# Ulcers - which supplement?



## keepitugly (15 October 2013)

Hello, my horse was scoped last week and had extensive low grade ulcers, mainly inflammation and a lot of bile staining. He is on a 10 day course of gastroguard at full dose then a quarter dose for a further 10 days, he is also on antepsin twice a day. There is a big change in his behaviour so obviously although there was nothing particularly awful in his stomach its made a big difference to him.

I have had him in Coligone powder for a few years and it definitely helped as he used to be tucked up a lot when he was younger, I was of the thinking that its stopped his ulcers being worse than they are by feeding it but vet thinks that if he's developed these problems while I've been feeding it for so long it's probably not the right supplement for him. She said he'd be better on a supplement with pectin? She has suggested Pronutrin, Ekyguard, Ulcer Calm and Gastro Care. I've had several people tell me they swear by different products but these are ones the vet listed as possibly not as suitable for him along with coligone.

Just looking for some experiences etc. I'd rather feed him something natural, I don't want anything that's going to do any long term harm, I'm quite worried to take him off the gastro guard as the change is so big in him, but I know he's hopefully healing his tummy now and I just need to stop it reoccurring.

Hes on ad lib hay, Hi Fi molasses free with forage plus balancer and out on poor grazing through the day. Would it harm to feed the coligone as well as another supplement or what do you think? I've got a full tub of it left and I always thought it helped but obviously don't want to go against vet if she thinks not.


----------



## HappyHooves (16 October 2013)

Use the search facilty and you will find lots of ideas. But putting the horse onto poor grazing during the day wouldn't be my choice. In a lot of ulcer cases its the regime that's at fault - too much stress, competition or transport for example, standing without access to forage, high sugars in the diet....
You really want to avoid standing the horse without feed. Even for my fatty, with ulcers, I have divided the feed ration ( now just chaff, alfalfa, and sloppy sugar beet) into as many meals as I can manage to fit in to the day ( for me that's 3 or 4) and give a haynet morning and night ( midday if possible) of hay that has been soaked to remove sugars. That way he has something in his stomach without too many calories.
The sugar beet is said to be high in Pectin. I used Pronutrin for a while. Now use Ron Fields Remount as advised by vet. 
Coligone is a pre/probiotic with some fibre and sodium bicarb. I would buy a straight pre/probiotic - There is a school of thought that adding in an antacid just provokes more acid to be produced. Since a horse produces stomach acid at all times, the best solution is to keep the stomach filled - hence plenty of fibre that requires chewing which stimulates saliva which is natural buffer to the acid.


----------



## NaeNae87 (16 October 2013)

Aloe vera gel. The stuff you can get from health food shops and what not, not the green gel you get to slather on sunburn.
It has to be food grade and fit for human consumption. 
Aloe vera soothes the gut lining and helps to manage ulcers in humans and horses.


----------



## Hedwards (16 October 2013)

Alltech lifeforce, I swear by it. My boy was successfully treated with GG earlier this year, and has been on the lifeforce since. Google Rutland horse extras to buy it. It's been an absolutely life changing supplement for us, I'm not sure id have kept Mickey if it hadn't been recommended!


----------



## keepitugly (16 October 2013)

HappyHooves said:



			Use the search facilty and you will find lots of ideas. But putting the horse onto poor grazing during the day wouldn't be my choice. In a lot of ulcer cases its the regime that's at fault - too much stress, competition or transport for example, standing without access to forage, high sugars in the diet....
You really want to avoid standing the horse without feed. Even for my fatty, with ulcers, I have divided the feed ration ( now just chaff, alfalfa, and sloppy sugar beet) into as many meals as I can manage to fit in to the day ( for me that's 3 or 4) and give a haynet morning and night ( midday if possible) of hay that has been soaked to remove sugars. That way he has something in his stomach without too many calories.
The sugar beet is said to be high in Pectin. I used Pronutrin for a while. Now use Ron Fields Remount as advised by vet. 
Coligone is a pre/probiotic with some fibre and sodium bicarb. I would buy a straight pre/probiotic - There is a school of thought that adding in an antacid just provokes more acid to be produced. Since a horse produces stomach acid at all times, the best solution is to keep the stomach filled - hence plenty of fibre that requires chewing which stimulates saliva which is natural buffer to the acid.
		
Click to expand...

He is grazing all day on poor grazing? What's wrong with that? I don't want to turn him out on lush grass he's lami prone.

He's always got something to eat, I don't want to feed sugar beet. I was just wondering about a supplement. Is there anything proven about yea sacc?

I'll have a look at the suggestions and ask my vet, thanks.


----------



## Frozen Hoof Boots (16 October 2013)

keepitugly said:



			He is grazing all day on poor grazing? What's wrong with that? I don't want to turn him out on lush grass he's lami prone.

He's always got something to eat, I don't want to feed sugar beet. I was just wondering about a supplement. Is there anything proven about yea sacc?

I'll have a look at the suggestions and ask my vet, thanks.
		
Click to expand...

Hi,  Try RiteTrac from Saracen post Gastrogard.  Amazing results.  If your horse has long term issues with grass then EquiShure maybe the long term solution as it treats hind gut only and stops acidosis.  
Other than that my ulcer horse gets FastFibre, YeaSacc, Micronised Linseed, ForagePlus Winter balancer and lots of hay in teeny weeny holed haynets so it lasts him ALL night


----------



## JillA (16 October 2013)

Bicarbonate of soda (reduces acidity), low sugar/starch/cereal diet, ad lib grass or forage, coconut oil (lines the system), yeasacc or live yoghurt (boosts the bacteria to enable better digestion of fibre) and major stress reduction - worked for mine


----------



## keepitugly (16 October 2013)

Thanks everyone.

I've emailed vet asking about a few things. It's such a mine field! What one person swears is the only thing that works someone else it doesn't work for. His management is pretty much spot on now, he's had a very stressful last few years going back and forth to the vets and he is a sensitive soul so I was expecting him to scope a lot worse than he has.

Thanks again.


----------



## Alter ego (16 October 2013)

Have a look at Simple Systems Sugar beet, it's the lowest starch level of all of them.

You could take a look at Thunderbrooks grass chaff, again a REALLY low starch level and smells awesome.

Also try Rowan Barbary Fibremash - it's just soya husks which are tasty, but have very little nutrition - excellent Fibre source, with very low starch


----------



## Frozen Hoof Boots (16 October 2013)

Re my post earlier my vet who is a gastro specialist recommended RiteTrac as was only product that he knows of that works.  His words not mine...


----------



## kez1001 (16 October 2013)

Look up egusin on forage plus website. Or phone them. Very helpful knowledgeable folk.


----------



## p87 (16 October 2013)

My experience with my horse - 

Bought him and took him off his long term bute which unmasked ulcers. (vet checked and nothing actually wrong with him that would explain why he was on bute at all)

Gave him a three month holiday out at grass 24/7 (was previously stabled for long periods of time causing stress, though he is pretty good at hiding it)

Always made sure he had adlib grass/hay. A horse can only produce saliva while chewing, long periods of not chewing makes the gut too acidic which results in ulcers. He had previously spent long periods standing in with nothing to eat - that plus the long term bute use, plus the hidden stress of being boxed for long periods of time is what the vet believes has caused the ulcers.

I started adding charcoal to his feeds which I now swear by. I only used it for a couple of months and almost instantly saw the benefits. As you see the improvement you reduce the amount you use, he is not on charcoal currently as he is still living out 24/7, but whenever he has to be stabled for the night he gets a chaff based bucket feed (just for chewing on and so I can add in the charcoal - he is a very good doer and copes well on good grass and hay) and I leave a bucket of chopped oat straw in for him, again just for chewing, and I mix fibre nuggets through it to keep him occupied. 

Obviously he gets a mountain of hay as well, the oat straw is more for my peace of mind that he isn't going to be left standing without anything to chew, and as a boredom breaker. He isn't a greedy horse and never finishes all of his hay or oat straw, so I can sleep at night knowing that!

So, amongst all my waffling I'm trying to say that charcoal plus a better managed lifestyle worked wonders for us - not that I'm for a second saying your horse is unhappy, this is just my experience, but I do believe the key is adlib forage and no stress. Could you try a muzzle if your horse is lami prone?

The difference in him is amazing, everyone comments on how he is like a new and improved horse compared to when he arrived. He's so much happier


----------



## keepitugly (19 October 2013)

Thank you for all the replies, it is appreciated!

After discussing options with my vet I've decided on Egusin. He's had 10 days on a full dose of gastroguard and antepsin and is now on his first day at a quarter dose, the change in him is amazing. He isn't girthy at all, he is positively lazy on the lunge, more beach donkey than fire breathing dragon, I'm very pleased.

He gets as close as I can get to adlib hay/haylage overnight, he is out grazing all day, there is stuff in there, it's not bald, it's just not a lot, I will keep an eye on it if it starts to become a problem I'll move him or put hay out. He has a haynet to munch while I groom and tack up. I've also bought some lucie brix which he loves but unfortunately demolishes in about 10 minutes.

Thanks again, hopefully we've solved this, will see how he goes on the supplement.


----------

