Gastric ulcers not responding to treatment

Wagtail

Wagtail

Horse servant
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Quick bit of background:

Mare - previously well behaved when ridden suddenly started napping, rearing and kicking out when ridden, but fine on the lunge. Eating well and good on ground and in stable. After a year of red herrings she was finally diagnosed with gastric ulcers in the glandular part of her stomach.

She was treated with 3 weeks of antepsin and 4 weeks full gastroguard followed by 4 weeks quarter gastroguard. She responded after 3 weeks and was back to normal riding, but this only lasted a week and she returned to her previous behaviour. The gastroguard was upped to a full one but after another 4 weeks there has been no improvement. She is being scoped again tomorrow, but has anyone any idea why she has not responded to treatment? Could there be anything more serious wrong?
 
Whilst most stomach ulcers in horses are caused by excess acid, I believe there is a strain of them that is caused by bacteria and need treating with antibiotics rather than gastroguard - these types of ulcers are more often seen in humans, i'd check with the vet and see what he has to say. :-)
 
maggiesmum said:
Whilst most stomach ulcers in horses are caused by excess acid, I believe there is a strain of them that is caused by bacteria and need treating with antibiotics rather than gastroguard - these types of ulcers are more often seen in humans, i'd check with the vet and see what he has to say. :-)
Click to expand...

Helicobacter pylori is the culprit in humans and Helicobacter Equorum in horses, although I don't think much research has been done in this area yet. This is the most recent that I found if you're interested.


http://vri.cz/docs/vetmed/54-12-577.pdf
 
Sounds like my boy, he was treated on and off for a year. He was treated with antibiotics in the end but you have to be careful as some antibiotics may not work and they can also cause more stomach problems. In the end my boy was still having issues and went for a bone scan where they found he had issues with his back which were probably causing the ulcers in the first place.
 
Yes couldn't agree more with the other responses - ask your vet about treating with antibiotics alongside the current treatment
Kate x
 
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