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Independent EquiNectar research Veterinary gastrointestinal outcomes Peer reviewed EQN-S05

EquiNectar Veterinary Gastrointestinal Field Study

In a published retrospective veterinary field study of 39 horses receiving EquiNectar as part of gastrointestinal management, 79% showed improvement and presenting signs resolved in 49% of cases over the study period.

Original study title

The use of enzyme rich malt extract (ERME) as an adjunct for the management of gastrointestinal disease in horses

Veterinary field study Gastrointestinal health Recurrent abdominal pain Excess fecal water Chronic diarrhea Equine gastric glandular disease
Study at a glance
Year 2024
Study type Retrospective observational field study
Sample 39 horses
Duration 8 weeks
Population Horses receiving veterinary management for a range of gastrointestinal presentations
Publication Published conference abstract
EquiNectar tested? Yes
Peer reviewed Yes
Open access No / not specified
Relationship Independent EquiNectar research
39
Horses included in the published study
79%
Horses in which improvement was recorded
49%
Cases in which presenting signs resolved
4 weeks
Median time to improvement or resolution among responding horses
Research question

What did the researchers want to understand?

What clinical changes are recorded when EquiNectar is used as an adjunct within the management of horses presenting with a range of gastrointestinal conditions in veterinary practice?

Researchers

Study authors

Gayle Hallowell


Pool House Equine Hospital

Regina Pereira


Pool House Equine Hospital

Giulia Rapezzano


Pool House Equine Hospital

Carolyn Bates


End Cottage Vets

Emma Peal


Royal Army Veterinary Corps

Harriet Telfer


Royal Army Veterinary Corps

Mark Bowen


Medicine Vet Equine Referrals Limited
Research organizations

Research institutions

Pool House Equine Hospital

Equine veterinary hospital
United Kingdom

End Cottage Vets

Veterinary practice
United Kingdom

Royal Army Veterinary Corps

Military veterinary service
United Kingdom

Medicine Vet Equine Referrals Limited

Veterinary referral practice
United Kingdom
Methodology

How the study was conducted

Study design

This was a retrospective veterinary field study of horses that had received a standard EquiNectar protocol and had clinical follow-up records available over two months.

For the first four weeks, EquiNectar was fed twice daily according to body weight: 125 ml per feed for horses below 300 kg, 150 ml per feed for horses weighing 300–550 kg, and 175 ml per feed for horses above 550 kg.

For the second four weeks, twice-daily feeding was reduced to 75 ml, 100 ml and 125 ml respectively for the same weight groups.

There was no separate untreated control group.

Some horses received EquiNectar alongside dietary recommendations, while others continued additional therapies as part of their existing veterinary management.

Clinical response and differences between presenting conditions were subsequently assessed from the case records.

What was measured

Veterinary case records were reviewed for age, breed, weight, presenting signs, presumed or confirmed diagnosis, change in clinical signs, time to improvement or resolution, and whether EquiNectar was continued beyond the initial two-month protocol.

Clinical presentations included recurrent abdominal pain, excessive fecal water, chronic diarrhea, weight loss and refractory equine gastric glandular disease.

Where available, diagnoses were supported by clinical pathology, ultrasonography, gastroscopy, transendoscopic biopsy and transrectal biopsy.

Differences in response between clinical presentations were evaluated using Fisher's exact test.

Study findings

Key results

• 39 horses were included in the final published study.

• 79% of horses showed improvement during the study period.

• Presenting signs resolved in 49% of cases.

• Among responding horses, median time to improvement or resolution was 4 weeks (IQR 2–5 weeks).

• Horses presenting with recurrent abdominal pain, excessive fecal water and refractory EGGD were significantly more likely to improve (p=0.02).

• Presenting condition was not significantly associated with complete resolution of signs (p=0.71).

• Long-term follow-up was available for 31 horses; 55% continued EquiNectar beyond eight weeks.

• 32% of the horses with longer-term follow-up initially stopped EquiNectar and subsequently experienced a return of signs.

Interpretation

What do the findings mean?

The study found that positive changes were recorded in a substantial proportion of horses during an eight-week EquiNectar protocol.

In the final published dataset, 79% of horses showed improvement and presenting signs resolved in 49% of cases. Among horses that improved, the median time to improvement or resolution was four weeks.

Response differed according to presentation. Horses with recurrent abdominal pain, excessive fecal water and refractory equine gastric glandular disease were significantly more likely to improve (p=0.02). However, presenting condition was not significantly associated with complete resolution of signs (p=0.71).

The observation that signs returned in some horses after EquiNectar was stopped is notable but cannot establish causation in a retrospective uncontrolled study.

Taken together, the findings support further investigation of EquiNectar as an adjunct within gastrointestinal management rather than demonstrating efficacy as a standalone treatment.

In practice

Why this research matters

Controlled studies are valuable for isolating biological effects, but veterinary field studies provide information about what happens in more complex real-world cases.

The 39 horses in this study represented multiple breeds and a range of gastrointestinal presentations. Some received EquiNectar alongside dietary change alone, while others continued existing veterinary treatments.

Improvement, when seen, occurred at a median of four weeks, with an interquartile range of two to five weeks.

Among the 31 horses for which longer-term follow-up was available, 55% continued EquiNectar beyond eight weeks. Thirty-two percent initially stopped EquiNectar and subsequently experienced a return of presenting signs.

These observations are clinically interesting, but because this was a retrospective study without an untreated control group they should be interpreted as real-world associations rather than proof of treatment efficacy.

Research transparency

Study limitations

This was a retrospective observational study rather than a randomized controlled trial.

The study population was relatively small and heterogeneous, including different breeds and several gastrointestinal presentations.

There was no untreated or placebo control group, so changes over time cannot be attributed solely to EquiNectar.

A variety of additional therapeutic interventions were used. Some horses received EquiNectar and dietary recommendations without other treatment changes, while others continued previous medications or other veterinary management.

The study selected horses for which an EquiNectar protocol and follow-up records were available, creating the potential for selection and reporting bias inherent in retrospective case-series research.

The published research output is a conference abstract rather than a full-length manuscript, so detailed individual-level data and additional statistical analyses are not available.

The results therefore provide useful real-world veterinary evidence and a basis for further controlled research, but should not be interpreted as demonstrating that EquiNectar treats or cures a specific gastrointestinal disease.

EquiNectar context

How this research relates to EquiNectar

This study directly evaluated EquiNectar in horses being managed for a range of gastrointestinal conditions in veterinary practice.

Unlike the controlled and mechanistic studies elsewhere in the EquiNectar research programme, this was a retrospective real-world study. It therefore provides a different type of evidence: how horses receiving veterinary care changed during an eight-week EquiNectar protocol.

In the final published dataset, 79% of horses showed improvement and presenting signs resolved in 49% of cases. Horses presenting with recurrent abdominal pain, excessive fecal water and refractory equine gastric glandular disease were statistically more likely to improve (p=0.02).

Tharos / EquiNectar involvement

The study directly evaluated EquiNectar using the standard EquiNectar feeding protocol. No Tharos Ltd author is listed on the published abstract and no Tharos Ltd study funding is declared. The accompanying study materials state that the author received a Presentation Support Grant from the IVC Evidensia Research Fund.

EquiNectar evaluated Yes
Transparency

Funding & competing interests

Funding statement

The study materials state that the author received a Presentation Support Grant from the IVC Evidensia Research Fund.

Source record

Publication details

Journal
Equine Veterinary Education
Publisher
Wiley
Year
2024
Volume
36
Issue
S13
Pages / article
65
Species
Horse
Population
Horses receiving veterinary management for a range of gastrointestinal presentations
Sample
39 horses
Duration
8 weeks
Setting
UK veterinary practices and military veterinary care
Recommended citation

Hallowell G, Pereira R, Rapezzano G, Bates C, Peal E, Telfer H, Bowen IM. The use of enzyme rich malt extract (ERME) as an adjunct for the management of gastrointestinal disease in horses. Equine Veterinary Education. 2024;36(S13):65. doi:10.1111/eve.89_14008.

Further reading

Sources & further reading