Psyllium
1/20/22
“Do you live in a sandy area?”
If so, you've probably heard of sand clearing products.
Why might one consider these products?
Sand accumulations in the gut can occur when horses eat pasture in a sandy area or consume hay from the ground in areas where sand is abundant.
Sand can accumulate in the digestive tract leading to diarrhea, digestive upset, and/or colic.
Many owners in sandy areas may do 1 week of psyllium treatment per month in an effort to avoid sand accumulation in the tract, and psyllium is a common treatment when this does occur.
Why psyllium?
This water-loving soluble fiber mixes with water to form a gel like substance and adds bulk to the diet. It is thought to pull sand out with out as it passes through the tract.
So the question becomes... does this actually work? My response will come later, but I'm curious about your experience and what you think!
According to the data, psyllium is not very effective as a preventative or treatment for sand colic.
Could it maybe help a little? Sure, but recent data suggests that it is no more effective at clearing sand colic than no treatment at all.
How did I draw that conclusion?
This comes from recent research – not my personal opinion. A few studies are listed below for you to look at:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/.../pii/S1090023318302648...
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32534763/
https://helda.helsinki.fi/handle/10138/320992...
https://link.springer.com/.../10.1186/s13028-016-0254-z...
What is this data telling us?
Recent data indicates that while around 25% of horses treated by feeding psyllium alone do recover, that same % of horses recover when given no treatment at all.
Statistically there is no difference in recovery between no treatment and using psyllium as treatment.
If 25% recover with psyllium, does that mean there’s a chance that psyllium could be doing something?
Maybe - but the data would indicate that recovery is just as likely due to time, additional long stem forage, or other factors.
Should you still feed psyllium?
That is 100% up to you. If you live in a sandy area and it gives you peace of mind – go for it. It’s not harmful if bought from a reputable company, and the equine GI tract does love fiber. And as long as you don’t overdo it, feeding psyllium is not inherently harmful. Use the data cited as information in how to be realistic in your expectation of what it can do in the GI tract.
Did you know…
The amount of psyllium fed in research studies is usually 5x what you see recommended in supplements - 500 g/day in a research setting, compared to 100 g/day recommended in most psyllium supplements. Remember, the amount in these studies showing a 25% recovery rate (and again, this may not be due to the psyllium at all), but a good question becomes, does 100 g/day do anything at all? Check your supplement…
What treatment shows promise for sand accumulation in the GI tract?
Enteral tubing of psyllium (1 g/kg BW) and magnesium sulphate (1 g/kg BW) by your veterinarian is an effective method at clearing sand accumulation in the GI tract. Severe cases sometimes need surgery. *This is a conversation to have with your vet.
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