confined temporarily and put on a hay-based ration to restore normal bowel function.

How do you stop diarrhea in horses?

Hays with increased water-holding capacity may help to improve fecal consistency in horses with loose stools. Generally, grass hays such as Timothy hay are recommended over Alfalfa hay. Short fibre hay cubes, pellets or chopped hay are generally recommended over long fibre hay for horses with gastrointestinal upset.

What is the most digestible hay for horses?

Timothy hay is a popular choice because of its easy digestibility and may be more suitable for certain life stages. However, alfalfa hay has a higher calcium-to-phosphorus ratio, which makes it unsuitable for younger horses. Timothy hay has a balanced calcium-to-phosphorus ratio.

Can new hay cause diarrhea in horses?

It is not unusual for a horse to have diarrhea when it is switched from one type of hay to another type of hay, especially if there is a distinct difference in quality (from a stemmy grass to a soft, leafy alfalfa, for example).

Can moldy hay cause diarrhea in horses?

That said, in most cases, the consumption of small amounts of moldy hay do not cause much problem in horses, and you only need to monitor them for signs of abdominal pain (colic), depression, diarrhea or loss of appetite over a 24 hour period.

What happens when a horse eats too much hay?

Horse owners know to keep their animals and feed secure in order to prevent a loose horse from gorging on feed, as a sudden intake of a large quantity of feed can cause colic and laminitis.

What are the symptoms of a horse eating moldy hay?

Why Is Moldy Hay Dangerous?

• Coughing.
• Nasal discharge.
• Increased respiratory rate.
• Labored breathing.
• The presence of a “heave line” caused by abdominal muscles enlarging to help with breathing.

Should you worm a horse with diarrhea?

Common signs a horse needs worming are weight loss, diarrhea, fatigue, itchy rear-end, and an off-color or unhealthy coat. However, the best horse worming practice is not to wait for signs but rather to have an effective deworming strategy.

Why does my horses poop look like cow poop?

Some horses pass feces of a cowpie consistency, and while it can be caused by dietary changes, a fecal float will help determine if the cause is that new, lush alfalfa hay you just purchased or something like too much sand in the diet.

Do probiotics help horses with diarrhea?

In addition to managing diarrhea, owners sometimes give probiotics to horses whose diets contain large grain meals. “High-grain diets can disturb intestinal function, leading to hindgut acidosis, a condition characterized by unusually low pH in the cecum and colon.

What kind of hay should I feed my horse with diarrhea?

alfalfa
If they are, a course of omeprazole followed by daily antiulcer supplementation and free-choice forage will keep further gastric ulcers from developing. An uptick in alfalfa (lucerne) consumption could help with stomach health as well, as it contains some beneficial buffering qualities.

What food gives horses diarrhea?

Diet. A rapid change of hay or grain, or feeding too much of either, can bring on diarrhea in young and adult horses.

What hay is not good for horses?

Bahiagrass: This grass hails from the southern coastal plains. It’s typically found in pastures, so the stuff they make into hay is not that great for horses. Overly mature Bahiagrass hay can cause ergot poisoning, so buyer beware.

What hay should horses not eat?

Types of Hay for Horses—What to Avoid

• Perennial ryegrass and rye.
• Dallisgrass.
• Argentine bahiagrass.
• Johnsongrass, Sorghum grasses/Sudangrass.
• Switchgrass, which causes photosensitivity, peeling skin, mouth ulcers and liver disease.
• Foxtail Millet (aka German Millet) and Meadow foxtail.

What is the healthiest hay for horses?

Alfalfa, white clover, red clover and birdsfoot trefoil are common types of legumes, with alfalfa being the most popular choice. Benefits: Legumes are higher in protein and calcium than grass hay, and may also provide more energy and a higher level of total digestible nutrients, such as vitamin A.

Can too much alfalfa cause diarrhea?

Horseman often have the impression that alfalfa causes diarrhea, which is not true. In actuality, because of its solubility, alfalfa helps to keep fluid in the large intestine because it absorbs water, which is very beneficial and can help prevent impaction colics.

What causes mycotoxins in hay?

High moisture hay can also lead to the proliferation of bacteria, molds and fungus that can produce mycotoxins that are dangerous to horses and other livestock species. Some forage laboratories will test for the presence of mold and mycotoxins. If hay is moldy, do not feed it.

Can hay make a horse sick?

Common molds in hay can produce spores that cause respiratory problems in horses. Under some conditions these molds may also produce toxins.