# How to feed Gastroguard



## Christmas Crumpet (28 November 2014)

How does everyone feed their Gastrogard?

I was told by the vets yesterday that they normally suggest to feed it 2 hours before exercising and on an empty stomach. 

I can't do this as I ride first thing so I am giving it to her in the evening instead and then waiting an hour or so before feeding her. 

Would be grateful if others shared how they fed it.


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## Wagtail (28 November 2014)

I have always fed immediately before feeding. Mare that has it on my yard puts her head over the door for the syringe as she knows she gets her feeds right afterwards. It seems to work fine for her. She is then turned out and ridden later on in the day, but would be fine to be ridden earlier.


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## RobinHood (28 November 2014)

I find the instructions rather ironic as an ulcer prone horse, or any horse for that matter, should never have an empty stomach.

I give it first thing in the morning before breakfast as I think that's when his stomach is likely to be less full.

I'm currently trying a different regime of 1/4 syringe a day for the first week of every month, instead of weaning him off it completely only to see ulcers on the next scope. My horse's ulcers seem to be liver related so I hope they'll clear up if and when we ever get the liver fixed.


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## Elf On A Shelf (28 November 2014)

We always feed it just before breakfast.


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## Scatterbrain (29 November 2014)

I syringe it directly into my boy's mouth and feed him immediately afterwards. It must taste okay as he's normally a nightmare to worm, but swallows the Gastroguard and Peptizole no problem. 
I too never leave my horses to have an empty stomach. I hope someone can come up with a way to clinically diagnose gastric ulcers without the need to starve for 12hrs before gastroscoping, because that in itself doesn't help matters.


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## flaxen (29 November 2014)

12hrs! Your vets are nice. When I was in equine practice it was 24hrs starved for a gastroscope. My pony is having one next week and as he is done by 8am on a morning and his scope isn't til 11am he will effectively have a 27hr starve as he also has a 2 hr trailer journey first.


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## Troggy (30 November 2014)

RobinHood said:



			I find the instructions rather ironic as an ulcer prone horse, or any horse for that matter, should never have an empty stomach.

I give it first thing in the morning before breakfast as I think that's when his stomach is likely to be less full.

I'm currently trying a different regime of 1/4 syringe a day for the first week of every month, instead of weaning him off it completely only to see ulcers on the next scope. My horse's ulcers seem to be liver related so I hope they'll clear up if and when we ever get the liver fixed.
		
Click to expand...

Hi, I am interested in hearing about your horses ulcers/liver link, mine is showing symptoms for the 4th time this year, seems to be off GG for a few months and they return, he was blood tested before his first scope in Jan this year and his liver enzymes were slightly raised, is this an issue? He is being scoped again this week and will ask for further blood tests. What made you discover the liver link? What symptoms did your horse display? PM me if you would prefer, thank you


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## spacefaer (30 November 2014)

A friend of mine has her mare on Gastroguard which has made a massive difference to her - she puts it into her feed and mixes in well - very quirky mare who will not have anything put in her mouth -  no wormer syringe, no sedalin and certainly wouldn't have a hope with a daily dose of gg.

The gg still works, so I wouldn't panic too much about the timing of the dose


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## toomanynags (30 November 2014)

My mare is on cytotec as well as GG. I have to give GG at least an hour after cytotec, but no instructions about empty stomach. Would be dosing her at about 3 am if that were the case! And both seem to be working. And she had raised liver enzymes before the ulcer diagnosis, so would be very interested to hear about other similar cases.


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## Goldenstar (30 November 2014)

In winter we give gastroguard when they come in from the field .
In summer just before they get turned out in the afternoon .


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