Horse digestive problems and upsets, especially digestive colic, are not only uncomfortable for your horse—they are also potentially serious risks to your horse's health. That's why your choice of a digestive supplement can be extremely important. Digestive colic is one of the most common, as well as dangerous, threats to your horse. According to conservative estimates, colic occurs in one out of every 10 horses each year.
Your horse's digestive system is susceptible to various types of colic, an affliction characterized by serious abdominal pain due to a spasm of the intestine. This can occur when large amounts of soluble carbohydrates, such as starch, reach the microorganisms in the horse's hindgut and, during microbial fermentation, form gases.
When the gases are being produced faster than they can be absorbed or released, swelling occurs, causing the horse to develop colic. By definition, any malfunction, twisting, swelling, infection or lesion of any part of the equine digestive system is considered colic, which can become life-threatening fairly quickly.
The Role of Prebiotics for Horses
Prebiotics are dietary components that can alter intestinal microbial populations and in doing so, may help reduce pathogenic or disease-producing bacteria in the intestine. ECare Nutritionals™ Digestive Support includes prebiotics in the form of high-quality beta-glucans and mannan oligosaccharides, which have been reported to help enhance absorption in the intestinal tract, improve the utilization of nutrients, and help support your horse's immune system.
The Role of Probiotics for Horses
Probiotics are the live microbial feed supplements that help horses by stimulating the growth of beneficial intestinal flora or bacteria in the digestive tract. One important probiotic, an active ingredient in ECare Nutritionals Digestive Support, bacillus licheniformis can increase the population of beneficial intestinal bacteria and may aid in the reduction of digestive colic.
Although probiotics for horses can be helpful as part of a general digestive supplement, they may be even more important if your horse is on antibiotics, since antibiotics may upset digestion by killing off beneficial intestinal bacteria along with pathogens elsewhere in the body. In fact, many veterinarians suggest giving probiotics when your horse is taking antibiotics.
A supplement such as ECare Nutritionals Digestive Support works in your horse's digestive tract to help promote beneficial bacteria and may stabilize digestion and aid in reducing digestive colic, helping to keep your horse fit and happy. This type of digestive support works by boosting the levels of certain beneficial microorganisms in your horse's digestive tract.
"Probiotics May Aid Your Horse's Digestion" Article on the value of probiotics from Equisearch, the publisher of EQUUS, Dressage Today, Horse & Rider, and Practical Horseman
