Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) Owner Survey

D

Dr David Marlin

Active Member
Joined
17 September 2014
Messages
47
Visit site
This survey has been compiled by a group of vets and scientists with a special interest in EGUS (EQUINE GASTRIC ULCER SYNDROME).

### WE WANT TO HEAR YOUR VIEWS IF YOU LIVE IN THE UK & WHETHER OR NOT YOUR HORSE HAS HAD GASTRIC ULCERS ###

We are interested in people's perception of EGUS, where they obtain information on EGUS and what treatments they are aware of.

The survey is open to anyone living in the United Kingdom (UK) i.e. England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland and has 17 questions and should take ~10 min to complete.

The survey is anonymous and no personal information will be collected that could identify you.

The results of this survey will help to ensure that horse owners are given the best education and advice to help them recognise EGUS and manage their horses optimally.

THANK YOU

Dr David Marlin, Cambridge, UK.
Dr Ben Sykes, BW Sykes Consultancy & School of Veterinary Sciences, The University of
Queensland, Australia
Dr Kirstie Pickles, Chine House Veterinary Hospital
Dr Jane Williams, Hartpury College

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/Owner_EGUS
 
I have completed the survey, but I didn't see an opportunity to say that I am of the opinion that many horses suffer with ulcers as a secondary symptom to a lameness/pain/physical issue elsewhere. My horse had ulcers but such extreme aggression it was obvious there was a serious underlying cause, later diagnosed as chronic sacro iliac dysfunction.
 
YasandCrystal said:
I have completed the survey, but I didn't see an opportunity to say that I am of the opinion that many horses suffer with ulcers as a secondary symptom to a lameness/pain/physical issue elsewhere. My horse had ulcers but such extreme aggression it was obvious there was a serious underlying cause, later diagnosed as chronic sacro iliac dysfunction.
Click to expand...

Thank you. Its difficult to get these survey 100% right. Yes, stress and pain could be factors. We will be doing a follow up on this survey where we can allow freeform responses. David
 
Done but like the others I'm surprised to see there isn't an option for pain as a trigger for ulcers (other than 'sore back'), it seems odd that a group of vets and experts didn't include this as an option when if you trawl the forums it seems to be many people's primary belief as to why their horse has ulcers? For my horse it was severe hayfever and the stress of losing a field mate. I also found question 12 hard to answer in the way it was worded. My horse had ulcers and yet only showed 1 or 2 of those signs. So i might say I think aversion to girthing is a reliable indicator theoretically but the absence of that sign doesn't mean he doesn't have them. Yawning was a sign for him. I may have just confused myself on this one by overthinking what the purpose of the question was and how my own experience could skew the outcome of the survey!
 
KatPT said:
Done but like the others I'm surprised to see there isn't an option for pain as a trigger for ulcers (other than 'sore back'), it seems odd that a group of vets and experts didn't include this as an option when if you trawl the forums it seems to be many people's primary belief as to why their horse has ulcers? For my horse it was severe hayfever and the stress of losing a field mate. I also found question 12 hard to answer in the way it was worded. My horse had ulcers and yet only showed 1 or 2 of those signs. So i might say I think aversion to girthing is a reliable indicator theoretically but the absence of that sign doesn't mean he doesn't have them. Yawning was a sign for him. I may have just confused myself on this one by overthinking what the purpose of the question was and how my own experience could skew the outcome of the survey!
Click to expand...

The survey was piloted with a small group of 50 horse owners and with freeform responses before it was widely released this week. The issue of pain was not raised by anyone nor has it been a comment made by anyone on the Facebook page where there is the option to comment after the survey. Maybe its not that widely believed to be a trigger?
 
Widely believed on this forum David. You should have come here first.

We've had this discussionbefore on another of your surveys, but if you are going to list all your colleagues with their educational/employment establishment, then I think you should make it clear that Cambridge is your place of residence, and not a reference to the prestigious university.
 
Last edited:
ycbm said:
Widely believed on this forum David. You should have come here first.

We've had this discussionbefore on another of your surveys, but if you are going to list all your colleagues with their educational establishment, then I think you need to make it clear that Cambridge is your place of residence, and not a reference to the prestigious university.
Click to expand...

I wondered how long it would take :)
 
Dr David Marlin said:
I wondered how long it would take :)
Click to expand...

Why didn't you correct it after many of us commented last time that we had felt mislead? On this thread, where you were pretty rude to people:

https://forums-secure.horseandhound...t-your-stirrup-length&p=13554902#post13554902


You have four collaborators in this research. You list the educational establishment or employer of three, and give yourself your own residence. Why the inconsistency? It is misleading, you've been told it's misleading before, and now I believe that you are being deliberately misleading and attempting to give your surveys more credibility by allowing people to believe that they are being led by Cambridge University. It isn't ethical.


I have done your survey. I too wanted an option of pain as a cause.
 
Last edited:
Dr David Marlin said:
The survey was piloted with a small group of 50 horse owners and with freeform responses before it was widely released this week. The issue of pain was not raised by anyone nor has it been a comment made by anyone on the Facebook page where there is the option to comment after the survey. Maybe its not that widely believed to be a trigger?
Click to expand...

I think it is widely believed. As you said, your initial group was small, where were they recruited from? On the Facebook ulcers group and on this forum you see pain time and time again being put forwards as the likely cause. I think it would be a shame for a research group to dismiss it as an option. Perhaps this could be added to your survey?
 
ycbm said:
Why didn't you correct it after many of us commented last time that we had felt mislead? On this thread, where you were pretty rude to people:

https://forums-secure.horseandhound...t-your-stirrup-length&p=13554902#post13554902


You have four collaborators in this research. You list the educational establishment or employer of three, and give yourself your own residence. Why the inconsistency? It is misleading, you've been told it's misleading before, and now I believe that you are being deliberately misleading and attempting to give your surveys more credibility by allowing people to believe that they are being led by Cambridge University. It isn't ethical.


I have done your survey. I too wanted an option of pain as a cause.
Click to expand...

Dear ycbm,

I do understand your behaviour. Therefore as before I will not be responding to comments in this vein. I am always more than happy to engage in constructive and respectful dialogue should you wish to do so.

Regards

David
 
KatPT said:
I think it is widely believed. As you said, your initial group was small, where were they recruited from? On the Facebook ulcers group and on this forum you see pain time and time again being put forwards as the likely cause. I think it would be a shame for a research group to dismiss it as an option. Perhaps this could be added to your survey?
Click to expand...

The pilot group was quite diverse and recruited through people who have previously contributed to surveys. I specifically steer away from forums and specific interest groups at the pilot stage in order to ensure that the survey is not disseminated in an uncontrolled way and because of potential bias. The issue of pain is interesting but it is not something that has been identified by vets or scientists. Especially given that most horses with gastric ulceration do not appear to show any clinical signs. Its certainly something that I will discuss with the rest of the group. I'm certainly not dismissing it. As we already have over 1000 responses it would not be possible to add it as an option at this stage though. Thank you for the comment.
 
UPDATE

Thank you to those on the forum who have filled in the survey! Since I posted yesterday we have had a further 300 responses, so now over 1000 in total.

David
 
Dr David Marlin said:
The pilot group was quite diverse and recruited through people who have previously contributed to surveys. I specifically steer away from forums and specific interest groups at the pilot stage in order to ensure that the survey is not disseminated in an uncontrolled way and because of potential bias. The issue of pain is interesting but it is not something that has been identified by vets or scientists. Especially given that most horses with gastric ulceration do not appear to show any clinical signs. Its certainly something that I will discuss with the rest of the group. I'm certainly not dismissing it. As we already have over 1000 responses it would not be possible to add it as an option at this stage though. Thank you for the comment.
Click to expand...

I'm very surprised by your comment.
When treating a horse fairly recently for EGUS I used one of the countries leading Vets. He was certainly of the opinion there was a correlation between EGUS and orthopaedic issues. Not a definitive, but certainly not something to rule out.
 
Dr David Marlin said:
The pilot group was quite diverse and recruited through people who have previously contributed to surveys. I specifically steer away from forums and specific interest groups at the pilot stage in order to ensure that the survey is not disseminated in an uncontrolled way and because of potential bias. The issue of pain is interesting but it is not something that has been identified by vets or scientists. Especially given that most horses with gastric ulceration do not appear to show any clinical signs. Its certainly something that I will discuss with the rest of the group. I'm certainly not dismissing it. As we already have over 1000 responses it would not be possible to add it as an option at this stage though. Thank you for the comment.
Click to expand...

No problem. If this is something that has not yet been backed up scientifically finally then I would really love to see a research group looking in to it. As an anecdote that may or may not be of interest, my horse was in a low sugar, low starch, high fibre diet, ad lib forage, turned out all of the time, with company. He was sleek, shiny and showed no outward sign of ulcers to me as someone who had never experienced them before (so signs were subtle, yawning, eating slowly, ear pinning when ridden and heightened anxiety levels). However for the previous year he had suffered SI injury, hayfever and the death of a field companion that he had a bit g emotional reaction to. Once I treated all the sources of pain and found him another suitable field companion for the psychological stress, the ulcers healed up nicely and I haven't had any further problems despite the rest of his feed and management remaining the same as when he had ulcers. I'm convinced that the constant stress his body was under from being in pain for a prolonged period led to the ulcers and I would love a research group to be able to explain the physiological link. Good luck with your study.
 
Frumpoon said:
Does this count as mansplaining?
Click to expand...

I think so :). Since you've raised David's head to this thread again, I have a question.

David, respectfully, can you please explain what this survey is intended to achieve? Four respected academics are putting effort into it (and not into something potentially more valuable), and presumably you have some stated objectives for the study somewhere?

You are asking what horse owners know about EGUS. Your responders will be a group of self selected people who are both motivated to respond to a questionnaire about what they know about EGUS and who follow social media. I don't think it will be representative of the horse keeping population as a whole. And even if it was, I can't understand how a survey of opinions (the kind more usually done for an equine studies degree dissertation, or by PR companies to get their clients names into the media) is going to help anyone.

I'm struggling to understand, can you assist?
 
ycbm said:
I think so :). Since you've raised David's head to this thread again, I have a question.

David, respectfully, can you please explain what this survey is intended to achieve? Four respected academics are putting effort into it (and not into something potentially more valuable), and presumably you have some stated objectives for the study somewhere?

You are asking what horse owners know about EGUS. Your responders will be a group of self selected people who are both motivated to respond to a questionnaire about what they know about EGUS and who follow social media. I don't think it will be representative of the horse keeping population as a whole. And even if it was, I can't understand how a survey of opinions (the kind more usually done for an equine studies degree dissertation, or by PR companies to get their clients names into the media) is going to help anyone.

I'm struggling to understand, can you assist?
Click to expand...

I think suggesting this is "mansplaining", which is a derogatory term, could probably also be regarded as disrespectful so this doesn't really convince me that you have any genuine interest. "Four respected academics are putting effort into it (and not into something potentially more valuable)"; again, hardly an olive branch. An explanation of why we are doing this has been given at the start of the survey. We do understand that some people may be more motivated than others and the reasons behind that. That's why there are questions relating to whether you have had a horse with EGUS or not or whether a friend has. This post gathered us a further 200 responses which I am more than happy with. David
 
ihatework said:
I'm very surprised by your comment.
When treating a horse fairly recently for EGUS I used one of the countries leading Vets. He was certainly of the opinion there was a correlation between EGUS and orthopaedic issues. Not a definitive, but certainly not something to rule out.
Click to expand...

Me too, I certainly considered it to be a veterinary as well as forum/special interest groups opinion :confused3:
 
I'm asked to fill in a fair few surveys because of my particular demographic. There is nothing worse than ones not containing the answer you want to give and no 'other' box because as a scientist I hate to think that I am skewing results because of that.
 
Dr David Marlin said:
Dear ycbm,

I do understand your behaviour. Therefore as before I will not be responding to comments in this vein. I am always more than happy to engage in constructive and respectful dialogue should you wish to do so.

Regards

David
Click to expand...

Because of course this wasn't derogatory or disrespectful at all!

I don't see any 'behaviour' in ycbm's point being raised, just a really valid point of concerns about the ethics of the study.
 
David, in order to find out more about you, this study, what objective you might have in carrying out this study, and why you might wish to mistakenly be associated with one of the world's most prestigious universities, I have Googled you.

And I found that along with publishing a lot of helpful stuff for horse keepers, you own or front a company which markets supplements for horses, several of which claim to improve gut health.

This survey can be directly related to the products which you are selling, and it is totally unethical that you are not declaring this potential conflict of interests before people decide whether to spend their time on it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top