Sand test results from Westgate Labs are expressed as a percentage to give a quantitative measure of any amount found. While it’s not desirable to find any sand in faeces, some healthy horses are not affected by a small amount.
Who to test for sand?
Horses that are kept in sandy areas, fed on the ground or have a history of living in very sandy/dry areas.
Horses with colic, weight loss or diarrhoea
Purpose of the test
To recover sand from the droppings to see if there is a large sand retention in the gut.
Limitations
Results may vary from sample to sample without treatment due to manure production levels, natural expulsion of sand from the intestine, location of the sand and manure consistency. If any colic issues or concerns please ensure you consult your vet.
Results
|
Level of sand seen |
Treatment required |
Test again when |
|
0-2% |
No |
In 7-10 days with the 2nd sample in the pack |
|
3%-4% |
If 1st sample test again in 7-10 days. Consider treatment depending on clinical signs if 2ndt test at the same level. |
If 1st sample test again in 7-10 days. If 2nd sample test again 14 days after treatment |
|
5% or more |
If 1st sample is higher than 5% treat with a psyllium husk product. |
Repeat the test in 14 days to check it’s been effective. |
Further advice and preventative measures
- Don’t feed forage or bucket feed directly on the ground if on very sandy soil-use a rubber mat underneath it to prevent accidental ingestion.
- Try not to overgraze pasture as the less sward of grass the more likely to ingest soil.
- Feed forage-ideally ad lib if suitable for the animal’s requirements.
- Ensure plenty of clean fresh water is always available as water also helps keep the sand moving.
- If sand is found in significant quantities then feed Psyllium. Its a high-fiber dietary laxative made from the husk of seeds from a shrub-like herb called Plantago ovata. When psyllium is mixed with water, each particle swells with a gel-like coating. It is believed that the psyllium gel sticks to the sand particles as it moves through the intestine, trapping them and helping to carry them out with the poo. Psyllium alone won’t avert a serious colic if a horse has already accumulated a large amount of sand. That said, however, routine use of psyllium may help to prevent any ingested sand from building up to dangerous levels. If you choose to add psyllium to your horse’s regimen, read the label carefully and follow the dosage directions.
- It’s important to feed psyllium only periodically when the goal is to move sand—if fed daily over a long period of time, the horse’s gut will adapt to digest the psyllium in a way that makes it ineffective for that purpose.