Gastric ulcers? What signs/symptoms did your horse have?

[kez1001]

As title really. Also if they were treated, what was the treatment plan and did it work? When did you see an improvement? What maintenance do you do for them now?

My 7yo exracer is going to be scoped next Friday as he's become very spooky and on edge the past fortnight. He's also grumpy to handle and girthy to tack up. No other changes to his management. I'm going to have physio out and dentist too to rule out any other physical problems. I've owned him for three years and he has always been girthy and sometimes resentful of the leg when ridden esp in the winter when he's not as well covered weight wise. However on the whole fairly level headed and def not a spooky horse.

Any experiences welcome

 

[mjcssjw2]

strange mild colic signs, but only when brought in and after bucket feed, got to point I wasn't sure if we could physically keep him in stable, he was hammering the walls, gastroguard stopped it immediately.

 

[kez1001]

Hi hun, my 4 year old had ulcers!!! she hated been touched, cow kicked when doing girth, walked away from her tack, when riding she became spooky wouldnt go forward cow kicked at my foot when i asked her move forward then the bucking came whwn i asked for canter then the leaping came arching back became unridable!!! in the stable she would stand resting but you noticed the breathing wasn t right, also mild colic. she was also very moody ears pinned back didnt want you bothering her!!! i really wish you the best, she was put on gastroguard and antespin and antibiotics after 6 weeks no diffrence!!! thought of having her pts untill a kind lady from the forum told me about the gastro plus from equine science!! and after a 1 week massive diffrence after 4 weeks got my fab horse back!!! hers was glandular ulcers which are not well known about we think its stress that caused them so i now have her equistro equilizer and a maitance product from equine science and all is well!!!
are you insured?? xxxxx

Yes he is insured thankfully!

My boy doesn't seem this bad maybe I'm off the mark? It's just a complete change in his personality.

I'm glad you found a solution for your horse though. They are such a worry. Thanks for sharing your experience

 

[kez1001]

strange mild colic signs, but only when brought in and after bucket feed, got to point I wasn't sure if we could physically keep him in stable, he was hammering the walls, gastroguard stopped it immediately.

Poor horse. That's great to know the gastroguard worked. Do you have any special management long term?

 

[JoClark]

My horse is a cribber, he is girthy too. I didn't think much of it to start with. Then i moved yards a few months ago and he didn't settle, his poo didn't look right and he got very girthy, to the point of nipping, he was obviously uncomfortable when you touched just behind his front legs, he was cribbing non stop,lost a lot of weight. I moved him again and he settled very quickly. I got him scoped as he wasn't himself, he has grade 1 and grade 2 ulcers, a lot of them too. Some would be recent from the stress but looks like he has had some for a long time. I feel very guilty but so glad that i got him checked. He has been on gastrogard for 3 weeks and he isnt bothered about girthing. He is a lot more forward too which is nice. He will be scoped again soon to see if they have gone. Fingers crossed, oh and barely cribs now.

I am hoping his feed management and ad lib hay will be enough for him to stay ulcer free. I always give him lots of hay so he has some left over, if he doesnt have any left then I know it wasnt enough. He is an ISH and has a lot of TB in him so he doesnt get fat. I have him on Allan and Page Calm and Condition, Baileys lo-cal balancer (gives him all the vits and minerals he needs and keeps him looking trim), Simple System lucie pellets (for his ball) and Lucie nuts. Alfa A Molasses Free Chaff. Saracen Yea-Sacc (enhances digestion, i will only keep him on 1 tub to clear him out after the stress) and Corn Oil. I have looked into feed that has low starch and sugars. If anyone has any suggestions on how to keep the weight on be my guest, id rather him a little fat going into winter.