Re: Carbs - only part of the picture

[flemmerl@rcbhsc.wvu.edu (Flemmer, Linda)]

Susan Evans Garlinghouse wrote:

> too much grain causes drops in pH in the cecum, which can cause damgage
> to the mucosa lining of the intestines, thus inefficient absorption of
> nutrients later on.  I don't know whether damaged mucose can or will
> regenerate partially or entirely as time goes on, Heidi, do you know?

I'd be interested in hearing the equine answer, but I can provvide some human
experience.

The mucosa will generally repair itself with time & light use assuming that the
loss isn't related to an autoimmune disorder (ex. Crohn's Disease).  Recovery of
the mucosa and microvilli in humans is dependent a small amount of <something>
trickling through the gut most of the time.  No stimulation to the gut means no
recovery.  Worst case scenario, we'd trickle sterile water through a feeding
tube at 10cc/hr (1/3 Tbsp).

In humans with short gut syndrome (most of the small bowel lost due to ischemic
injuries), the mucosa and villi can become hyperplasic for increased
absorbtion.  Most folks never recover full absorption that was lost in the loss
of gut length, but I've seen amazing improvement in pediatric cases.  One child
went from tolerating NOTHING enterally & living on parenteral nutrition (w/
assoc. problems of sepsis, thrombosis, etc.) to tolerating soft fods and
elemental liquid formula 5 years later.  He had about 10" of small intestine
left at the time of his ischemic injury!

Noteworthy in humans - when the bowel mucosa is injured, we generally see an
increase in enteral bacteria causing bactermia & sepsis.  The hypothesis is that
the bacteria themselves (not just toxins) are translocating through the damaged
gut wall to the blood stream.  Does this happen in horses??

Linda Flemmer