Aftercare for Gastric Ulcers... advice needed

raegank

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 January 2012
Messages
50
Location
Isle of Man
Visit site
Advice needed for supplements and feeds that are suitable for horses with Gastric Ulcers. Got my lovely girl scoped on Wednesday after a major change in temperament and extreme girthiness.... scope revealed grade 2 and 3 ulcers which look very nasty :(

Vet prescribed a course of Gastrogard which she is now on for 8 weeks then she'll be rescoped. Just wondered if anyone could kindly recommend any supplements or feeds that have helped your horses with Ulcers?? She now currently being fed 2x feeds a day with Alpha A lite and just a mineral supplement.
 

LeannePip

Well-Known Member
Joined
23 August 2010
Messages
3,186
Location
Southampton
Visit site
My vet gave me Equinox Gastri Aid which he had in for trialing she had this along side 1/2 dose of omeprazole and she scoped clear after 6 weeks, I then continued with the gastri aid until it ran out then put her on the general equinox which maintains a healthy gut, haven't had any problems since.
 

micramadam

Well-Known Member
Joined
1 June 2010
Messages
1,054
Location
Rockanje, South Holland
Visit site
Camomile flowers. That are really good for the gut as well as having a calming influence. Plus totally natural. You can buy them in 1.5kg tubs so they will last a while. I usually get mine form Pegasus Health.
 

canteron

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 October 2008
Messages
3,772
Location
Cloud Cockoo Land
Visit site
Anything with Slippery Elm - it sort of turns into a gel which lines the stomach and protects it - and is also pretty can't do much harm! Thunderbrook do a good mix.
 

ajn1610

Well-Known Member
Joined
21 March 2008
Messages
1,955
Location
Cheshire
Visit site
I tried a few different ones as my horse was picking round them. She seemed happiest on NAF Gastric-Aid but it was the only one she'd eat completely.
 

booandellie

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 December 2013
Messages
429
Visit site
we just feed dengie molasses free and ulsakind. Tried the happy tummy version but she wouldn't eat it> have tried various supplements including exegus from the vets(which she would't eat), gastric aid which she will eat and ulsakind which she loves. There are loads of products on the market with different ingredients so it's a bit bamboozling. We have tried a 1 at a time to find one that she will actually eat! The main thing with ulcer prone horses is to make sure they always have plenty of forage and keep sugar and starch as low as possible, good luck finding a regime that works for her
 

MTBTLT

Member
Joined
6 August 2015
Messages
12
Visit site
reading this thread withinterest. My 4 year old diagnosed with ulceration towards the exit of her stomach so not the same grading system but were quite severe. We have just completed 2 weeks of gastogard and sucrabest with another 2 weeks of gastrogard to go before returning for rescoping.
 

raegank

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 January 2012
Messages
50
Location
Isle of Man
Visit site
Thanks all, would love to try thunderbrooks feed but I don't think anyone stocks it on the Isle of Man :(

Has anyone heard any reviews on the Pure feed company? They do compete feeds in one bag and I've been recommended the fast fibre one.

Will be looking into gastri aid and anything with slippery elm, she's not too picky with food so hopefully she'll eat whatever I decide is best :)
 

Ceriann

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 June 2012
Messages
2,491
Visit site
Mine scoped with grade 2s after some pretty grumpy behaviour. Ggard programme and since then have cut out anything with molasses and she gets a tiny bit of alfalfa chaff and beet (molasses free) to carry Brewers yeast and slippery elm. I buy both pure as find that anything with an equine supplement label doubles in price! She really is a different horse temperament wise though not yet ridden (so big test still to come). I've considered the equinox original too - lots seem to get good results from that.
 

Worldiscomplete

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 January 2013
Messages
85
Visit site
My horse had ulcers. I did a lot of research and attended Dr Kerry Ridgway (American vet/expert on ulcers) 5 day clinic. Basically, gastro guard or other omazerpole medications only deal with stomach ulcers. Most ulcers are also hind gut. Call Equine Science - they produce a natural remedy that most race yards use, called Gastro Plus. I used it and the change in my boy was amazing. Reduce sugar in the feed. Both forage and hard feed. You've got to look at the labels. I use Thunderbrooks. Again the result is great. At eh end of the day, a horse produces 1.5litres of acid an hour. That's why they are trickle feeders - the saliva helps breaks down the acid. I feed before my boy works - hay or a bit of hard feed. If I'm out for more than an hour, I allow him to graze. I wouldn't bother re-scooping, too much stress on the digestive system. There's a great FB group 'horses with ulcers' or something like that. Make sure stress levels are minimal ie with a grazing companion, reduce time in stable, allow access to forage etc. Good luck and hope that's helped.
 

Mike007

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 May 2009
Messages
8,222
Visit site
Keep away from all oils. VFA s are now considered to be the prime culprit .Thats volatile fatty acids to you lot.The product of fat breakdown. Hay or haylage , it makes no difference (much to my surprise) But alfalfa is great because of the low sugar content and high calcium content
 

JoClark

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 August 2012
Messages
263
Location
Kent
Visit site
Hi,
I've had a bit of a long road and trial period with mine.
A few tips, once finishing GG cut it down don't just stop using it, so like a month on half then a couple of weeks on a 1/4 dose.
Ad lib hay, haylege is more acidic however if your horse won't touch the hay then haylege it will have to be.
Hay or chaff before riding.
I actually am unsure on a few products mentioned.

I have found that agrobs is really good, it's from the continent and very natural, the first feed that my horse didn't react adversely to. 😃 it smells lush.
I am using a balancer however after research found that the aviform pro complete balancer is looking very good and will be moving onto that after my bag finishes.
Linseed is good for ulcers with the omega 3 I believe. Also helps with weight.
You will need to start noticing small changes if anything like mine and react quickly, I have a few syringes of peptizole handy and give him maintenance dose for a few days and he's back to normal.
Xx
 

mega spoilt ponies

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 March 2014
Messages
336
Location
Buckinghamshire
Visit site
Mine had grade 4 pyloric ulcers. He has now scoped clear on agrobs chaff and muesli and naturmineral balancer, yea sacc and KER Ritetrac and some grass nuts when im feeling generous.

Second reading labels carefully, both ulsa kind and pure feeds include horse 'junk food'. Mine is noticably worseon haylage so only has hay.
 

PonyIAmNotFood

Well-Known Member
Joined
7 October 2010
Messages
1,311
Location
Norf West
Visit site
Mine was never scoped but had some symptoms of ulcers, though looked and felt fab. I started her on slippery elm and brewers yeast as a 'see what happens' and she's stopped with all symptoms she was displayed and seems much happier.

Anyone who feeds slippery elm straight, where do you get it from? I can only find it quite expensive on ebay and Amazon. Don't really want to change onto an 'ulcer mix' from a company, she's doing well on what she's having so don't want to mess with that!
 

raegank

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 January 2012
Messages
50
Location
Isle of Man
Visit site
Thanks for all the advice. Much appreciated.

Really interested.... after 5 days on GG my mare has suddenly decided she's starving! She's not been like this for a long time, desperate for her feeds everyday and acting like she's generally never been fed a day in her life!! Did anyone else experience this after treatment? Was thinking maybe her tummy feels more comfortable already?!?

Going to look into getting the GastroPlus and have also been looking at the Slippery elm on ebay but found the non equine powders look miles less expensive.
 

mega spoilt ponies

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 March 2014
Messages
336
Location
Buckinghamshire
Visit site
Yes, it is common for their appetite to increase during and following treatment. Ulcers making eating uncomfortable for them which is why many ulcer horses have a poor appetite (although mine never did). If you are going down the slippery elm root you may wish to look at Thunderbrook feeds gut restore powder which includes slippery elm and some other nice things (a soothing rather than antacid supplement)
 
Top