colic | Horse Racing Free Tips

Study: Omeprazole And Bute Not Necessarily A Good Combination

Omeprazole is often prescribed to horses that are receiving phenylbutazone in an effort to reduce the chances of a horse developing equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS), though it isn't clear how safe or effective this treatment is.

Drs. Megan Ricord, Frank Andrews, Francisco Yñiguez, Michael Keowen, Frank Garza Jr., Linda Paul, Ann Chapman and Heidi Banse created a study to evaluate the effect of omeprazole on adult horses with EGUS caused by phenylbutazone.

The research team used 22 horses that had equine glandular gastric disease (EGGD) and equine squamous gastric disease (ESGD), each horse had a score of a 2 or higher when tested for the disease. The horses were divided into three groups: one group (eight horses) received 4.4 mg/kg of oral phenylbutazone every 12 hours; the second group (eight horses) received the same phenylbutazone dose plus 4 mg/kg of oral omeprazole every 24 hours. The control group (six horses) received neither phenylbutazone or omeprazole.

The horses were treated for 14 days and had their stomachs scoped at days seven and 14. Blood tests were done at the beginning and end of the study period. Five of the horses did not complete the study because of intestinal issues (two in the phenylbutazone-only group and three in the phenylbutazone/omeprazole group).

The scientists found that the EGGD score increased in the study group that received the phenylbutazone only when compared to the horses that also received omeprazole. They found no difference in the ESGD scores between the two groups. Strikingly, six of the eight horses in the phenylbutazone/omeprazole group developed intestinal complications—two of which were fatal. Only two of the horses in the phenylbutazone-only group had intestinal complications, and neither of them died.

The team concluded that using omeprazole reduced the severity of EGGD, but that caution should be exercized when using the two concurrently, especially when this takes place at the same time as a management change.

Read the study here.

Tips To Prevent Winter-Weather Colic

Winter weather is rolling across many areas of the country and the vast temperature drops that tend to come with it make most horse owners anxious—and rightfully so. Certain types of colic are more prevalent when colder weather comes—specifically those that are impaction related.

An impaction colic is where ingested grain and hay ceases to move through the horse's digestive system. This blockage causes the intestines to distend and become painful. Impactions are often found in the pelvic flexure, where the large colon loops back on itself, but they can occur almost anywhere.

There are some management strategies can help keep impaction colic at bay:

Keep horses hydrated. It's imperative that horses always have access to unfrozen water. A bucket can freeze in six to 12 hours, if not sooner, so it's fair to say that a horse will be without water for part of the day or night in between when his buckets are refilled. The most important time a horse need access to ice-free water is the three hours after he has eaten.
Horses tend to drink more during cold weather when the water is warm; filling a bucket with warm water will also slow down the freezing process. Adding warm water to a horse's daily meals can also make sure he gets more water in his system.

Turn out horses as much as possible. The ability to move keeps a horse's gut going, as does continual grazing. Important to note, a horse that is moved from pasture to a stall is at an even higher risk of colic than those that are used to being stalled because of the dramatic change in management. A horse with a thick winter coat or a blanket, and access to shelter, can live outside comfortably even in single-digit temperatures.
Feed lots of forage. Though hay is much drier than pasture grasses, feeding hay constantly is easier on a horse than feeding hay just twice a day. Hay digestion also assists in keeping a horse warm.
Stay vigilant when temperatures tank. Though the correlation between plummeting temperatures and colic haven't been scientifically proven, vets report rashes of colic calls when temperatures drop. Try to keep horses in their normal routine and watch them closely for signs of colic.

Older Horses At Higher Risk For Colic, Euthanasia

Colic is the No. 1 cause of death in horses and it disproportionately affects older horses. Surgery isn't always the best option for elderly equines because of the high cost and generally less-successful outcomes, so many older horses that colic are euthanized.

Colic, which is a catch-all term for abdominal pain, can be caused by a variety of things, including gas buildup, a blockage or twisting of the gut. Though minor colic can be handled with medical intervention and pain relievers, other episodes require surgery to resolve.

A study out of Germany looked at nearly 1,000 horses that were admitted to a veterinary clinic for symptoms of colic. The average age was 19.9 years old and the majority of the horses were treated medically; these horses had a better survival rate than those horses that underwent surgery.

The most-common type of colic for horses between 21 and 29 years old were strangulating lipomas. This occurs when a fatty tumor develops and becomes so heavy that it weighs down part of the horse's digestive tract, sometimes looping around areas and strangulating either the intestines or the blood flow to them. There is no way to prevent these types tumors.

However, there are some risk factors for colic that can be mitigated by feeding and management changes. A review of colic studies in 2019 reported that horses that crib have a higher risk of colic, specifically epiploic foramen entrapment, where part of the small intestine are strangulated. Horses that spend most of their time in a stall are at higher risk of colic episodes than those that live out or those that spend more time on pasture. Changes in stabling also increase colic risk.

Changes in hay or grain increase the risk of colic, as does feeing higher amounts of grain. The type of hay fed also increases colic risk; horses fed coastal hay and alfalfa are more likely to colic than horse fed other types of hay.

Dental issues, to which older horses are particularly susceptible, increase colic risk. It's imperative that horse owners work closely with an equine dentist and adjust the horse's diet as necessary to mitigate the risk of colic. This might include changing feed or hay options or soaking feed. The addition of a ration balancer or oil may be necessary if an older horse is struggling to maintain weight.

Colic will affect one in 10 horses during their lifetime; older horses tend to have less-favorable outcomes. Adjusting elderly horse management, feeding and care can help decrease colic risk.

Physical Therapy Returns Horses To Competition Ring More Rapidly

A horse that requires surgical intervention for a bout of colic isn't out of the woods as soon as he come out of anesthesia. His recovery period can be fraught with complications as his abdominal muscles have been damaged: the surgeon must cut through them to access the origin of the pain. This incision will alter the function of the skeletal muscles.

Drs. Hillary Clayton and Narelle Stubbs of Michigan State University have developed a series of physical therapy exercises that can be completed after the horse's surgery is complete to help strengthen the horse's core and back muscles. Dubbed the core abdominal rehabilitation exercise (CARE) program, the rehabilitation begins 30 days post-surgery and recommends four weeks of in-hand strengthening exercises. These exercises include lumbar lifts and limbering exercises that ask the horse to move his chin to his withers, chest, knees and fetlocks.

A study was done to determine if the CARE program allowed horses to return to work or to competition more rapidly than not implementing rehabilitation exercises post-surgery. Owners of horses that had had colic surgery between 2008 and 2017 were given the option of taking part in the CARE program. Those owners who chose to engage their horse in the program received a manual, DVD and schedule to follow. Horses that were alive one year after the colic surgery were able to be included in the study.

There were 62 total horses used for the study; 11 horses had completed the CARE protocol and 51 did not complete the program. Researchers reviewed each horse's medical records and sent out surveys asking about the horse's post-op care and progress. Questions included for how long the horse was on stall rest after surgery as well as the timeline on surgery, the beginning of work and the return to full training and competition. They were also asked how the horse was performing one year after the surgery.

Results showed that horses that participated in the CARE rehab program returned to work more quickly: On average within 60 days while the control horses returned to work in 90 days. CARE horses returned to full work in 75 days, versus the control horse's 120 days it took to return to full work.

The researchers concluded that the CARE protocol is beneficial post-surgery, but that it may also be helpful during any recovery that includes long periods of rest for the horse.