Question
I’m looking for advice on feeding a mare after surgery to correct epiploic foramen entrapment. She is a very nervous mare. What kind of feed would be proper for her? I thought about some high-fiber feeds, but these often contain flaxseed, which could lead to bloating or gas issues. Maybe you have suggestions?
Answer
The epiploic foramen separates the omental bursa from the abdominal cavity of all domestic animals but recognized only in horses as a site of intestinal strangulation. The epiploic foramen is sometimes described as a “potential opening” because the walls of the structure are in contact when situated normally. When expanded, the opening is approximately 1.5 in (4 cm) wide and oval. The length of intestine that threads through and becomes ensnarled in the epiploic foramen during disease varies from a few inches to several feet. Epiploic foramen entrapment is one of the more common causes of small intestinal obstruction in horses, and surgical correction is often successful.1,2
In terms of nourishing your mare doing recuperation, if grass is available, hand-grazing would be one of the best things for her.
As for meals, I would start with a mash fed in as many smaller meals as practical. The mash would be based on hay pellets. Grass hay pellets alone or a combination of grass hay pellets and alfalfa hay pellets are both fine. Add some type of complete pelleted feed, senior feed, or hay extender to the mash. A complete feed is high in fiber and designed to be fed without hay when necessary. Fortify the mash with either a ration balancer or a vitamin/mineral supplement. You may want to avoid any feeds made with a lot of beet pulp if you are concerned about gas. If no grazing is possible, try offering small amounts of good-quality hay frequently throughout the day.
You may want to consider using EquiShure, a hindgut buffer designed to stabilize the pH of the hindgut and reduce fluctuations in gas associated with changes in the microbiota.
Further information is available here: How Should Horses Be Fed After Colic Surgery?
1Blikslager, A.T., and S.L. Jones. 2004. Ischemic disorders of the intestinal tract. In: S.M. Reed, W.M. Bayly, and D.C. Sellon, ed., Equine internal medicine. 2nd ed. Saunders, St. Louis, MO. p. 915.
2Freeman, D.E. 2012. Small intestine. In: J.A. Auer and J.A. Stick, ed., Equine surgery. 4th ed. Elsevier, St. Louis, MO. p. 430-432.
