Articles

Straight Talk About Psyllium

What is Sand Colic?
What is Psyllium?
Why is psyllium used in the prevention of sand colic?
Why use a pharmaceutical grade psyllium?
What are the benefits of EQUISYL ADVANTAGE?
What about other psyllium products?

With our rapidly changing climate horse owners concern with sand colic is escalating. Drought in many parts of the country has seen a considerable increase of sand within soil. The ever growing risk of sand colic means horse owners need to fully understand the condition and the best way to treat it. We, the Equine Health Science Group at Animal Healthcare Products, are committed to education and are pleased to share valuable information that will aid and enhance the lives of horses. We hope the information included here will be of benefit to you.

Q: What is Sand Colic?
A: Colic is not a disease but rather an indication of pain. Sand Colic is a form of colic that is the result of sand accumulation in the digestive tract. Although horses naturally rid their system of sand and dirt in their feces, the amount of sand is often too great to be eliminated naturally.

Q: What is psyllium?
A: Psyllium is the husk part of the Plantago Ovato plant that has been ground down to create the active ingredient in digestive aids such as Metamucil and Equisyl Advantage.

Q: Why is psyllium used in the prevention of sand colic?
A: Psyllium, when combined with fluid in a horses large intestine should swell to form a gel. The gel surrounds and softens sand and dirt particles, lubricates the digestive track and allows for the easy passing of these foreign particles.

Q: Why use a pharmaceutical grade psyllium?
A: There are many grades of psyllium in the market however they can be categorized into 4 main groups:
i. Pharmaceutical grade - surpasses the requirement of the test for absence of Salmonella species and of Escherichia coli (99% pure - first process*)
ii. Food Grade - meets the requirement for absence of Salmonella species and of Escherichia coli (95% pure - second process*)
iii. Commercial and Animal grade (90% pure - third process*)
iv. Animal grade food filler
(85% pure - fourth process*- the majority of sand colic products are made with this)

*“Process” refers to the filtering & refining process of the harvested Plantago Ovato plant; during the first process the husk passes through a very fine mesh sieve which retains 99% pure husk. It is this purity that is used in pharmaceutical grade psyllium. In the second process the sieve is less fine with a larger hole which allows for other parts of the plant to combine with the husk making the product 95% pure. As the husk passes through more processes the less pure the product becomes i.e. less active ingredient (psyllium husk) is present.

Remember, psyllium must swell into a gel substance to pick up the sand; the higher the purity, the greater the swell volume.

Q: What are the benefits of EQUISYL ADVANTAGE?
A:

EQUISYL ADVANTAGE is made of the highest purity psyllium achieving a large swell volume with a low dosage of 2 oz per week, therefore:
- You save money
  (see market price comparison)
- Your horse is required to consume less product
EQUISYL ADVANTAGE is fed once a week.
- Easy feeding program to manage
EQUISYL ADVANTAGE is manufactured in a FDA licensed facility where there are strict codes of manufacturing based on FDA Laws.
- Quality assurance
EQUISYL ADVANTAGE guarantees no traces of e-coli or salmonella.
- Safety guaranteed
EQUISYL ADVANTAGE has been recommended by vets and used by horse owners for over 17 years.
- Product sustainability

For more information regarding sand colic please go to www.equisyl.com

Q: What about other psyllium products?
A: Other products require up to 70 oz per month (10 oz everyday for 7 days every month). This dosage is required for 3 reasons:
i. The majority of psyllium-based products are manufactured in a pelleted form. The heating process used in manufacturing pellets causes a significant loss of natural purity.
ii. The higher the grade purity of Psyllium, the greater the mechanical action. Animal grade psyllium used (third & fourth process) in the majority of the market, offers a smaller swell volume; therefore more product must be fed to achieve the required effect.
iii. Powder is immediately effective. Much of the pelleted product horses ingest is swallowed whole there by requiring digestive enzymes to break down the pellet before swelling can take place. Because of the large and rapid volume of feed, food has a tendency to flow without fully being digested.

MARKET COMPARISON EQUISYL ADVANTAGE: A PHAMACEUTICAL GRADE PSYLLIUM
Products	Advantage	Equiaid	Sand Relief	Sand Clear
Feeding Directions	2 oz per week	4 to 6 oz per day, for 7 days	4 oz per day, for 7 days	5 oz per day, for 7 days
Total dosage per month	8 oz	28 oz	28 oz	35 oz
5 lb's will last 1 horse…	40 weeks	11 weeks	11 weeks	9 weeks
5 lb Retail Cost	$43.00	$20.95	$24.92	$18.50
Cost per week (based on 5 lb's)	$1.08	$1.90	$2.27	$2.06
Oz's per year per horse	96oz	336 oz	337 oz	420 oz