Gastric Ulcers/Gastro Guard/Equitop Pronutrin/Coligone

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fruity

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I sort of 'rescued' my anglo arab last October from a livery on my friends yard,she was going to have him PTS as she had ill health (she bought him when he was 9 and before that he was owned by a stud) i went to see him as i was looking for a horse for my novice OH and he was lovely and also went well for a exp rider also so decided to take him on.
He is 19yrs old but has vv high mileage (did 100 mile endurance rides in Dubai when he was 5 and 6,high level showing and dressage all before he was 9) she didn't look after him all that well and he is a very stressy horse and is a sensitive chap. He was in a pretty poor way when i got him but with the help of a million rugs and the right feed he came into spring looking lovely.
He was going fine until recently when my mare went off to another yard for schooling ready to be sold,they were both very close (he was cut late and was used as a teaser stallion in his younger years) he has been vvv depressed since (so have i!) and has had a turn for the worse.
In two weeks he has colic'd twice and it was very traumatic. The first time i noticed something was up was when he had a hard feed one night and after one mouthful he was pawing the ground,stretching out his body as if trying to wee (classic colic sign) and looking like he wanted to be sick! He walked it off that night,i took the hard feed away and left him with just hay. Two days later the same thing happened but much worse,he has arthritus in one of his hocks (it's got worse since my mare has gone) when he went down in the field he tried to get up but couldn't and was panicking and in such a state. We eventually got him up and he walked it off and the vet gave him the ok. The vet is certain he has bad ulcers from the recent stress and suspects he had them before i took him on.

The only problem is he isn't insured, i couldn't really insure him when i got him as at the time i had 3 others fully insured and just thought that if i he had to have anything major done then his days unfortunately would be over,i would pay a fair bit before i would have to make that decision though and it does help i work at a vets and have free access to vets and big discounts on everything.

Well he has been on Gastro guard (even at cost it was £160 for 7 syringes,ouch!) I knew it wasn't cheap but it is fab so thought that the best thing to start with,he is also on Equitop Pronutrin and is having nothing but grazing with it. The vets said to keep him on the Gastro guard for a month and the fact he is now in a field next to a mare he can see should help him get over the loss of 'his' mare. In his field he is with my other gelding and is really taking it out on him poor boy,he has got very grumpy lately as well which makes sense with the ulcers.

Sorry post is getting long. My question is how do you guys manage ulcers etc and i am also thinking of using Coligone as have heard good things about it. Anyone have any good outcomes with it? I've never had a horse colic on me before this boy or had a horse with ulcers. It is very stressful to deal with! Any tips?
 
Coligone is the next best thing to magic fairy dust hun. Honest to god I've seen it turn round stressy worry-heads in a week and the peppermint powder works out at just pence per day. Sounds as though your poor lad needs a companion as well. Hope he's ok xxx
 
GastroGuard is the best product, but as you've found the cost is too high to keep them on it long term.

Coligone. I can't vouch for the powder since my picky lad won't eat it no matter how little the amount & how hard I try to hide it. The liquid seems to keep him more comfortable though, particularly when he gets gassy.

Another product that helps mine is Equine America's U-Gard Plus, I tried it on my vet's recommendation & it makes a noticable difference.
 
You wont need to keep your horse on gastro guard indefinalty - the intial treatment will last is a cure. My old girl had this treatment and yes it was very very expensive but the results spoke for themselves in about 4 days - she only lived for another 2 years after having the treatment but she died of old age - she never looked back from that first treatment

good luck
 
Box_Of_Frogs said:
Coligone is the next best thing to magic fairy dust hun. Honest to god I've seen it turn round stressy worry-heads in a week and the peppermint powder works out at just pence per day. Sounds as though your poor lad needs a companion as well. Hope he's ok xxx
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He has my other gelding for company,and they do sort of 'put up' with each other! They both very much loved my mare and both were every close to her,mine are all kept in a small mixed herd which is lovely for them all,... until one has to go for one reson or another! I must admit this is the first time i've sold one of mine properly completely and i'm finding it hard that my mares gone and the boys arn't helping the situation bless them!
I do have another mare i part own at the mo (long story! she was mine i then put her out on loan,lady bought her fully then i half bought her back and now she wants to sell up as having baby no2!) she will be coming back to me soon so i'm hoping the boys will be pleased,she will be as well i bet... little tart!
Am going to put my anglo arab on the Coligone as he hasn't eaten the Pronutrin at all today and hates the taste,the Gastro guard i'm sticking straight into his mouth,just pray he turns a corner soon :( thanks for your help guys x
 
I'd start the Coligone at just a flat teaspoon on Day 1, so it's barely noticeable. Maybe chop up a few carrots or apples as well and even delay his tea half an hour so he's good and hungry when it arrives. Wet speedibeet is usually mega palatable too. Gradually increase the Coligone to the recommended dose at a rate he'll tolerate. If he refuses (never known it if introduced sensibly) you could try the liquid which is aniseed flavoured, not peppermint. The firm will send you a single tube dose and you can see what he thinks of that before shelling out for a large liquid tub. Both forms of Coligone act the same. Good luck hun xxx
 
Thanks Box Of Frogsfor your advice,am ordering the Coligone at work tomorrow. Tried to bribe him today with carrots in his Pro Nutrin and he just wont eat anything now! Have tried sugar beet on its own,carrots,apples,pretty much everything. He runs up to me in the field and gets keen when i go to the feed room and then when i put the bucket in front of him he just dismisses it. Have managed to get the gastro guard syringe down him today but thats its like he feels sick when he sees food! Nightmare! Will chat to my vet tomorrow and see what she says. Could i use Coligone along side Equine Americas U Guard? Thats in pellet form like the pro nutrin but it looks much tastier! The pronutrin has a real strong apple smell and i think its to much for his belly. Am so worried about my boy,although he does seem less grumpy today so maybe the gastro guard is taking effect,he doesnt seem to mind me sticking it in his mouth so maybe he feels a relief when he's swallowed it!
 
Yes, you can use Coligone & U-Gard together, I do & I checked it out with Kate first. The amount of U-Gard you have to give is tiny, you can hand feed it as a treat if he won't ear bucket feeds at the moment.

Sometimes very plain foods seem to go down best. One of the few things I've found that Jim will consistently eat is wet bran, ok it's not great as the only feed in a long term diet but if it gets him eating it's a start! Another favourite, though not ideal for ulcers, is oats but I'd only try those if you're really desperate.

Interestingly when Jim's tum isn't right apples are one of the first things he goes off, for years he wouldn't eat them at all. Anything apple flavoured also got refused. Maybe they recognise the acidity & know it will make them feel worse?

ETA you may be best starting with the Coligone liquid since that can be syringed down if he won't eat it.
 
almorton said:
i think gastroguard (gossip on the grapevine!) is about to get much cheaper. they had a 10year patent type thing on it to allow them to recoup R+D on it, and its nearly up which means other people can start manufacturing a very similar product.
so it may well become cheaper and a blessing in disguise!
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I really hope you're right!
 
Really! i so hope your right,he has turned a corner in less than 7 syringes! I have done some research at work and have discovered i can get the right dosage of Omeprazole in pill form a lot cheaper than Gastro Guard,as it's the main thing in Gastro Guard i'll try that after i've finished my last box as i just can't afford another box of it! It's fab stuff and if the price of it does go down i will be sure to keep a box in my feed room
 
Gastrogard works. My horse was desperately ill in fact dying until he had two (gulp£££) months of treatment but 18 months later he is showing no signs of reulceration. His started when he was fretting on box rest for a foot abcess and not eating properly, although gastroscope revealed his stomach wasn't emptying properly either. haven't tried coligone etc but will bear in mind for the future.
 
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