Equine Nutrition in ECC

Question 1

How is horse ECC nutrition different?

Answer 1

Cope with longer periods of starvation:
- Common treatment for colic
- Adults cope with 2-3 days
Fat horses/ponies/donkeys struggle with hyperlipaemia:
- Increase in lipolysis and reduced lipid clearance from blood
- Increase in triglyceride accumulation in blood -> inappetence
Require food to encourage gastrointestinal motility

Question 2

What factors should be considered when assessing nutrition of ECC horses?

Answer 2

Duration of inappetence/anorexia
Nutritional state prior to illness
Physiological state eg growing/pregnancy/lactation
Evidence of catabolic state eg hyperlipaemia
Risk of developing hyperlipaemia
Presence of sepsis

Question 3

What are the possible methods of providing nutrition to ECC horses?

Answer 3

Enteral
Partial parenteral nutrition
Total parenteral nutrition

Question 4

Describe equine enteral nutrition

Answer 4

Preferred
Required working GIT
Free choice - hay, haylage, grass, readigrass, mashes, pelleted feeds
Syringed - karosyrup, molasses, complan
Nasogastric tubed - liquid feed (Equidgel), soaked feed, readybrek
Feed 4-6 times daily
Assess for tolerance (gastric reflux)

Question 5

Describe equine partial parenteral nutrition

Answer 5

Nutritional supplement into vein
Aim to prevent severe malnutrition and catabolic state
Important in horses with ileus/enteral feeding not possible
Corrects hypertriglyceridaemia
Usually just glucose supplementation +/- insulin

Question 6

Describe equine total parenteral nutrition

Answer 6

Nutritional support into vein
Used for longer periods of starvation/gut rest (>24 hours)
Provide entire energy requirement (22kcal/kg/day)
Start lower and increase to 100% over 24 hours
Combination of glucose, protein and fats
Need close monitoring -> regular blood glucose measurements
Often need insulin -> develop hyperglycaemia
Need to be careful of bacterial contamination and increased risk of jugular thrombophlebitis
Mixture is light sensitive (covered in bin bag)

Question 7

Describe nutritional support of ECC foals

Answer 7

Limited energy reserves -> hypoglycaemia common
High metabolic rate
Require frequent meals of milk to meet requirements
Enteral still preferred
PPN/TPN required sooner if gut rest/cannot tolerate enteral feeding (Ileus/diarrhoea)
May still do ‘trophic’ feeding (small amounts enterally) -> promotes growth and GIT development

Question 8

How should ECC horses nutritional support be monitored?

Answer 8

Weigh daily
Monitor TP, PCV, electrolytes, triglycerides, glucose

Question 9

How are ECC horses transitioned back to normal feeding?

Answer 9

Done slowly whilst decreasing enteral/parenteral assisted feeding
Start offering small amounts of palatable feed
Withdraw assistance once reach 75% of maintenance requirements