Intestinal Dysbiosis or Leaky Gut are terms for the same disease process. We will discuss the definition of leaky gut and the deleterious effects it has on the equine body metabolism. Leaky gut or Intestinal Dysbiosis (ID) is not uncommon in the equine patient but it’s not readily diagnosed in traditional western veterinary medicine. Although gastric ulcers are frequently investigated and diagnosed by veterinarians, leaky gut or ID can be confused with gastric ulcers in the equine.
A normal intestinal wall serves the purpose of digestion, absorption and protection. Once the feedstuffs of the diet are digested by the enzymes and normal microflora to basic nutrient chemical molecules, the intestinal wall absorbs them into the circulatory system. Consequently the intestinal tract wall is a protective layer for the rest of the body just like the horse’s skin.
Typically in a normal healthy intestinal tract, the microbial flora contributes to the health of the horse by producing needed nutrients. Volatile short chain fatty acids produced by the flora in the large colon are used as an energy source. While nutrients like biotin and Vitamin K are produced by the healthy microflora. An important function of the normal healthy microflora is to keep pathogenic microflora growth in check and to stimulate a normal immune response.
Dysbiosis is an imbalance of the microbial flora which can occur in multiple body structures including the lungs, gastrointestinal tract and urogenital tract. The increased imbalance microflora population can consist of one or more of the many bacteria, yeast, fungus or parasites present in the intestinal tract. The imbalanced microflora population produces mycotoxins, one of them being endotoxin. These microflora populations’ illicit disease processes by altering the nutritional status, permeability of the intestinal tract wall or the immune response of the horse.
A major cause of leaky gut is stress or stressed induced changes in the intestinal tract. A poor diet or competition from other horses produces nutritional stress to our patients. Antibiotics or drugs like NSAIDS affect the intestinal microflora creating intestinal infections, decreased immune function, intestinal wall inflammation and maldigestion. The pathogen overgrowth in the horse’s intestinal tract produce toxic substances which the horse has to excrete or be damaged by them. Another cause is decreased gut motility.
Inflamed intestinal wall becomes more permeable, less absorptive and less protective. Mycotoxins, macromolecules and even bacteria can go through the wall to the bloodstream. These products are considered foreign bodies creating an inflammatory reaction in the body by stimulating the immune system. With time the intestinal tract’s normal immune response is overwhelmed and becomes more permeable.
Multiple disease process have been linked to intestinal dysbiosis, including malabsorption issues, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, inflammatory or irritable bowel, allergies and diseases of the skin. With the inflammation in the intestinal wall, the barrier structure of the intestinal wall is disrupted. The inflamed disrupted intestinal wall allows large macromolecules into the blood stream which can create an immune or autoimmune response in the horse. Also the inflamed wall’s normal active transport of required nutrients is compromised and reduced.
Recognizing the presence of the disease process in the horse is key to treatment, correction and return to balance or health. In the early stages, attitude changes or riding behavioral problems maybe the only clinical sign something is wrong due to abdominal discomfort or nausea. As the ID progresses, signs of body inflammation will arise along with chiropractic issues due to the viscerosomatic reflexes. An example of a viscerosomatic reflex is the angina felt with a heart attack. The pain is in the arm but the problem is in the heart. So issues in the intestinal tract create fixations or subluxations in the spinal column. As ID progresses the horse may develop a rough hair coat, abdominal discomfort, and kick when abdomen is touched or show signs similar to a gastric ulcers.
A diagnosis and treatment plan can be developed by using Applied Kinesiology. Usually an herb is given for 10 – 21 days to bring the offending pathogen back in control. The normal microflora may benefit from being reseeded to obtain a balance microflora state quicker. Once the intestinal tract is in balance the clinical signs and presenting complaint is resolved.
In conclusion Intestinal dysbiosis or leaky gut is a relatively common finding in our horse population. With the stress and diet parameters we inflect upon our horses, the fragile intestinal environment balance is easily compromised. Once the intestinal environment with its large microflora population is imbalanced a cascade of health issues develop in your horse. To treat these health issues, the microflora need to be treated and returned to a balanced population. As a preventative measure, a low stress environment and consistent feeding program and diet will go a long ways in warding off Intestinal Dysbiosis or Leaky Gut.