Homeopathic Remedies for the Equine Digestive Tract

The digestive tract is critical to a horse's well-being anf is regulated by a number of factors in the horse's life. Because most of us are unable to provide the benefits of  natural, wild, herd-based, free range feeding lifestyle for our horse we are left doing the best we can with the grasses, feeds, interactions and exercise we have available.

Nature designed the horse (and its digestive system) to function optimally as part of a herd, walking 15 hours (or more) a day, and grazing on a variety of roughage during that time. Unfortunately, and often due to urban constraints, horse life consists of confinement many hours a day, lack of social interaction and structure, little or limited exercise and processed feeds. Digestive symptoms that may occur from this lifestyle include poor eating habits, ulcers, abnormal stool (too wet or too dry) and colic. Homeopathy offers relief of symptoms for many of these conditions.

Before thinking about a homeopathic remedy, you need to asses your horse's lifestyle. How natural is it? How much stress is your horse under? What symptoms tell you that your horse is stressed? Do you notice pacing, chewing, anxious behavior, herd bound tendencies, poor appetite, or poor coat condition? Does your horse turn its emotions inward and hide them? What emotional state do you feel your horse is in - happy, content, worried, confused, depressed, aggressive, grumpy, willful, fearful, friendly - these are all words that can help define emotional and mental states that will help decide what homeopathic remedy to pick.

What is your horse's diet? A heavily grain-based diet (especially sweet feeds) will aggravate the gastrointestinal tract and will be an obstacle to effective remedy response. Excessive use of antibiotics will also prevent response to a remedy since the good bacteria in your horse's system has been killed. Prolonged and continued stress conditions will aggravate gastrointestinal issues such as ulcers. If the stress (extended confinement, showing every weekend, irregular feed times, minimal turnout, etc) continues, the likelihood of curing your horse's ulcers with homeopathic remedies is very small. Under these circumstances, you would see better results from continual feeding of herbal supplements.

Generally, most equine digestive disorders are chronic in nature and benefit most from a full constitutional assessment by a homeopathic veterinarian who takes a complete case history then matches a specific remedy to the horse.

Following is a basic materia medica or symptoms (for two common equine digestive issues) that may fit different remedies. If you chose to try one, and it does not work, do not keep giving other remedies in hopes they will work, contact a professional for assistance..

COLIC

A great first aid kit for acute colic can be put together and kept in every barn. Homeopathic remedies in their original packages keep for several years, so you do not have to worry about them going bad. I would get all the remedies in a 30C potency and use 6-8 of the little tablets per dose. In a colic situation, the first thing to do is to take 4 drops of Rescue Remedy, then give 10-12 drops to your horse. Rescue remedy calms both of you. Next call your veterinarian. If your treatment makes the horse better by the time the vet arrives, it will be good have your horse checked anyway.

* Nux Vomica is the classic remedy to use in a colic situation for many different types of colic, from overeating grain or grass to an impaction. It is powerful, but will not cover up serious signs that your veterinarian may need to see. You can give one dose every 15 minutes for an hour. If there are no results, the remedy is not correct or the case is more serious than it seems.

* Colocynthis is a remedy more for a gassy colic, where you can hear loud gut sounds, often without a stethoscope. Your horse may pass gas, or it may be trapped and can be quite painful. The same four doses as mentioned above can be given.

* Aconite is always useful for a colic with a sudden onset, especially if there is cold or windy weather blowing in.

Along with the remedies, I recommend that a high quality probiotic be given. A liquid fermented product is often easier to give and has a better shelf life than powdered versions (ex: ProBi –Advanced Biological Concepts). In an emergency, any probiotic will help, even 6-12 human probiotic capsules can be given.

ULCERS

The horse’s personality plays a very important role in selecting remedies for ulcers. Since this is a chronic condition, a single dose of the remedy is given, or two doses on one day. Then you need to wait about 2-3 weeks for the remedy to take effect. Sometimes the result is slow to happen, but gradually you see your horse happier and more comfortable. Before you decide the remedy is not working, really think about any changes you have seen and keep a notebook with a daily journal.

* Nux Vomica is useful for horses who have a “Type A” personality, like to work and tend to have a bit of a temper. When these horses are hurting, they get very unpleasant. It is also very good for horses who have had a lot of drugs, and many of he horses off the racetrack.

* Arsenicum Alb is a remedy that fits horses with more fear in their personality, also those that are finicky about their stalls, like things neat and orderly. They may tend towards loose stool.

* Phosphorus horses tend to be friendly, happy horses, but can be sensitive to noises and a bit fearful.

* Lycopodium horses may get stressed easily, have a bit of diarrhea, gas or watery stool when stressed or anticipating stress.

Happy Cat Liver Treats

Liver as a food booster or treat is wildly accepted by the 4-legged contingent of my household, both canine and feline.  Here is a quick recipe that both my cats (one aged 19 and the other 8) happily enjoy and digest well. Please remember that feeding too much liver can cause vitamin A toxicity in our cats. Due to how I occasionally choose to add liver to the food I make for them, my fur-kids only get these treats twice a year.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup cooked chicken livers
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup cooked carrot, mashed
• 1 tablespoon soft butter

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. 

Cook livers on your stove top then place well-done livers in a blender with 1/4 cup of water. 

In a bowl, combine flour and butter. Add liver mixture and carrots and knead dough into a ball. 

Roll dough to 1/4-inch thick and cut into 1-inch-sized pieces.

 Place cookies on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Makes 12 cookies.

Pass the Pumpkin, Please

Two common canine ailments are diarrhea and constipation.  Did you know that canned pumpkin can offer a solution to both?

Diarrhea is more a symptom rather than a disease and is typically a sign that something is wrong with your dog’s digestive system. A lot of things can cause diarrhea in your dog; it may have eaten something that disagrees with its body, it may have food allergies, bacterial or viral infection or a worm infestation. It may even be due to a change in its diet.

In normal cases, diarrhea has a surprisingly simple solution: canned pumpkins. Canned pumpkin is actually pumpkin in a puree form. Pumpkins are very rich in fiber and even adding two teaspoons of canned pumpkin in you dog’s food helps the digestion process. Canned pumpkin has a large quantity of dietary fiber and it will also absorb the excess water present in the stool. This makes your dog’s stool more firm and results can be seen within a few hours. Give your small dog one and a half to two teaspoons of canned pumpkin. For a larger dog give two tablespoons instead.

Another benefit of canned pumpkin is in treating dogs for constipation. It softens your dog’s stool and can cure an upset stomach very quickly. This makes canned pumpkins one of the best natural remedies to your dog’s stomach problems.

Canned pumpkin also makes a great addition to dog treats.  Just add some canned pumpkin to your favorite dog treat recipes to give Fido a healthy treat.

Canned pumpkin is low in saturated fat, sodium and cholesterol.  It is also a good source of Vitamin E, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Potassium and is also a very good source of dietary fiber.  Some vets even recommend canned pumpkin for weight loss in dogs.  Simply substitute one-third of your dog’s regular food with an equivalent amount of canned pumpkin.  Because it is high in fiber, canned pumpkin will make your dog fuller than it would if you just reduced their caloric intake.

You can find canned pumpkin in the baking section of most grocery stores.
* Important note - DO NOT use pumpkin pie mix as this often contains sugars and other ingredients that are not good for your dog and may worsen symptoms.* 

Equine Herb Supplements

Why does the modern domestic equine need dietary supplements?  Many of today's horses live in conditions that are different from their free roaming, range running ancestors.  They are often kept in stalls and turned out into pasture areas that are lush, but lacking in the natural variety of grasses and weeds that equines would normally self-medicate and eat.  We have established fixed eating and exercise patterns. We often feed them individual meals of hay and grain instead of the animal being able to graze throughout the day. This is not the ideal pattern for the digestive system of an animal whose body is naturally designed to eat small amounts of food almost continuously. Also, we often perform competitively or ride regularly with them, asking their bodies to produce expended periods of energy output. These facts make reasoning to supplement our equines' food, for their optimal health, legitimate.

Here are five herbs that are easy to find, inexpensive and safe to feed your horse (Mule savvy friends please fill me in - I believe the fenugreek may be too sweet for your fur babies). Remember, any time you add something new to your equine's diet, it needs to be done slowly over time to allow the digestive system to adjust to the new foods. Watch your companion closely to ensure that it does not have a unique reaction to any of them.  In order for herbs to be of the most therapeutic benefit, they need time to work.  Expect to use a herbal supplement regimen for at least four to six weeks in order to see benefits.

Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) The flowers are packed with phosphorus and calcium, they regulate and strengthen the parasympathetic nervous system.  One of nature's most gentle sedatives, chamomile can be used in cases of anxiety, hyperactivity and sleeplessness. It is a carminative, supporting the digestive system and is an effective anti-inflammatory. I have used it externally and internally to treat allergic reactions.
Add 1/4 cup of flowers, soaked in water for 5 minutes, once daily

Dandelion Leaf (Taraxacum officinale) This herb is n=an excellent addition to a horse's diet. High in vitamins A.B.C and D, and potassium rich, dandelion functions as a tonic by stimulating liver function, bile production, and kidney function. It helps the body clear itself of toxins and is believed to purify the blood. It is a strong botanical when used in rehabilitation or conditioning mixes, especially for equines that undergo the stress of competition.
Add 1 cup of dried dandelion leaf to your horse's feed, once daily

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) Horses love the flavor of these seeds that function to strengthen the respiratory system, mucus membranes and support sinus function, especially in cases of upper respiratory infection, sinus issues or congestion. Fenugreek has strong regulating and stimulating properties on the lymphatic system, helping lymph to move effectively through the body. This is particularly helpful in cases of anhydrosis (aka "the puffs").
Add 2 tablespoons of seeds to your horse's feed, once daily

Nettles (Urtica dioca) Nettles are one of nature's richest sources of iron and also contain histamine, serotonin, potassium, silica, and vitamins A and C. Nettles support the immune,  respiratory, urinary and reproctive systems. Additionally they strengthen hoof and coat health.
Add 1/2 cup of dried nettles to feed, once daily
* If you use fresh nettles, allow them to wither in the sun for 4 hours to remove the sting, or pour boiling water over them first and them to cool.*

Raspberry Leaf (Rubus idaeus) Raspberry leaf helps regulate hormonal shifts in mares , strengthens and tones the uterus which aids in fertility, pregnancy and foaling. It is and astringent and is used effectively for diarrhea, bleeding gums, and wet cough.
Add 1/2 cup of dried leaves to your mare's diet daily

I find these three methods the easiest way to add herbs to the diet:
* Fresh or dried herbs in separate feeders so they are free to choose which herb their bodies need
*A combination of fresh and dried herbs added to their daily grain ration
*Dried herbs allowed to soak in a little water for 5 - 10 minutes then added to their daily food ration