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Let Them Eat: Horses Undergoing Non-Abdominal Surgery May Be Better Off Eating

Much like human doctors, veterinarians often recommended that horses slated for surgery fast before undergoing anesthesia. In humans, this reduces the risk of the development of aspiration pneumonia; in horses it was thought to decrease the risk of post-operative colic. However, a study has shown that there may be no need for horses scheduled for non-abdominal surgery to refrain from eating.

A retrospective study over a two-year period used 1,965 horses older than two years old that were referred to the Oakridge Equine Hospital in Edmond, Okla., for non-emergency, non-abdominal procedures. The horses had not fasted prior to their surgeries.

Dr. Patricia Baily and her study team found that only 2.5 percent of the horses that had not been fasted became colicky. They also found no correlation between the age of the horse, the surgery performed or the duration of the anesthesia and colic risk.

The scientists conclude that allowing a horse to eat prior to undergoing general anesthesia for a non-abdominal surgery doesn't increase his colic risk. In fact, allowing the horse to eat may help him maintain gut motility, reducing the risk of post-operative colic.

Read more at EQUUS.

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Is Colic The Only Reason For Bacterial Changes In The Gut? Probably Not

It's long been known that the best way to prevent ulcers in horses is to make sure they have something to eat—preferably forage—nearly constantly. But what happens if feed and hay are withheld to not exacerbate a problem, like colic?

Drs. Jaclyn Willette, Dipti Pitta, Nagaraju Indugu, Bonnie Vecchiarelli, Meagan Hennessy, Tamara Dobbie and Louise Southwood found that the bacterial population of a horse's gut changes if he has been without food for at least 10 hours.

Chronic gastrointestinal disease leads to a decrease in variety of bacterial species in the gut of humans and cattle; the same is thought to be true for horses.

The bacteria in a colicking horse's gut is distinctly different from that in a healthy horse's gut. While this could be related to intestinal problems and inflammation that is leading to the colic epsiode, other factors could be at play, including withholding feed, which is an essential tool in managing a horse with colic.

The study team used eight mares for a crossover study that withheld nearly all feed for 24 hours and then allowed each horse free-choice timothy hay for 24 hours. The horses had access to water at all times.

The researchers found that bacteria richness and diversity were significantly lower 10 to 24 hours after the fast began. This limited bacterial population persisted for 2 to 12 hours after the horses were given access to hay. The horse's gut returned to normal 18 to 24 hours after the hay was reintroduced.

The team concluded that the effect of withholding feed should be considered when interpreting data on species and amount of gut bacteria in horses. Their findings may help locate markers that will lead to the development therapeutic interventions for horses that are colicking.

Read the study here.

Read more at HorseTalk.

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