7 Easy Ways to Help Prevent Equine Colic

7 Easy Ways To Help Prevent Equine Colic

1/11/2017

By Monique Warren

Colic is responsible for more deaths in horses than any disease group except for old age. In the domestic population, horse mortality from all types of colic was 0.7 deaths per 100 horses per year [i]. Despite its common occurrence, the cause is rarely diagnosed.

Following are 7 easily implemented measures to decrease the risk of colic:

Horse rolling which could be a sign of colic

1) Feed Loose Salt to Avoid Dehydration

Feed salt in supplements/grain to ensure consumption. Minimum dosage is 2 tablespoons per day for a 1,000 pound idle horse - you should provide additional salt depending on weather and loss from sweat. Verify sodium content in the current diet - some complete feeds and supplements may supply adequate sodium amounts.
In addition, offer free choice loose salt or a white salt block. With only a salt block, your horse may not be able to consume its minimum salt requirements.

Correct sodium balance in the horse is necessary for proper thirst response and body water equilibrium (electrolytes and hydration). The vast majority of diets do not provide sufficient sodium without supplementation. This can greatly reduce the risk of impaction colic due to dehydration.

2) Practice Parasite Control
Cecal impaction from tapeworms, or damage to the blood supply of the intestines from chronic infestation of parasites, are causes of colic. Note: Fecal flotation tests are not an accurate method to determine accurate parasite burdens.

3) Provide Free Choice Forage - Avoid Confinement
Optimal digestion and fermentation requires consistent ingestion and movement (avoid confinement). Mobility stimulates gut motility, which promotes consistent fermentation and a healthy population of beneficial bacteria, effectively keeping the hindgut weighted (to discourage twisting and encourage continued travel of undigested material motile). Muscles responsible for movement of the gut are better toned when utilized and can atrophy.

Feeding meals of hay - which horses can consume too quickly - results in large amounts of dry matter lacking sufficient saliva to forage ratio - combined with large particle sizes from not properly masticating indigestible fiber. Consider slow feeders to increase chew time and further reduction of particle size. Chewing activates saliva production which provides moisture and aids in digestion.

If you are concerned about caloric intake, offer tested low sugar/starch straight grass hay (NSC 10% or less), a well-balanced diet and routine exercise. Experiment with slow feeders to determine the smallest mesh size that enables your horse to extract hay without being frustrated. Frustration is counterproductive - it causes stress!

Did you know sand colic is estimated to be responsible for approximately 30% of colic cases? Learn the most effective means for sand removal and the best way to prevent the accumulation of sand.

4) Feed from Ground Level
A natural grazing position allows the mandible (jaw bone) to come down and forward in the atlantoaxial and temporomandibular joints. This enables the mandible to move freely up and down, side to side, forward and back without any restriction. This free movement facilitates natural wear of teeth along with optimum mastication and reduction of particle size.

Two horses grazing on slow feed hay bags

Standard Hay Pillow®: slow feed hay bag that allows a natural grazing position.

5) Perform Routine Dental Exams
Include exams at all ages for retained caps, lost and/or broken teeth, abnormal or uneven bite planes, infected teeth and/or gums, periodontal disease and hooks - which are sharp protrusions of teeth that can penetrate the opposing gum.

Any condition causing pain can discourage the required chew time necessary for proper digestion - and may induce colic and/or choke. Optimal mastication (grinding) requires significant unobstructed motion of the jaw.

Miniature breeds are especially susceptible to genetic deformities. They have the same number of teeth, but whether they all fit in the reduced head size and line up properly is of concern. Find more suggestions for minis here: Feeding Miniature Horses & Donkeys: Why Slow Fed Forage is Best

6) Ensure Fresh Clean Water is Available at all Times
Buckets and tubs should be cleaned and changed daily. In colder climates, heat the water to at least 45 degrees Fahrenheit. The quality of your horse’s water should be equivalent to that of a human!

7) Avoid Feeding Hay Pellets, Cubes or Chopped Hay as a Primary Forage Source
The already reduced particle size does not provide the volume of indigestible fiber to properly keep the gut motile and weighted.

Hay provides the largest volume of fiber overall compared to hay pellets, cubes and chopped hay due to its natural particle size (longer leaves and stems) and requires longer chew time per pound. Chewing activates saliva production (an alkaline substance), which buffers gastric acid, aids in digestion and increases the saliva to forage ratio.

In addition, the digestive tract depends on a steady flow of fiber to:

Maintain a healthy microbial population
Promote gut motility

The quality of hay (including mold and noxious weeds) is not visible after the processing of pellets, cubes and chopped forage occurs. Of course, there are exceptions for individuals not able to masticate proficiently (typically older horses) due to dental challenges.

The Takeaway:
Being proactive to reduce or eliminate the occurrence of colic is far more productive than being reactive. Eliminating probable causes means far less mental and financial stress for you and less physical distress for your horse.

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About the Author:
Monique Warren invented the Hay Pillow® slow feeder and is the owner of Hay Pillow Inc.
Warren has been an equine guardian for over forty years and slow-feed advocate for over 10 years. She contributes equine nutrition and digestive and hoof health articles to publications such as Equine Wellness, The Journal, The Naturally Healthy Horse, Natural Horse Magazine , Nicker News, Horse Back Magazine, The Horse's Hoof, and Miniature Horse World Magazine. Equine nutrition and horses feet are her passions. She resides in Southern California.

References:

[i]Nathaniel A. White II DVM, MS, Diplomate ACVS , Prevalence, Demographics, and Risk Factors for Colic, retrieved from: https://www.vetmed.vt.edu/emc/welcome/bios/white/epidemiology_of_colic.pdf

3 Comments

Julie Alken link

2/6/2017 12:33:45 pm

Good info for a beginner line me.

Suzanne

6/12/2018 05:31:09 pm

My gelding has been colicking 1-2x/ year for the past 11 years, always being gas colic (confirmed by vet who has come out to evaluate him every time). Also made an emergency trip to the vet hospital for treatment of large colon displacement. Vets couldn't figure out the reason, until I requested an analysis of a fecal sample during his last episode of colic this past December. Found out he had gut dysbiosis. Boosted his system with another brand of pre-probiotics (was already on them, but probably not as good as a product that I am now using). So far so good, keeping my fingers crossed that this will have solved his colic issues!

11/2/2020 08:23:44 am

Hello! I have a 28 year old Arabian who has Cushing's
Disease. He doesn't have any teeth and so I have had to rely on Timothy Pellets (soaked) to feed him, plus Low Starch feed. He wears a grazing muzzle and is not able to get much to eat in the little field he's in. I use a slow feeder hay bag ( hay pillow) to put chopped hay in for him to try to eat from. I am not sure what else to do. I do not like relying on pellets, but he cannot eat long stem hay even in slow feeder bag. Do you have any suggestions?

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