Page 783 - The Veterinary Care of the Horse

adversely affect some of the bacteria. This procedure is known as faecal microbiota

transplant (FMT) or transfaunation. The donor must be screened for parasites and
VetBooks.ir infectious diseases beforehand and not have received any recent medication.

FEEDING AND MANAGEMENT

This again will depend on the cause of the diarrhoea and your vet will advise you of the most
appropriate management and diet. In most cases:
• the horse should be kept off fresh grass and fed good quality hay and alfalfa

• succulent feeds such as carrots and sugar beet should be limited or avoided

• a vitamin B supplement is recommended as this is normally produced by bacteria within

the gut
• a broad spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement is beneficial

• small feeds should be offered several times a day

• fresh water should be freely available: horses with diarrhoea need to drink more water

than usual to replace the lost fluids
• probiotics help to re-establish a normal gut flora: a probiotic is a specially prepared

supplement that contains a mixture of the bacteria that are important for digestion in the
horse.

NURSING
• Horses with severe diarrhoea must be kept clean to prevent scalding of the skin under the

tail and down the back legs. These areas should be washed and dried, then protected with

a thick layer of petroleum jelly.
• It is helpful to wrap the tail in a protective plastic sleeve.

• The bedding must be kept clean and dry.

SURGERY

If a large amount of sand has accumulated in the colon, this may have to be removed
surgically. This is not always straightforward and there is quite a high risk of complications.

Prognosis

The prognosis depends on the cause of the diarrhoea and how quickly it is treated. With the
exception of grain overload which may lead to severe laminitis, most cases of diarrhoea

caused by dietary changes have an excellent prognosis. They usually improve spontaneously