This is an archived Horseadvice.com Discussion. The parent article and menus are available on the navigation menu below:
HorseAdvice.com » Horse Care » Equine Nutrition, Horse Feeds, Feeding » Probiotics and Yeast Culture Products »
  Discussion on Probiotics
Author Message

Posted on Thursday, Sep 7, 2000 - 4:13 pm:

As many of you know, my daughter's horse (draft/TB cross) underwent colic surgery in April. She colicked again (mildly) two weeks ago. At that time the vet suggested Fastrack and we have been giving her this daily. My question is - do we have to do this for life? I have some conflicting info - some who use a "maintenance" dose and those who use it maybe once or twice a year. Does anyone have any more info? Vet didn't really give me clear instructions. I have noticed that it has made a big difference in her manure (although I never thought I would be someone who would be out in the paddock inspecting piles of horse do-do!)and I am pleased with the results.

Posted on Friday, Sep 8, 2000 - 6:15 am:

Hello Janis,
I am unsure what Fasttrack is? What is the active ingredients?
DrO

Posted on Friday, Sep 8, 2000 - 6:38 am:

Janis, have you tried looking at the following website address : www.shady-acres.com ? It is Susan Garlinghouse's site on equine nutrition, and you may be able to email her with your query.


Tracey

Posted on Friday, Sep 8, 2000 - 8:58 am:

Dr. O - Fastrack is a probiotic. Unfortunately I do not have the full listing of all the ingredients to hand but I do know it contains Lactobacillus and, I believe, brewer's yeast. It is a live preparation and given at a maintenance dose of 3 g as a top dressing on 2 scoops (aprox 2 tbsp ea) of Vitastress and, the old standby, carrots. It was given to me by an equine vet so source is good.

Posted on Friday, Sep 8, 2000 - 1:27 pm:

The real question Janis is if the product is preventing the colic. Post surgical colic is commmon and the most common cause (stricture secondary to adhesion formation) would probably not be affected by use of such a prooduct. While we believe these products do seem to improve digestive efficiency slightly, without knowing the cause of the colic it is impossible to judge if this may be helping. There are no controlled studies on dose vs effect. If after doing well for a period you could try weanig off of it and see what the effects are.
DrO

Posted on Saturday, Sep 9, 2000 - 7:15 pm:

Thanks. I also contacted the vet - his recommendation is that horses stay on this indefinitely. It has made a difference in her manure, and in her disposition (must be all those B vitamins :-). The second case of colic was determined NOT to be as a result of adhesions, rather, I think, to a change in hay, and probably could have been "walked off" except that I was faced with a hysterical 13-year-old and a lack of knowledge on my part. Opted instead to take her to the Clinic for a sleep-over.
Home Page | Top of Page | Join Us!
Horseadvice.com is a BBB Accredited Business. Click for the BBB Business Review of this Horse Training in Stokesdale NC