Calcium Bentonite for ulcers in horses

Birker2020

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Has anyone used?
Did you find it was of any use?

I'm considering getting him scoped for ulcers but would like opinions as I'm thinking of trying CB first for my horse after someone on here recommended it and I found out from someone else that Acid Ease doesn't treat hind gut ulcers (when I say treat I mean that in the loosest sense of the word, as I'm of the understanding that only Gastroguard actually treats ulcers).

I'm a bit wary as I've read it can absorb up to 20 times its weight but also read many articles saying how good it is.

Stories gratefully received please. TIA.

ALSO IN FEEDING SECTION
 

Sossigpoker

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Ulcers are usually caused by pain somewhere else in the body: kissing spine and lameness seeming to be very common causes. Whilst supplements have a place in creating an environment it the gut that minimises the possibility of ulcers, you will not cure ulcers with them.
Yes , calcium carbonate is a common ingredient in ulcer supplements.
But I'd honestly not waste time or money on supplements but have the horse scoped and treated. If ulcers are found, a thorough lameness exam is then worth doing.
Mine had ulcers caused by stifle OCD but once we got him out of pain with the stifles, the ulcers healed in 4 weeks with Gastroguard. He then had supplements to support the gastric environment.
 

Sossigpoker

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I don't know enough about it. I'll speak to my vet. Sossigpoker, the horse has had a very detailed lameness workup a number of times and has been treated for KS,si, hocks
In that case you probably know the cause and if he's having symptoms then it's highly likely he has ulcers- I'd have him scoped or discuss with your vet treating without scoping.
Some vets also do "scoping clinics "- you take your horse there along other horses and get the scope cheaper than the "private " rate
 

Birker2020

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In that case you probably know the cause and if he's having symptoms then it's highly likely he has ulcers- I'd have him scoped or discuss with your vet treating without scoping.
Some vets also do "scoping clinics "- you take your horse there along other horses and get the scope cheaper than the "private " rate
Yes i will speak to my vet next week. I'd said i wasn't going to treat the horse any further as I'd decided to retire at that point but now I've a rider for him again we're back in the game so to speak.

I can fund the scope but not the treatment and I'm not sure if the insurance would play ball as he's had an awful lot of treatment so far to date that they've paid out on.

But there's no real reason I guess why they wouldn't.
 

Sossigpoker

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Yes i will speak to my vet next week. I'd said i wasn't going to treat the horse any further as I'd decided to retire at that point but now I've a rider for him again we're back in the game so to speak.

I can fund the scope but not the treatment and I'm not sure if the insurance would play ball as he's had an awful lot of treatment so far to date that they've paid out on.

But there's no real reason I guess why they wouldn't.
If he's not had ulcers before the insurance shouldn't refuse the claim.
I claimed nearly 20 grand over 18 months for 2 horses , all claims accepted without a quibble as nothing was preexisting.
 

Caitlinr27

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I have an ex racer who came to me with very severe ulcers and needed to be treated for 5 months with gastroguard and sucralfate. When we stopped treatment we tried all the readily available supplements/medications (such as acid ease)and home remedies such as veg oil, aloe Vera, bicarbonate soda etc. The list goes on. The ulcers came back and she needed further treatment. We have found after a year of dealing with this, the only thing successful with keeping the ulcers at bay, being off medication (which cost us thousands, we couldn’t sustain keeping her on it long term) was a supplement only available via your vet which is Hestevard Exagus. It is pricey for a supplement (£100 per month or £350 ish for four months so slight saving). It is the only supplement available with a study supporting it’s use in relation to ulcer medication. We have been able to stop all other supplements, remedies etc and she has (touch wood) been medication free for almost four months now and she finally gets to enjoy her life again. In our opinion, it’s worth the money as it’s afforded Belle a life without long term medication. If you are scoped for ulcers and undergo a course of treatment, (hopefully it won’t last as long as ours did!) I would speak to your vet for this supplement. Most vets also offer a free weeks trial for the supplement to ensure it is palatable for your horse without forking out without knowing. Hope this helps
 

ycbm

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I wouldn’t say I class aloe Vera as a supplement. I was referring to supplements marketed for gastric ulcers. Products such as acid ease, gastro aid, exagus etc

I think the difference is only in marketing inventing names that they think will make people buy. There are many people paying fortune for untested named supplements whose horses would do as well or better on 20p of Aloe Vera a day and can support its use with scientific studies of its effectiveness.

My favourite exchange with the marketer of a very expensive supplement, heavily recommended by many vets , (quite unethically as far as I'm concerned) was to ask for the data that proved it did what they said. Their reply?

"We don't have to test it, it's a supplement".

ETA I think we're on the same page re. testing
.
 

Ellibelli

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I have an ex racer who came to me with very severe ulcers and needed to be treated for 5 months with gastroguard and sucralfate. When we stopped treatment we tried all the readily available supplements/medications (such as acid ease)and home remedies such as veg oil, aloe Vera, bicarbonate soda etc. The list goes on. The ulcers came back and she needed further treatment. We have found after a year of dealing with this, the only thing successful with keeping the ulcers at bay, being off medication (which cost us thousands, we couldn’t sustain keeping her on it long term) was a supplement only available via your vet which is Hestevard Exagus. It is pricey for a supplement (£100 per month or £350 ish for four months so slight saving). It is the only supplement available with a study supporting it’s use in relation to ulcer medication. We have been able to stop all other supplements, remedies etc and she has (touch wood) been medication free for almost four months now and she finally gets to enjoy her life again. In our opinion, it’s worth the money as it’s afforded Belle a life without long term medication. If you are scoped for ulcers and undergo a course of treatment, (hopefully it won’t last as long as ours did!) I would speak to your vet for this supplement. Most vets also offer a free weeks trial for the supplement to ensure it is palatable for your horse without forking out without knowing. Hope this helps
It might be worth taking a look at Feedmark's Ultimate Ease. Like you I had tried just about every supplement out there for ulcers, without any success, but Ultimate Ease has been a complete game changer for my horse. Looking at the active ingredients, both Exagus and Ultimate Ease look very similar and even at full price Ultimate Ease is quite a bit cheaper, and you can usually get up to 50% off when Feedmark have offers on.
 

milliepops

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It might be worth taking a look at Feedmark's Ultimate Ease. Like you I had tried just about every supplement out there for ulcers, without any success, but Ultimate Ease has been a complete game changer for my horse. Looking at the active ingredients, both Exagus and Ultimate Ease look very similar and even at full price Ultimate Ease is quite a bit cheaper, and you can usually get up to 50% off when Feedmark have offers on.
and if you put it in the bespoke supp it's cheaper again if you just add something cheap like the basic vits and mins.
 

Birker2020

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Thanks. I'd already ordered it when I put this post up and he's been on it since Saturday so not long. I have no idea if his issue is ulcers but I will ring my vet later and think about getting him booked in anyway.

Thanks for your help.
 

Barton Bounty

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Thanks. I'd already ordered it when I put this post up and he's been on it since Saturday so not long. I have no idea if his issue is ulcers but I will ring my vet later and think about getting him booked in anyway.

Thanks for your help.
Give it 10 days or so to start working properly
 

AandK

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I think the difference is only in marketing inventing names that they think will make people buy. There are many people paying fortune for untested named supplements whose horses would do as well or better on 20p of Aloe Vera a day and can support its use with scientific studies of its effectiveness.


.

Out of interest, how much do you aloe do you feed? My boy has just scoped clear, so willing to add this to help keep it that way.
 

Barton Bounty

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I have an ex racer who came to me with very severe ulcers and needed to be treated for 5 months with gastroguard and sucralfate. When we stopped treatment we tried all the readily available supplements/medications (such as acid ease)and home remedies such as veg oil, aloe Vera, bicarbonate soda etc. The list goes on. The ulcers came back and she needed further treatment. We have found after a year of dealing with this, the only thing successful with keeping the ulcers at bay, being off medication (which cost us thousands, we couldn’t sustain keeping her on it long term) was a supplement only available via your vet which is Hestevard Exagus. It is pricey for a supplement (£100 per month or £350 ish for four months so slight saving). It is the only supplement available with a study supporting it’s use in relation to ulcer medication. We have been able to stop all other supplements, remedies etc and she has (touch wood) been medication free for almost four months now and she finally gets to enjoy her life again. In our opinion, it’s worth the money as it’s afforded Belle a life without long term medication. If you are scoped for ulcers and undergo a course of treatment, (hopefully it won’t last as long as ours did!) I would speak to your vet for this supplement. Most vets also offer a free weeks trial for the supplement to ensure it is palatable for your horse without forking out without knowing. Hope this helps
I looked into this and it contains soya ? so my boy cant have it ?they were super helpful
 
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