Giving Fluids to Horses: Evaluating Techniques

Many illnesses, such as certain types of colic, call for fluid therapy to bolster hydration, but this isn’t always possible through conventional techniques like intravenous administration or nasogastric intubation. In these instances, proctoclysis, or the administration of fluids rectally, might be indicated.

“When intravenous fluid administration is not possible due to economics or practicalities and if nasogastric intubation is not feasible or contraindicated, rectal administration of fluids might be advised,” said Laura Petroski-Rose, B.V.M.S., a Kentucky Equine Research veterinarian.

To better demonstrate the efficacy of this method of hydration, one group of veterinarians* administered fluids to healthy horses rectally with plain water, intravenously with standard sterile fluids, or via nasogastric intubation with sterile fluids.

“The researchers found that all three methods equally increased hydration status within six hours,” Petroski-Rose said.

These positive, but preliminary, results prompted the authors to suggest proctoclysis “may offer an inexpensive, safe alternative to intravenous fluids, particularly when administration via nasogastric tube is contraindicated, such as with anterior enteritis, proximal gastrointestinal obstructions, or with pharyngeal or esophageal disease.”

Further, the veterinary team also noted that rectal fluid administration can be an economical augmentation to fluid administration via other routes.

In addition to nutritional support of healthy digestion, don’t forget the large number of factors contributing to colic and attempt to avoid the most common, controllable pitfalls such as abrupt dietary changes.

*Khan, A., G.D. Hallowell, C. Underwood, et al. Continuous fluid infusion per rectum compared with intravenous and nasogastric fluid administration in horses. Equine Veterinary Journal. In press.