# Management of horse with gastric ulcers



## LBird (18 August 2015)

My horse was 'scoped yesterday and my suspicion that he has ulcers was confirmed. He has several grade 2 ulcers in the squamous tissue. His current work and feed regime appears to be appropriate so I'm wondering if he could have had the ulcers for a long time, perhaps since before he came to me. I've had him 2 years. 

He currently works for about an hour 6 days out of 7. It's mostly light schooling with the odd intensive session (i.e. when we have our weekly lesson!), one session per week on a water treadmill which is relatively intensive but which he seems to enjoy, and the occasional hack. He travels twice a week, to the lesson and to the treadmill. He loads easily, travels quietly, eats his hay and doesn't sweat up - in other words he doesn't appear to find traveling stressful.
At the moment he is stabled during the day, during which time he has ad-lib hay (soaked as he is a good doer) and the company of other horses. He is turned out at night in a paddock with adequate grass. He is feed x2 daily: a big handful of lite chaff, a weight appropriate amount of Top Spec Senior Lite and about 30ml of corn oil. I have recently been adding 300g of competition mix to try to give him some energy but will be cutting that out incrementally until I see how he is after the ulcer treatment.

The only change the vet could suggest to the above is to give him a couple of handfuls of chaff immediately before we work, so that I will do. 

He's on omeprazole now and will be scoped again in 4 weeks time. I want to make sure that he never gets ulcers again but I can't find any information about what else I can do.

I do know that there have been a couple of periods in his life when his feed regime was not ideal, but the most recent period is over 2 years ago. Could the ulcers have started then (or earlier) and not healed?

Thanks for any ideas / information.


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## almostthere (18 August 2015)

I went through all of this with my mare earlier this year. It was very frustrating with her as she initially got worse on gastrogard but eventually they went . When I went through my mare's day to day management with the vet he said it was pretty perfect - some horses are just more prone to ulcers than others. They apparently did a big study on a herd of broodmares who lived in idyllic conditions (or at least our idea of idyllic - no-one asked the horses ) out in huge fields with adequate shelter etc and when scoped over half of them had ulcers. They were treated and scoped clear and 6 months later they scoped again and the same horses had ulcers! So in case you were - don't beat yourself up about it!
As for anything else you can do - feeding chaff before work is definitely a good idea. Again the vet's opinion was that horses are designed to eat and run. The other thing you can try is an acid inhibitor..my mare wouldn't eat the one suggested by the vet and I had to trial and abandon a few otc products but in the end Protexin Acid Ease seems to suit her best. Good luck!


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## LBird (18 August 2015)

Thank you almostthere! Sorry to hear that your mare had ulcers too but glad you found something that seems to work for her.
The research is interesting and confirms my thoughts that, even assuming the omeprazole clears up my gelding's ulcers, ongoing specific prophylactic feeding will be necessary. I'm going to try turning him out 24/7 too - the 'eat and run' theory seems pretty credible. 

Fingers crossed and thanks again for your response.


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## Ali27 (18 August 2015)

LBird said:



			My horse was 'scoped yesterday and my suspicion that he has ulcers was confirmed. He has several grade 2 ulcers in the squamous tissue. His current work and feed regime appears to be appropriate so I'm wondering if he could have had the ulcers for a long time, perhaps since before he came to me. I've had him 2 years. 

He currently works for about an hour 6 days out of 7. It's mostly light schooling with the odd intensive session (i.e. when we have our weekly lesson!), one session per week on a water treadmill which is relatively intensive but which he seems to enjoy, and the occasional hack. He travels twice a week, to the lesson and to the treadmill. He loads easily, travels quietly, eats his hay and doesn't sweat up - in other words he doesn't appear to find traveling stressful.
At the moment he is stabled during the day, during which time he has ad-lib hay (soaked as he is a good doer) and the company of other horses. He is turned out at night in a paddock with adequate grass. He is feed x2 daily: a big handful of lite chaff, a weight appropriate amount of Top Spec Senior Lite and about 30ml of corn oil. I have recently been adding 300g of competition mix to try to give him some energy but will be cutting that out incrementally until I see how he is after the ulcer treatment.

The only change the vet could suggest to the above is to give him a couple of handfuls of chaff immediately before we work, so that I will do. 

He's on omeprazole now and will be scoped again in 4 weeks time. I want to make sure that he never gets ulcers again but I can't find any information about what else I can do.

I do know that there have been a couple of periods in his life when his feed regime was not ideal, but the most recent period is over 2 years ago. Could the ulcers have started then (or earlier) and not healed?

Thanks for any ideas / information.
		
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He is more than likely to have hind gut ulcers too! I feed a scoop of happy tummy to my mare before she is ridden. She was on the succeed digestive supplement for first 90 days. She now has yeasac, added to her feed of happy tummy and fast fibre. She is a good doer but a real stress head. I am currently trying her with chio mastic gum powder and after three weeks on it, she seems much calmer and happier. Today, I loaded her by herself and she was so calm. Usually on her own, she reverses out at high speed. The chios mastic powder has been tested on humans with peptic ulcers and other digestive issues and is only £25 for a tub. The powder is fed in a handful of feed, 15 mins before main feed and is fed for four weeks.


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## LBird (18 August 2015)

Thank you Ali27. I'll research all the feeds and supplements you mention. I have considered the possibility that he has hind gut ulcers too..... :-/


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## Ali27 (18 August 2015)

LBird said:



			Thank you Ali27. I'll research all the feeds and supplements you mention. I have considered the possibility that he has hind gut ulcers too..... :-/
		
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I am completely obsessed about ulcers now! I suggested it to my vet and he didn't think that she was a typical candidate as a good doer! The chios mastic powder is def worth a try! Hope your boy gets better soon! I think there are so many horses out there undiagnosed with ulcers


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## mynutmeg (18 August 2015)

my girl has suspected ulcers (pretty much certain but she's not been scoped). I can't afford gastroguard for her so manage with management (similar to yoursefl, fat ulcery cob who puts crap loads of weight on quickly) and hilton herb's gastrix supplement whenever she has symptoms or if we're doing something that may flair them (like if she's on box rest or when we go on endurance rides etc) and it's brilliant stuff. Within a week all symptoms go and she's back to normal. 
It's got slippery elm, marshmallow root and a couple of other things that basically help reduce acid a little but mainly encourage mucus production which provides a protective layer against the ulcers. Not stupidly expensive and does work.


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## Tangaroo (18 August 2015)

My boy is getting over ulcers.  He is a good doer but is very sensitive.  If you use facebook, look up a page 'Horses with ulcers' its been an absolute godsend to me through all this as its all people going through the same thing


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## YasandCrystal (18 August 2015)

Ali27 may I ask where you get the Chios mastic powder from and what size tub ?Thanks


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## catembi (18 August 2015)

Mine's ulcers were unchanged by GG, & it turned out that he had KS too.  He has had KS surgery & will be starting lunge work in 2 weeks if the next set of xrays look good.  He is on AloeRide which is fab.  It helps the whole digestive tract & it doesn't throw it all out of kilter which you sometimes get with acid suppressants.  Mine looks really happy & shiny.

T x


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## Ali27 (19 August 2015)

YasandCrystal said:



			Ali27 may I ask where you get the Chios mastic powder from and what size tub ?Thanks
		
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http://intelligenthorsecare.co.uk/product/chios-mastic-resin/
The tub is 100g


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## Piaffe123 (19 August 2015)

I haven't had a horse that's struggled with ulcers personally but know a few people in my area who've had success with the Equinox supplement rather than using Gastroguard. Loads of information on it here http://www.thevelvet-touch.co.uk/equinox/equinox.html


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## LBird (19 August 2015)

Thank you everyone for your responses. There are clearly a LOT of products available to help and I will be researching as many as I can find! We will continue with the prescribed course of omeprazole and see what the 'scope reveals in 4 weeks time. I feel much better knowing that there are many alternatives should he need them...


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## YasandCrystal (19 August 2015)

Ali27 said:



http://intelligenthorsecare.co.uk/product/chios-mastic-resin/
The tub is 100g 

Click to expand...

Thankyou


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## mynutmeg (19 August 2015)

LBird said:



			Thank you everyone for your responses. There are clearly a LOT of products available to help and I will be researching as many as I can find! We will continue with the prescribed course of omeprazole and see what the 'scope reveals in 4 weeks time. I feel much better knowing that there are many alternatives should he need them...
		
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omeprazole is the gold standard - it's a proton pump inhibitor that reduces acid production. If Roo's insurance would cover it she'd have a course of it. Definately keep on with that, the herbal stuff is good and does help but often doesn't cure which the omeprazole can.


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## JoClark (23 August 2015)

Mine had ulcers, he enjoys living out so he's now out 24/7 365 days a year. At the moment he gets fed once a day, agrobs musli, linseed, top spec ulsa kind and aviform pro complete balancer. All fits into one stubb scoop. Some horses can't cope with to much protein, beet or Alfa or whatever else it may be. I've found what suits mine and will be sticking to it. I personally stay away from to many named brands as there is rubbish in the feeds to. If you can't afford gastrogard or peptizole etc then look into abler, it's from America, very good reviews.


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