If your horse starts having diarrhea, it is very important to call your veterinarian right away and to isolate the horse from other horses in case the cause is infectious. Allowing the horse access to fresh, clean water is also very important to help reduce the risk of dehydration. What Read more…
Colitis-X is a term used to describe undiagnosed causes of an extremely rapid, fatal intestinal inflammation of horses that causes a sudden onset of profuse, watery diarrhea and development of shock. What digestive tract diseases most commonly affects horses? The most commonly described intestinal disease in horses is probably gastric Read more…
Frustratingly, the underlying cause of colitis is often difficult to pinpoint. However, we do know that lifestyle factors can often predispose a horse to colitis. These factors can include episodes of stress related to competition, travel or management conditions, or antibiotic or anthelmintic treatment (dewormers). What causes a horse to Read more…
The definitive way to diagnose EGUS is by video gastroscopy. With a video gastroscopy, we can actually visualise the equine stomach from the cardia to the pylorus to rule in/out the presence of equine gastric ulcer syndrome. Gastroscopy is a procedure where we pass a video endoscope into the stomach Read more…
In horses, delayed gastric emptying, known also as gastroparesis, is usually a temporary problem following surgery. In some cases, however, gastroparesis can be more chronic. Diagnosis of gastroparesis is difficult in mature horses. What causes delayed gastric emptying in horses? The most common cause of delayed gastric emptying in horses Read more…
An average (think 1,100-lb or 500-kg) horse’s stomach holds about 2 to 4 gallons (9 to 15 liters). This size serves horses well when they are maintained on an all-forage diet. Times have changed, however, and many horses are fed cereal grains or commercial concentrates to fuel growth and competition Read more…
A horse’s digestive system is fragile. Just like all animals, horses are susceptible to severe injuries and health problems, but they seem to have an extremely fragile digestive tract. Do horses have sensitive digestive system? The equine gastrointestinal tract functions well under normal constant conditions. However as all horse people Read more…
The equine gastrointestinal tract (GIT) can be separated into two categories: the foregut & the hindgut. The foregut is composed of the esophagus, stomach and small intestines (duodenum, jejunum, ileum). The hindgut is composed of the cecum, large colon, small colon and the rectum. What is the main function of Read more…
In adult horses, the SF pH was greatest (5.46 +/- 1.82), with a decreasing pH ventrally toward the MP (4.12 +/- 1.62), to the glandular fundic mucosa (3.09 +/- 1.90), and fluid contents (2.72 +/- 1.86). The differences in pH at each site within the stomach were significant (P < Read more…
Feeding large meals high in starch or sugar can cause gas production, because the quantity might be too much for the small intestine to absorb. The excess escapes to the hindgut where it’s easily fermented by the hindgut bacteria, creating gas. Eating large quantities of spring grass can also cause Read more…