Laxatives in the horse – a review of the literature

Laxantien und ihr Einsatz beim Pferd – eine Literaturübersicht

Gembicki N, Fey K

DOI: 10.21836/PEM20110502
Year: 2011
Volume: 27
Issue: 5
Pages: 475-485

After spasmodic colics, primary impactions of the large colon and caecum are the most common causes of colic in horses. In many of these cases, laxatives are routinely used in the field to resolve the impaction. Laxatives with different mechanisms of action and molecular composition are mentioned in the relevant literature. In clinical studies, intravenous or enteral fluid therapy seems to have become increasingly popular. However, the traditional use of oral or intragastric laxatives seems to be efficient in many cases and require much less effort and incur much lower financial costs. It is the aim of this paper to give an overview and summarize the results of studies, which have measured the effect of oral or intragastric laxatives in the horse. Where appropriate, results of publications in other species were included. After an introduction of the different classes and individual substances of the laxatives used in the equine species, the reported therapeutic benefits and possible side effects in the horse are described. Most of the literature refers to sodium sulfate (0.5-1 g/kg), magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt; 0.2-1 g/kg), mineral oil (paraffin oil; 0.5-10 ml/kg), dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate (DSS) and lubricants of plant origin. sulfosuccinate (DSS) and lubricants of plant origin.