GUT HEALTH
So Important! |
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If you are confused about all the various products available to help horses' digestive systems then you are not alone!
Everyday there seems to be more products available, all with various claims. Some claim to help foregut issues such as stomach ulcers, whereas others target the hindgut.
In Dr Victoria Hamilton's opinion, the only sure way to know if your horse has stomach ulcers is to have it scoped. Then if it is positive it should be treated by a veterinarian with omeprazole and possibly other drugs. The treatment regime will differ according to the location of the ulcers as those found in the non-glandular area are treated differently to those found around the pyloris. This is another extremely important reason to scope rather than just go ahead and treat. During the treatment and certainly afterwards, attention needs to be given to optimising gut health and minimising the risk of reoccurence through changes in horse management.
Hind gut health is also important and very topical at the moment. I feel this is an area where great advances in knowledge and prevention and treatment options will be made in the future.
Different products work in different ways and it depends on what issues your horse has as to which product may work best.
Some products purely alter the pH of the gut, others attempt to coat and protect the gut. Then there are ones that feed the good bacteria, some that are toxin binders and so on.
Regardless of what product you feed to your horse, correct management and nutrition is essential to keeping its digestive system in top form. Horses should be turned out daily, ideally in company, have access to hay or grass at all times and never worked on an empty stomach.
VH Saddlery stocks a range of gut health products available online at the VH Saddlery SHOP.
Everyday there seems to be more products available, all with various claims. Some claim to help foregut issues such as stomach ulcers, whereas others target the hindgut.
In Dr Victoria Hamilton's opinion, the only sure way to know if your horse has stomach ulcers is to have it scoped. Then if it is positive it should be treated by a veterinarian with omeprazole and possibly other drugs. The treatment regime will differ according to the location of the ulcers as those found in the non-glandular area are treated differently to those found around the pyloris. This is another extremely important reason to scope rather than just go ahead and treat. During the treatment and certainly afterwards, attention needs to be given to optimising gut health and minimising the risk of reoccurence through changes in horse management.
Hind gut health is also important and very topical at the moment. I feel this is an area where great advances in knowledge and prevention and treatment options will be made in the future.
Different products work in different ways and it depends on what issues your horse has as to which product may work best.
Some products purely alter the pH of the gut, others attempt to coat and protect the gut. Then there are ones that feed the good bacteria, some that are toxin binders and so on.
Regardless of what product you feed to your horse, correct management and nutrition is essential to keeping its digestive system in top form. Horses should be turned out daily, ideally in company, have access to hay or grass at all times and never worked on an empty stomach.
VH Saddlery stocks a range of gut health products available online at the VH Saddlery SHOP.