Questions

Why is the gut microflora so easily disrupted?

Stress
There is strong evidence that stress can affect the composition of the gut microflora in horses. Stress can be described as a factor that stimulates homeostatic, physiological and behavioural responses in excess of the norm.

Vaccination, antibiotic therapy, weaning, travel, change in environment, competition or illness are a few of the factors that are considered as stresses that may result in a change of balance of gut flora in favour of pathogenic species.

Stress affects the intestinal microflora by reducing the concentration of beneficial lactic acid bacteria and increasing the concentrations of bad bacteria such as E. coli.

Antibiotics
The use of antibiotics can adversely affect the gut flora. Antibiotics eliminate all gut bacteria, both beneficial and pathogenic, thereby leaving the gut depleted in essential microflora and vulnerable to bacteria like salmonella, which can cause diarrhoea.

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