Failure of psyllium mucilloid to hasten evaluation of sand from the equine large intestine.

This research paper examined the effectiveness of a supplement called psyllium mucilloid in aiding the removal of sand from the large intestine of horses. The study found no significant effect of the supplement on sand evacuation.

Research Method

• The researchers assembled twelve clinically healthy gelding ponies. These were divided evenly into two groups. Group one was given treatment with psyllium while group two served as the control.
• Each of the ponies then underwent an exploratory celiotomy (surgical incision into the abdominal cavity), where 10 g/kg body weight of sand was placed into the cecum (a pouch at the beginning of the large intestine).
• For their diet, the horses were offered a grain mixture by itself at 1 g/kg (controls), or a grain mixture with additional psyllium pellets, or given psyllium powder with the help of a nasogastric tube at the same ratio. The powders were given twice daily in two doses of 3 L of water.
• Radiographs (X-ray images) were taken on specific days after surgery to track the sand’s movement through the large intestine.
• On day 11 after surgery, the ponies were euthanized. The researchers recovered sand from different sections of the intestine (cecum, ventral colon, dorsal colon, and small colon).
• The dry weight of the recovered sand was compared between the two treatment groups as a percentage of the dry weight of the sand established in the cecum.

Results and Conclusion

• No significant differences were discovered in the average percentage of sand recovered between the two groups (39.2% in ponies treated with psyllium and 27.4% in control ponies).
• The conclusion drawn from this study was that psyllium mucilloid showed no real influence on sand evacuation from the equine large intestine. When sand intake is blocked, the equine large intestine can reduce, and even possibly eliminate, its sand burden.