Calcium carbonate as an antacid

pony&cow

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My horse is about to start her second course of gastrogard (last course was early last summer). I thought I was doing everything possible to prevent reoccurrence of ulcers...
Ad lib hay (im obsessive about this)
Alfa before working
High fibre low sugar diet
Plenty of turnout

She has hunted a bit over winter which she seems physically relaxed about but her sloppy poo's say different.

Im looking into supplements to help prevent future ulcer issues and as far as I can see they are all based on calcium carbonate as an antacid. Im also under the impression that antacids only have effectiveness in the stomach for 6 hours, as most expensive supplements directions state to feed AM and PM this would in theory not be effective round the clock. Im looking into using a good gut balancer such as protextin (any other recommendations??) then buying pure calcium carbonate to feed every six hours or there abouts, I do late night hay at about 9-10pm then breakfast it between 5 and 7 am.
Has anyone got any first hand experience of feeding pure calcium carbonate or any of the higher end supplements containing high levels of it, protexin acidease, nutriscience gastrocare, ritetrac ect??

Ive also been told about feeding gaviscon before hunting has anyone got any experience of this?
 

Palindrome

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calcium carbonate is most commonly known as limestone flour when fed to horses.

Have fed protexin acid ease and saw a positive result. Also straight clay for sloppy poos (I feed bentonite, acid ease has kaolinite).

ETA: I feed magox which is also anti-acid (as is bicarb I believe)
 

pony&cow

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Thank you. I don't think ive heard anyone say anything negetive about protexin. Thats definatly the one im steering towards.
 

kinnygirl1

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I could be wrong but I think the problem with feeding calcium carbonate alone is that it can upset the balance of magnesium. Most ulcer supplements have a balance of both calcium and magnesium. I use gastric comfort from feedmark and not had a recurrence of ulcer symptoms yet, however I have also changed management and horse is now out 24/7 so it's hard to say which is helping the most.
 

pony&cow

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Hadn't heard about the magnesium thing, will have to look into that one. Can i be a pain and ask what other ingredients are in the gastric comfort?
 

mega spoilt ponies

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If he has sloppy poo you may find the problem is more in his hind gut than gastric area? Gg will do sweet naff all if its a hind gut acidosis issue. something like equisure (essentially buffered sodium bicarb) may help?
 

kinnygirl1

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From an old tub assuming it's the same:

Calcium carbonate
Aluminium hydroxide
Dicalcium phosphate
Wheatfeed middlings
Liquorice root powder
Apple pectin
Soy lecithin
Glutamine
Magnesium carbonate
 

JCWHITE

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I suppose Gaviscon would be the equivalent of what I have been using here in France, around 40 to 60 mls syringed into the horses mouth, before a potentially stressfull event like loading> Phosphalugel, cheap as chips from the pharmacy, the horse liked the taste, just dont get any on your clothes!
 

Fruitcake

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Im looking into supplements to help prevent future ulcer issues and as far as I can see they are all based on calcium carbonate as an antacid. Im also under the impression that antacids only have effectiveness in the stomach for 6 hours, as most expensive supplements directions state to feed AM and PM this would in theory not be effective round the clock.

Apparently, this is exactly the reason why feeding ant acids can actually have a detrimental effect. The acid rebound (at the point the ant acid stops working after 4 to 6 hours) can actually have a worse effect than permanently high acid levels. Unless you're going to be able to give it every 4 to 6 hours even through the night, an ant acid might actually make things worse.

Supplements that form a protective coating or actually promote production of gut mucosa are, according to my vet, the way forward.
 

catembi

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The rebound thing is why I moved mine onto aloeride powder. The improvement has been very gradual, and he looks a lot happier on it. His face is happy, he's more outgoing (was previously withdrawn), he's stopped biting & kicking & he looks well in himself. I was worried about stuffing in random chemicals without really understanding whether they were having unintended consequences.

T x
 

pony&cow

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If he has sloppy poo you may find the problem is more in his hind gut than gastric area? Gg will do sweet naff all if its a hind gut acidosis issue. something like equisure (essentially buffered sodium bicarb) may help?

She had HGA when i first had her this came to light from a mild lami bout. (Lucky me ive had it all) her symptoms with that were different to her gastric ulcers it was more mild gassy colic bouts and sensitive flanks with loose smelly poo.
At the minute she only has the loose poo at exciting/stressful times. She's just girthy and not her generally happy loving self.



As for the acid rebound thing that really is food for thought. But surely these supplement manufactures/ researchers should be aware of this.
 
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