After Larry’s colic scare and two bouts of laminitis we were baffled. We could not find a reason for his condition. The bloodwork confirmed what we already knew: his insulin resistance was under control, it had not caused the laminitic episodes. He had no fatty deposits left, the hollows above his eyes were easily visible. Yet he started to lose muscle mass and his coat looked dull. He seemed a little tired, and he did not want to be brushed anywhere from his stomach to his hips. His diet was carefully balanced so that he got all the elements needed in the correct ratios to be absorbed. As always he was sporting a kind of pot bellied look, but that didn’t worry us because he already had that when we got him three years ago. It was obviously a hay belly, as it went down when he stopped eating, say because we went on the trail or to the indoor arena.

Larry also did not have parasites, as we send in fecal samples regularly. We were really depressed, and a second colicky episode didn’t do anything to help us find out what was going on. Larry was looking a little poorly, although nobody else but us and trainer Anja seemed to see that. The vet liked his body condition and didn’t understand why we were worried. Well, he sees much sicker animals on a daily basis, so I wasn’t surprised! The chiropractor though was worried about Larry’s loss of muscle mass. The day before the second colicky episode we were in the indoor arena, and Larry was such a good boy. I was fighting back tears and Anja was equally depressed. Usually Larry is a good boy, yes, but he regularly feels Anja’s pulse by trying to go off in a different direction, or trying to enlarge the circle she is working him on. This docile behaviour he displayed could only mean one thing: he was feeling poorly. I was feeling very helpless at this point, as I had no one I could ask about this and I knew the symptoms could mean anything unless I could put them together to a finished puzzle. There was an underlying problem causing all the various symptoms, it was not caused by Larry’s IR but could well be an issue that IR mules or humans might be susceptible to. And the cause would be something that influences the whole system, causing serious problems that can lead to the loss of the animal. The changes in Larry’s body were serious already and the laminitis would get worse unless I could find the cause.

It took me two more days to put the pieces together, and then it hit me, finally. If he was looking so poorly he had a malabsorption problem, meaning the nutrients were not absorbed as they should. If Larry was laminitic yet there was no common cause like IR, PPID or mechanical influence (bad trim, bad shoe job, too much work on hard ground etc), or overeating etc, it was likely toxins were poisoning him from inside. I collected a fecal sample and shipped it off to be tested for bacteria and fungi. I started Larry on an effective probiotic and a product that deals with toxins: a toxin binder.

He started to improve within days. The fecal sample came back, confirming my suspicion: Larry’s gut flora was disturbed (also called a dysbiosis), a fungal infection had been able to take over in his intestines, and he was being poisoned by the toxins the fungus released into his system. The nutrients from Larry’s diet passed through his system unabsorbed, as they would be absorbed in the gut but couldn’t because of the disturbed intestinal flora. The good bacteria had been blocked out by the bad bacteria and fungi. The digestion in his hindgut was disturbed so that gas accumulated, bloating his belly, and leading to two colic episodes.

What a seemingly benign cause, leading to such dramatic effects! How was this possible?

The gut flora of equines is equally important for the whole system as it is for humans. If the gut flora does not function properly, a myriad of symptoms can occur. Allergies, malabsorption issues, a weak immune system, abdominal pain, poor performance/ being tired a lot, laminitis, to name but a few. This makes it so difficult to find out! The gut flora means the delicate balance of microbes and other 'germs,' both good and bad, that live in the human as well as the equine gut (the stomach, small and large intestines and colon).

Research on this is still lacking, although a lot of new studies are being done and lots of interesting facts come to light. Still, we know little about all this except that a disturbance of this system causes serious symptoms that may even lead to death. Decreased gut bacteria in equines also mean that forages and other feeds cannot be fermented properly- which explained Larry’s pot bellied look. Once his gut went back to work properly he got a slimmer appearance and looked quite sporty!

So how exactly does this disturbance of the gut flora come about? It would seem a dramatic change like this would mean something dramatic must have happened to cause it. But scarily enough, just like with humans, the gut flora is easily disturbed. Most people know that antibiotics can do that, but very few realize that something seemingly benign as trailering out, or adding a new equine to the herd, or a sudden change in weather can bring this about. Not only bad stress but also good stress (as in being really excited about going on the trail!) can contribute. Colic also disrupts the digestive system. And a bad feeding program can cause this, as well as changes in diet.

What can we do to not only treat but also prevent this? Feeding a good probiotic as a prevention or treatment does not hurt. It can hurt your bank account though, as of course the feed industry loves to make a buck out of this. Pay special attention to cover several different strains of bacteria, and be aware that you need to feed a minimum of 20 billion CFU (colony forming units) of those strains twice a day, for a week or more. Closely read labels- with most products you’d feed one bucket per day! Go for a combination of lactobacillus and bifidobacterium. As always, don’t fall for fancy labels and what the manufacturer wants to make you believe. Stick to the facts. If there’s no information as to the amount of life bacteria on the label, do not buy! You can also use a probiotic meant for humans.

If you suspect there is something going wrong in your equine’s gut, also consider feeding a toxin binder.

Another cause for toxins can be found in hay, grass and most other feedstuffs: mycotoxins. They can be adsorbed by the toxin binder instead of by the intestinal walls. Mycotoxins can be responsible for poor liver function, liver damage, kidney damage, poor blood count, an impaired immune function, reduced growth, lethargy, reduced fertility, weight loss, lung problems, reduced food intake, physical condition problems or even skin problems, including neurological disorders and behavioral problems are not uncommon. Similar to an organism that’s being poisoned.

A proven toxin binder would be made of yeast cell walls. You should be looking for MOS mannan oligosaccharides glucomannans and FOS fructose oligosaccharides. Any other toxin binders also bind trace elements, which is exactly what your mule or donkey is already lacking when in need of a toxin binder, so stay far away from those! These supplements are not necessarily expensive. Always read labels closely, and only buy what you know is effective.

Consider giving a probiotic any time you travel with your equine, make a change in diet, are not satisfied with performance or immune system, or with overall appearance of your equine friend, or if you see inexplicable symptoms. Consider adding a toxin binder to deal with mycotoxins. Neither the probiotic nor the toxin binder can hurt, so whenever you feel you might want to improve your equine’s health, it won’t hurt to try those for a couple of weeks. Always be aware that your mule, horse or donkey needs to constantly provide the intestines with forage to keep everything going, a longer break than about two hours can already pose a problem and cause intestinal problems. Take breaks on long rides or when trailering to let the equine graze or eat hay. At home consider feeding from a slow feeder or out of small mesh haynets if your equine otherwise grows obese on free choice hay, to provide forage 24 hours a day for gut health.

As to our good boy Larry: he is looking great now and feels trainer Anja’s pulse regularly again. The best day ever was when two weeks after starting treatment he trotted through the indoor arena so fast and aloof that Anja, holding the long reins, had to run with him. That made Anja laugh so hard she could hardly see where she went! Yay for good boy Larry being his happy healthy self again!