It's no surprise that a recent study found that even a short course of anti-biotics will reduce a horse's gut flora.
24 horses participated in the study. All horses administered with different types of anti-biotics had reduced good gut bacteria and increased chance of showing negative bacteria than the control group. One horse's response to anti-biotics was so severe that it was withdrawn from the study.
This has implications for a horse's ability to absorb nutrients after anti-biotics.
Despite their benefits, antibiotics come with a variety of adverse side effects, including loss of appetite, allergic reactions, and antibiotic associated diarrhea (AAD) [2,3]. For horses, development of AAD constitutes a life-threatening condition associated with rapid dehydration, electrolyte and acid-base imbalances, and endotoxemia [4]. Many antibiotics have been implicated in equine AAD, regardless of antibiotic class or mechanism of action [5]. Changes to the microbiota that impart functional contributions to their equine host following antibiotic administration provide putative mechanisms for the development of AAD. The viable bacteria found at a specific body site are collectively termed the ‘microbiota’ and represent normal inhabitants of this site. Within the equine hindgut, the microbiota serve many important roles, including digesting nutrients, producing short chain fatty acids (SCFA), and inhibiting the colonization of other microbes [5,6].
If you are looking to repopulate your horse's gut bacteria after anti-biotics we have a prebiotic/probiotic bundle.
At only 10g per day each, these highly palatable supplements are a very affordable way to improve your horse's gut microbiome and get your horse back to optimal health.