Anyone who has experience of ulcers... Help needed

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Copper-Beach

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Posting on behalf of a friend whose horse (23yo TB) was scoped for ulcers approx 4 weeks ago. He was found to have grade 2 and 3 ulcers and has been put on a course of Gastrogard.

Since being on the Gastrogard he has become increasingly picky with food and is flatly refusing to eat a lot of hard feed. He's been put on Saracen Releve as it's the only low starch feed he'll consider eating as is even going off that now. He won't eat chaff, Alfa pellets etc. He is still eating his haylage.

His tummy is obviously feeling better as he has stopped box walking, rolling and is no longer stressy.

Does anyone have any advice or has experienced anything similar? We just can't work out why he won't eat.

Thanks :)
 
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Is it essential that he gets haylage? I'd be trying to cut that down with ulcers. You could try briefly soaking the haylage and sprinkling the GG on the haylage. Or adding it to soaked grass nuts?
 
Has to have haylage as he tends not to eat hay and thus doesn't get enough forage.

GG was being given like a wormer but was making him so stressed he now has it on a tiny (and I mean TINY) bit of feed on a morning. He was eating this fine until yesterday and is now refusing it
 
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Unless he needs hard feed to keep his weight on, this may be less of an issue once the ulcers are resolved anyway, I would not worry too much as long as he gets plenty of grass and forage, it may be that he is put off by getting the GG before feeding breakfast makes it taste odd so he is just being picky about all feeds, try giving it to him then turning out and feeding later.
My horse that did not have ulcers but showed many signs started eating better once on Allen & page calm and condition, he loves it, it is not that low starch but considered suitable, he also gets D&H healthy tummy.

My other thought would be that the ulcers, if new, are a symptom rather than the main issue, at 23 unless something has changed in management he may well have another problem causing him pain and the ulcers are due to that and now he feels better the main issue will be highlighted once again.

Just seen your post re giving the GG in a feed, that is the problem he will be suspicious of all feeds now, it is probably best given by syringe and putting him through the stress for now or there may be no way to get it into him.
 
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be positive said:
Unless he needs hard feed to keep his weight on, this may be less of an issue once the ulcers are resolved anyway, I would not worry too much as long as he gets plenty of grass and forage, it may be that he is put off by getting the GG before feeding breakfast makes it taste odd so he is just being picky about all feeds, try giving it to him then turning out and feeding later.
My horse that did not have ulcers but showed many signs started eating better once on Allen & page calm and condition, he loves it, it is not that low starch but considered suitable, he also gets D&H healthy tummy.

My other thought would be that the ulcers, if new, are a symptom rather than the main issue, at 23 unless something has changed in management he may well have another problem causing him pain and the ulcers are due to that and now he feels better the main issue will be highlighted once again.
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Thanks. Tried calm and condition and healthy tummy and he won't eat either. He was really loving the Saracen Releve and then suddenly went off it 2 days ago. He does drop weight so he could really do with he hard feed to keep him plump.

In terms of other pain causing the ulcers, he has bute under vet recommendation and regular physio checks. He has had ulcers in the past when he used to race.
 
Might be worth putting the dose of GG in a bucket and covering with runny honey or the like. My friend had to do this as it was the only way to get in in her horse, then he got his normal feed once it was finished. This is what the vet recommended as they have had issues with other horses refusing to eat because of the GG.
 
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