Equestrian Researchers Unlock Breakthrough for Equine Health With Assistance From Nine Horses

Horses are plagued by various diseases which are a major issue of concern for horse owners. One of them is Ileus, especially, in those equines which have undergone abdominal surgery, with an estimated affecting rate of 10%-15% and a death rate of about 80%.

Equestrian researchers have been working on the problem to find a better way to decrease or control the issue. In a recent study, researchers got a breakthrough in the treatment of Ileus when they found that bit chewing can be of assistance in curing the problem thus saving the lives of the horses.

Equestrian researchers’ new study

Normally, the gut functions with a continuous movement for digesting food, and motility aids in the movement of food in the small intestine and pushing it out of the body in the form of gas or feces. When there is a lack of movement or mobility, it is called Ileus. According to Horse Talk, equestrian researchers have found an effective and affordable method of curing small intestine motility problems in horses. Molly Patton and her team from Virginia Tech noted that in the human case, gum chewing has shown tremendous results in improving the motility of the intestine. In horses, the gum has been replaced by bit, and in their study, the bit chewing in horses has been effective in reducing the time of gastrointestinal transit time.

The purpose of the study was to find if bit chewing can decrease the gastric emptying time, small intestine movement time, and over time taken for food to digest and come out as feces. In the result of their study, they found out that bit chewing has reduced the transit time and improved the gut motility.

How did the equestrian researchers conduct the study?

The equestrian researchers had nine horses – six Quarter horses, and one each of Appaloosa, Tennessee Walking, and Warmblood. These horses were brought from pastures to stables and were divided into two groups. One was given a bit to chew and the other, none. After that, they were sent back to washout. Later, they assigned the horses of one group to the other group.

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The feeding schedule was designed for those horses who have undergone abdominal surgery. They were kept on fast for twelve hours before the study and were fed according to the schedule of the operated horse. The Gastrointestinal motility was compared in both groups with the help of acetaminophen serum levels. Three video endoscopy capsules were given to horses were time-stamped and were later collected from feces. These capsules captured the inside images and helped in calculating the time taken in passage through the gut.

The latest study by Molly Patton and her team is a significant step towards clinical treatment of gut motility problems and aids in better treatment of the issue long affecting the sturdy horses.

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