colic | Horse Racing Free Tips

ITBA Schedules 2022 Summer Series

Following the 'Ask the Expert' Series, the ITBA presents the next portion of its 2022 Educational Programme, the Summer Series. The workshops commence at the end of May and continues through the month of June and will cover a wide range of topics, including equine health and workplace practices. All workshops will run from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (local time) with all fees having been waived.

Summer Series Topics:

Equine Biosecurity – 30 May/31 May
Equine Colic and Gut Health – 1 June/2 June
Equine First Aid – 7 June/8 June
Importance of Health & Wellbeing in the Workplace – 20 June
Introduction to Industry Careers & Pathways – 21 June
Equine Anatomy & Physiology – 23 June/24 June

For descriptions of the workshops and information on registering, visit ITBA 2022 Educational Programme Summer Series.

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Colic Survival Scoring System In Horses

Colic, defined as any acute abdominal pain, is an important sign of gastrointestinal disease in horses. Because colic may stem from many causes, predicting survival is challenging, if not impossible, at times. Could a scoring system reliably predict colic survival based on certain clinical evidence? A group of researchers thought so, and here's how they went about it.*

The researchers took a two-pronged approach to the question. First, they designed a retrospective study to determine the clinical parameters described in horses that survived colic and used them to formulate a survival scoring system. Second, a prospective study used horses presented for colic at two different veterinary clinics to determine the validity of the scoring system.

In the retrospective study, 658 horses with colic signs were identified. At the end of their review, the researchers settled on six health variables to use in the scoring system based on their strong predictive value for outcome at discharge: heart rate, respiratory rate, total calcium, blood lactate, abnormal abdominal ultrasound, and abnormal rectal examination. A total assessment score of 0 to 12 was possible, with a range of 0 to 2 points for each of the six variables.

As for the prospective study, data from 95 horses with colic were collected to assess the validity of the colic scoring system. Those that received a score equal to or less than 7 were predicted to survive, while those that received a score greater than 7 were predicted to die.

Researchers concluded that the scoring system “developed in this study is applicable for clinicians in a hospital setting with a clinical caseload of horses with colic signs using data available in most equine practices.”

Sound feeding management is one way to keep colic at bay, according to Catherine Whitehouse, M.S., a nutritionist at Kentucky Equine Research.

“Many of the nutritional strategies that horse owners follow daily, sometimes subconsciously, evolved with gastrointestinal health in mind: near constant availability of forage, whether it's pasture or hay; small concentrate meals; access to potable water; and the provision of clean, or hygienic, feedstuffs,” she said. Everyday awareness of these and other management practices fosters gastrointestinal health.

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“More recently, we have begun to understand the importance of balancing all-forage diets with vitamins and minerals, and augmenting diets with nutritional supplements that target specific problems,” she explained. “Kentucky Equine Research has developed ways to support gastrointestinal health on many fronts, such as protecting the stomach from ulceration and maintaining a healthy hindgut microbiome.”

*Farrell, A., K. Kersh, R. Liepman, and K.A. Dembek. 2021. Development of a colic scoring system to predict outcome in horses. Frontiers in Veterinary Science:697589.

Reprinted courtesy of Kentucky Equine Research. Visit ker.com for the latest in equine nutrition and management, and subscribe to Equinews to receive these articles directly.

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Morris Animal Foundation Announces New Studies Focused On Equine Colic

Morris Animal Foundation, a leader in advancing animal health, recently announced the selection of five new equine health studies to receive funding in 2022. The studies focus on equine colic (abdominal pain), an important and potentially life-threatening disease of horses.

“Colic consistently ranks among the top health concerns of horse owners and veterinarians,” said Dr. Janet Patterson-Kane, Chief Scientific Officer. “We decided to focus on this topic in this year's equine call for proposals to advance our understanding of intestinal disease associated with colic and ultimately assist in improving outcomes for horses around the world.”

Estimates suggest that four to 10 percent of horses will experience colic at least once in their lifetimes, and the actual incidence may be even higher. Although the majority of horses can be successfully treated on the farm, approximately 10 percent require referral for advanced care, including surgery.

The Foundation's Large Animal Scientific Advisory Board reviewed all submitted grant applications and selected, based on scientific merit and impact, the studies with the greatest potential to save lives, preserve health and advance veterinary care for horses with colic. Equine colic studies funded for 2022 include:

Studying Intestinal Inflammation
Two research teams will take different approaches to investigate the interaction between inflammation and gut motility, to assist in developing methods of preventing ileus (reduced gut motility) after colic surgery. These approaches could dramatically assist recovery and shorten hospitalization times.

Understanding Risk Factors for Colic Secondary to Transportation
Researchers will look for colic risk factors associated with transportation to develop better management recommendations for horses requiring transport.

Helping Underserved Communities Recognize Early Signs of Colic
Researchers will develop an educational program for horse owners in underserved communities in Colombia to improve early recognition of colic, a key component of successful treatment.

New Prognostic Test for Postoperative Complications
Researchers will search for biomarkers to identify horses at higher risk for postoperative surgical complications as a first step toward a new prognostic test.

A Better Bran Mash? Avoid Digestive Upset With These Tips

Though many adults grew up feeding bran mashes to horses on cold winter nights, the tradition has faded from favor – for good reason.

Once believed beneficial as a laxative for horses that had worked hard in colder weather, wheat bran mashes were often fed once a week. This addition of a “new” feed to the horse's diet once a week goes against the guidelines horse owners are given to change a horse's feed safely: horses should have their feed changed gradually over multiple days to avoid stomach upset and gastrointestinal distress, reports The Horse.

Another issue is that wheat bran has a high phosphorous level; out of balance calcium-phosphorus levels can cause hyperparathyroidism, also called “big head” and “bran” disease. This disease can lead to lameness, painful movement, and difficulty breathing. Though unlikely that a horse would develop this condition being fed one bran mash a week, many wheat brans have been replaced by rice brans that are fortified with additional calcium carbonate.

Bran mashes were also used to entice picky eaters and ill horses to eat, but the same can be done by adding warm water to a horse's normal pelleted or textured feed to create a mash. If the horse doesn't get fed a grain diet, adding water to hay pellets can create a mash.

Adding salt or electrolytes to the warm concoction can make it even more valuable to a horse that has been exercising heavily. Adding a carrot or apple peels to the mash may entice a horse to eat.

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If feeding a bran mash is still desirable, it's worth a conversation with an equine nutritionist to make sure the horse is being fed a balanced mineral profile.