Effect of repeated oral administration of hypertonic electrolyte solution on equine gastric mucosa.
Authors: Holbrook T C, Simmons R D, Payton M E, MacAllister C G
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary Electrolyte supplementation during endurance competition is routine practice, yet evidence regarding effects on gastric health has been lacking. Holbrook *et al.* (2005) conducted a randomised, blinded crossover trial administering either placebo or commercial electrolyte solution (56.7 g mixed with 60 ml water) hourly for eight hours to 14 horses, then scored gastric lesions before and after treatment using analysis of variance. Hypertonic electrolyte administration significantly increased both ulcer number (mean score 3.6; P = 0.0174) and severity (mean score 2.7; P = 0.0006) in the nonglandular stomach region compared with placebo. The findings challenge a common endurance practice, suggesting that frequent oral dosing of concentrated electrolyte solutions may directly irritate or damage the gastric mucosa rather than providing harmless nutritional support. Equine practitioners should consider whether alternative supplementation strategies—such as reduced concentration, lower frequency dosing, or timing relative to feed intake—might maintain electrolyte repletion whilst minimising mucosal injury risk in competition horses.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Reconsider the frequency and concentration of electrolyte supplementation during endurance competitions; hourly dosing of hypertonic solutions appears to worsen gastric ulcers in horses
- •Alternative electrolyte supplementation schedules (lower frequency, lower concentration) should be investigated and considered for endurance horses
- •Horses receiving electrolyte supplements, particularly those with existing gastric ulcers, should be monitored and may benefit from gastroprotective strategies
Key Findings
- •Hypertonic electrolyte solution administered orally once hourly for 8 hours significantly increased mean gastric ulcer number (P = 0.0174) in the nonglandular stomach
- •Mean ulcer severity score increased significantly (P = 0.0006) with hypertonic electrolyte treatment, reaching a mean severity score of 2.7
- •Mean ulcer number score after treatment was 3.6, indicating exacerbation of existing gastric lesions
- •Common electrolyte supplementation protocols used in endurance horses may be harmful to gastric mucosa