What is an Enterolith in horses?

Enteroliths are intestinal stones that form within the colon and can obstruct the intestine, resulting in colic. They can form as the result of many factors, including certain diets, breed predisposition, and/or management practices, but it is not well understood why some horses develop enteroliths and others do not.

Why do horses get enteroliths?

High mineral intake. The risk of developing enteroliths increases when a horse’s diet includes high levels of minerals. A diet based primarily on alfalfa hay, which is lower in fiber and higher in minerals than grass hay, has long been known as a risk factor for enteroliths.

Does alfalfa cause stones in horses?

Alfalfa is a major contributor of the elements that form intestinal stones. Nevertheless most horses fed alfalfa do not have problems with intestinal stones. Replacing the forage portion of a diet that is 100% alfalfa hay with a portion or all grass hay will reduce the intakes of nitrogen, calcium & magnesium.

How do you prevent horse impaction colic?

Management practices to prevent impactions include providing high quality roughage and ample, clean water. Providing warm water in cold weather may encourage some horses to increase water consumption. Adding electrolytes to the horse’s water supply may encourage horses to drink more water.

How do horses get rid of stones?

In males, some degree of surgery is usually necessary to remove the stone from the bladder. Sometimes this can be done by making a small incision in the urethra just below the anus (called a perineal urethrostomy) with the horse just sedated and with local lidocaine.

How common are enteroliths in horses?

Enteroliths are the most common form of surgical colic at the University of California, Davis. And the number of cases seems to have increased. Between 1973 and 1986, only about 6.6 percent of the horses referred to the clinic for colic had enteroliths. Between 1987 and 1996 that number increased to 21.6 percent.

Should you walk a horse with impaction colic?

6. Walk Your Horse – Walking can assist moving gas through the gut and can prevent injury from rolling. Most mild colics will even clear up from just a simple brisk walk. Try to walk the horse to keep them comfortable, but never to the point of exhaustion.

How do you dissolve bladder stones naturally?

Drinking lots of water may help a small stone pass naturally. However, because bladder stones are often caused by difficulty emptying your bladder completely, extra water may not be enough to make the stone pass. Most of the time, you’ll need to have the stones removed.

Can alfalfa cause laminitis?

Because alfalfa hay is more nutrient dense than typical grass hay, more care needs to be taken when feeding alfalfa. Alfalfa hay can cause horses to founder and develop laminitis due to the excess nutrients provided by the high quality hay if too much is fed.

How do you stop lactic acid build-up in horses?

In practice, administration of 50 mL of NEUTRADEX® in the feed daily, is helpful in preventing tying-up in some horses. NEUTRADEX contains an acid buffer which neutralises the lactic acid produced in muscles during hard or fast exercise.

What dissolves bladder stones?

The only potentially effective medical treatment for bladder calculi is urinary alkalization for the dissolution of uric acid stones. Stone dissolution may be possible if the urinary pH can be raised to 6.5 or higher. Potassium citrate 60 mEq/day is the treatment of choice.

What foods cause bladder stones?

Diet. A diet high in fat, sugar, and salt that also lacks vitamins A and B can raise your chance of getting bladder stones, though this is more common in developing countries.

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