How Can Nutrition Help with Gastrointestinal Tract-Based Issues?

Myriam Hesta; Marcio Costa

doi:10.1016/j.cveq.2020.12.007

How Can Nutrition Help with Gastrointestinal Tract-Based Issues?

Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract. 2021 Apr;37(1):63-87. doi: 10.1016/j.cveq.2020.12.007.

Authors

Myriam Hesta¹, Marcio Costa²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Veterinary Medical Imaging and Small Animal Orthopedics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, Merelbeke B9820, Belgium. Electronic address: myriam.hesta@ugent.be.
² Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, University of Montreal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Canada.

PMID: 33820610
DOI: 10.1016/j.cveq.2020.12.007

Abstract

Many horses are fed differently than their wild ancestors. They often have limited access to pasture and are fed conserved forage and concentrates rich in starch and sugars, in only 2 meals per day. Feeding practices in contrast to natural feeding behavior can lead to gastrointestinal issues. Standard nutritional evaluation is warranted because of its important role in prevention and in treatment and management of diseases. When medical and nutritional treatments are combined, success rates are higher. New techniques to characterize equine microbiota have been used, allowing for microbiota manipulation to prevent and treat intestinal diseases.

Keywords: Colic; Dysbiosis; EGUS; Equines; Horses; Intestinal diseases; Intestinal microbiota; Nutrition.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Animal Feed / analysis*
Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
Animals
Diet / veterinary*
Gastrointestinal Diseases / diet therapy
Gastrointestinal Diseases / veterinary*
Horse Diseases / diet therapy*
Horse Diseases / etiology
Horses