Posted: 2nd February 2014 | Back to news feed
Worming may be necessary to keep horse’s parasite free but anthelmintic drugs themselves can actually cause disruption to the horse’s digestion. Jonathan Nelson, Equine Director at Protexin, explains how probiotics help repopulate the gut microflora following worming treatment, and why they are an important consideration along with the usual anthelmintic.
Anthelmintic products are a very necessary part of equine management and should be used on a regular basis to keep horse’s worm free. However, recent French research has shown that several different types of wormers significantly affect the microbial population in the hindgut as well as the level of acidity present. This microbial imbalance can lead to several problems such as loss of condition, loose stools and even sporadic colic following worming.
Horses rely on the bacteria in the gut to break down food and extract nutrients, and to maintain their immune system, however, these bacteria are delicate and prone to disruption. Anthelmintic wormers have a ‘scouring’ effect on the gut as they remove the worm burden, but this also leads directly to a disruption of the good bacteria. A probiotic such as Equine Premium Quick Fix given at the same time as the wormer and for a further five days minimises this destructive effect, replenishing the good bacteria and maintaining a stable gut.
Horse owners should consider purchasing a probiotic at the same time as they worm horses to avoid any complications and disruption to the gut microflora, particularly if they have a horse that is prone to a mild reaction. When considering the type and brand they should consider the following:
- Is the product a true probiotic, i.e. is it labelled to show a high density of live micro organisms?
- Are those micro organisms registered as an authorised EU additive for horses (look for the license number after the name)
- Does the product also contain a prebiotic designed to feed the probiotic and enhance the products ability to survive and colonise within the gut?
- Is the product batch numbered, and labelled with a use by date as a guarantee of contents?
Probiotic products authorised for use in horses are safe, have no nutritional or energy value and are compatible with any diet from hard feed to forage.
The Protexin Equine Premium Range comprises of five products; Gut Balancer, Acid Ease, Quick Fix, Recover Aid and Gut Bind. For more information please contact Protexin on 01460 243230 or visit www.equinepremium.com
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