Tag: correlation

Sand Colic Survey Results Lead To Interesting Conclusion

Horse owners and veterinarians have assumed for many years that horses develop sand colic because they accidentally ingest sand. A new study out of Finland suggests some horses may develop sand colic because they actually seek out and eat the soil.

Drs. Kati E.Niinistö, Meri Määttä, Mirja Ruohoniemi, Maria Paulaniemi and Marja Raekallio conducted an online survey of owners whose horses had been radiographed at some point in their lives to check for sand accumulation in their gut. Survey questions included what signs prompted the call to the veterinarian, how the horse was managed at the time of the vet call and how much sand had accumulated. A total of 447 surveys were used.

The scientists found that the veterinarian was called because the owner suspected sand accumulation and X-rays confirmed the suspicion. Symptoms of sand ingestion seen most often among respondents were colic, diarrhea and poor performance, which his often a subtle sign. “Poor performance” can mean that the horse doesn't want to go forward or may not be moving well.

Horses that exhibited signs of colic often had significant accumulations of sand in their gut. The team also found a correlation between poor performance and large sand accumulation. Horses that were colicky and had poor performance had the highest levels of sand in their gut.

Interestingly, the study team found no connections between sand accumulation, management or housing. This may be because some horses habitually ingest soil. The scientists are collecting samples to determine if any of the horses with sand accumulation are deficient in trace minerals, which would cause them to seek out soil to ingest.

The team also discovered that horses that cleaned up every scrap of hay had larger sand accumulations than horses that didn't eat all their hay. This may be related to keeping horses out for long periods without access to proper grass.

Whether sand ingestion is intentional or a byproduct of greedy horses, prevention of sand accumulation is key. Treating susceptible horses with psyllium a few times a year can clear sand that has already been ingested; feeding in a bucket and offering hay or muzzling horses that forage too much are also options.

Read more at EQUUS magazine.

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Confirmed: Specific Patterns Of Fat Associated With Laminitis, Similar To Human Obesity Issues

Though horse owners and equine veterinarians have long believed a cresty neck to be associated with equine metabolic syndrome and associated laminitis, there has never been scientific proof of the link—until now: New research out of Australia has confirmed the correlation, reports EQUUS magazine.

Fat tissue stores energy and plays an important role in the synthesis and release of hormones that assist with metabolism and insulin function. Abnormal insulin function is a key risk factor for horses that develop hormone-related laminitis.

Drs. Danielle Fitzgerald, Stephen Anderson, Martin Sillence and Melody de Laat used 26 ponies for a study to determine if there is a correlation between cresty necks and the incidence of horses developing equine metabolic syndrome. Each of the ponies was given a body condition score (BCS) and a cresty neck score (CNS), which objectively measures the accumulation of fat on the neck. The scale goes from 0 to 5, with 5 indicating that the crest is so large it had dropped permanently to one side.

The ponies were then divided into three groups: those with a CNS of 3 or greater, but moderate body condition; those with a CNS of 3 or greater that were obese; and  those that had moderate body condition and no cresty neck. The researchers used an oral glucose test to determine how each pony regulated insulin.

From the results, the scientists concluded that crestiness was a primary indicator of insulin dysregulation. Ponies that were not overweight, but that had a cresty neck score of greater than 3, were five times more likely than non-cresty neck ponies to have insulin dysfunction, and therefore be at risk of laminitis. Obese horse without a cresty neck were less likely to have an increased risk of insulin dysregulation and related problems.

These finding confirm what horse owners and veterinarians have suspected, that a cresty neck is a key indicator that a horse or pony has an insulin regulation issue. The results  are also consistent with human obesity studies that link specific fat accumulation patterns to health complications.

Read more at EQUUS magazine.

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