RE: Electrolytes and dehydrated horses

[Wendy Milner <wendy@wendy.cnd.hp.com>]

"Janet Baca" <horsetrl@ctaz.com>

>I have a question from a friend of mine regarding electrolytes.  She has =
>a 6 yo grey Comet/Alladin mare that seems to colic every year with the =
>onset of winter.  This is the classic sand colic but the thing that sets =
>it off I guess is that she decreases her drinking when it gets colder.  =
>She becomes dehydrated along with the colic.  My friend also has an =
>older gelding that is a small Appaloosa that is just the best gelding =
>that seem to be dehydrated all the time.  I don't know what his exact =
>age is but I'm guessing around 17-19 years old.  My question is:  is it =
>ok to give electrolytes in this situation (either situation) and how =
>long can you keep them on electrolytes? 

This is not classic sand colic.  It is classic "Winter" colic.
Do not give electrolytes to a dehydrated horse.  We don't do it
with the endurance horses and I sure wouldn't do it with a colic
horse.  A horse must be well hydrated before being given electrolytes.
Giving electrolytes to a dehydrated horse could cause colic.

To prevent "winter" colic (I'm coining that term:-)
get the horses to drink more water.  You can heat the water tank
for a start.  Then, with each meal, make a hot mash.  Use the horse's
normal grain mix, just add a gallon of hot water.  As soon as the
horse gets used to the mix, they love it.  If the horse normally
gets hay cubes, or pellets, use the gallon, or more, of hot water
on them as well.

--
Wendy

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 Wendy Milner                     HPDesk:   wendy_milner@hp4000
 Hewlett-Packard Company          e-mail:   wendy@fc.hp.com
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