b"Vet continued from page 5BAKING SODA, BEER, AND HERBS Owners interested in natural equine health may be tempted grains). Feed these only as a supplement, and not more than Since colic is such a commonly experienced problem, overto use herbs to treat colic episodes as well. Dandelion, 50 percent of the diet.the years, horse owners have come up with a variety ofmeadowsweet, valerian root, chamomile, and peppermint Divide the daily concentrate ration into two or more smaller home remedies to treat it, many of which have questionablehave all been touted to prevent or treat colic, and while feedings, rather than one large one, to avoid overloading the results, and others that are downright dangerous.these herbs do have beneficial properties and may be helpful horse's digestive tract. Hay is best fed free choice.with certain issues, they cannot necessarily be relied on to Set up a regular parasite control program with the helpBaking soda, or more technically, sodium bicarbonate, istreat acute cases of colic, especially if impaction is to blame. of your veterinarian. Use fecal examination to determineknown for its alkalizing properties and it happens to beChamomile and valerian root, in particular, are known for its effectiveness. another ingredient some have tried to give as a horse colictheir antispasmodic properties and may be helpful with gas Provide exercise and/or turnout every day. preventative or remedy, especially for horses suffering(spasmodic) colic, but again, most horse owners wont know Make any changes to diet, housing, and activityfrom ulcers (who may be more prone to colic). However,what type of colic theyre dealing with, and delaying veterinary level gradually. baking soda for colic isnt likely to help because it breakstreatment can lead to a poorer outcome for your horse. Provide fresh, clean water at all times. down in the stomach and wont offer a buffering effect in Feed certain supplements such as equine probiotics tothe digestive system. Baking soda may not necessarily beUsing CBD oil, derived from the hemp plant, has been keep the gut functioning smoothly.harmful, but it most likely wont help in the treatment ofgaining in popularity with horse owners and some have Avoid giving your horse medications unless they arecolic, or ulcers for that matter.even used it to treat colic. While CBD oil appears to be prescribed by your veterinarian. fairly safe and does have some therapeutic properties, it Check hay, bedding, pasture, and environment forInterestingly enough, beer is another natural remedy formay give the horse owner a false sense of security that the potentially toxic substances, such as blister beetles, noxiouscolic thats been around for a while. In fact, WWII-eracolic is actually resolved when that actually isnt the case. weeds and other ingestible foreign matter. documents recommended that soldiers give their horses Avoid putting feed on the ground, especially in sandy soils. beer if they were experiencing coliclikely because therePREVENTING COLICReduce stress; horses experiencing changes in environmentwerent veterinarians there to attend to the horses. TodayColic is a problem with many potential causes and or workloads are at high risk for intestinal dysfunction. some people still resort to treating colic in horses withcontributing factors, some of which are beyond our control. Pay special attention to animals when transporting them orbeer and while it isnt exactly dangerous to give your horseHowever, management plays a key role in most cases of changing their surroundings. in small amounts, it should never be relied on as the solecolic. Although not every case of colic is avoidable, the Observe foaling mares pre- and post-foaling for any signstreatment method for colic. The only type of colic thatfollowing guidelines can maximize your horse's health and of colic.beer may, in fact, help with is spasmodic colic. This is duereduce the risk of colic:Pay particular attention to horses that have had previousto beers ability to anesthetize and relax the gut muscles Establish a set daily routineincluding feeding, exercise,bouts of colic, as they may be at greater risk forsomewhat. However, since most horse owners wont knowand turnout schedulesand stick to it (even on weekends). repeated episodes. what type of colic their horse is experiencing, they cant Feed a high-quality diet comprised primarily of high- Maintain accurate records of management, feedingassume beer will take care of the digestive system problem. quality roughage. Except for young foals, all horsespractices, and health. should be fed at least one percent of their body weightHome remedies such as castor oil, kerosene, and turpentine (or one pound per 100-pound body weight) of good SUMMARYare useless for colic and are dangerous; they shouldquality roughage per day. It is important to feed good The key to minimizing the incidence of colic is good never be given orally to horses. Over-the-counter remedies quality hay and avoid abrupt changes to new varieties management. The key to minimizing the impact of colic that contain Belladonna extract should also be avoided. or batches of hay. This can be accomplished by slowly is to identify the problem early and call your veterinarian They may relieve mild, spasmodic (crampy) colic, but incorporating new varieties or batches of hay when immediately. Treat every incident of colic as potentially overuse or use in horses with more serious types of colic required. Avoid moldy or poor-quality hay. serious and involve your veterinarian from the outset; try can be disastrous.Limit the amount of grain-based feeds (grain in any form, never to jeopardize your horse's health for the sake of a sweet feed, pellets in which the main ingredients are few dollars. 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