Jim bob
Well-Known Member
I have thought for a while that my boy may have gastric ulcers. Recently spoke to one of the vets and He said it may be ulcers but I won't know unless they scope him. However I doubt my insurance would cover it.
gastric ulcers?
- Thread starter Jim bob
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paulineh
Well-Known Member
Which insurance company are you with. I don't they would refuse most companies will cover Ulcers.
Jim bob
Well-Known Member
My Chap had a few exclusions from cribbing and Windsucking . With pet plan.
paulineh
Well-Known Member
It does not mean that the Ulcers have anything to do with the crib biting or Windsucking.
The best thing to do is call the insurance company and ask them.
Crib biting and Windsucking can just be a habit.
The best thing to do is call the insurance company and ask them.
Crib biting and Windsucking can just be a habit.
vanrim
Well-Known Member
The scoping is about £250 including sedation etc. It is worth doing if you suspect ulcers even if you have to try and find the money yourself which I had to do as I didn't have insurance but I would be a bit surprised if you aren't covered.
Rivendell
Well-Known Member
I would think the cribbing and wind sucking could be secondary to ulcers. Definitely get in touch with the insurance company to see what they say. It sounds like a scope would really benefit both you and your horse.
If you aren't covered for this, could you afford the omeprazole medication? While it is best practice to scope horses first, sometimes you can have a trial on the medication to see if it helps. While it is not ideal, sometimes exceptions have to be made so the horse can still receive the necessary medication. Maybe speak to your vet about that option?
You can also try make some changes yourself first - probably won't fix the ulcers but will stop them getting worse. Your vet may have already been over these with you, but if not here are a few important things you could try:
- Make sure he always has fibre to eat - constant turnout is best if you don't already. Periods of not eating cause ulcers.
- Before riding make sure he has a small feed of chaff or other fibre source to basically put a barrier on top of the stomach acid (so it can't splash up).
- Split his meals into as many small meals a day as you can manage, as a big bolus of hard feed also makes ulcers worse (assuming you do hard feed).
- If you don't already, feed lucerne/alfalfa. It lowers the pH in the stomach so is incredibly beneficial for horses with gastric ulcers.
- Keep everything as low stress as possible until you manage to get on top of the ulcers.
I hope some of this helps, but ideally the insurance company will cover you. Good luck and let us know what happens!
If you aren't covered for this, could you afford the omeprazole medication? While it is best practice to scope horses first, sometimes you can have a trial on the medication to see if it helps. While it is not ideal, sometimes exceptions have to be made so the horse can still receive the necessary medication. Maybe speak to your vet about that option?
You can also try make some changes yourself first - probably won't fix the ulcers but will stop them getting worse. Your vet may have already been over these with you, but if not here are a few important things you could try:
- Make sure he always has fibre to eat - constant turnout is best if you don't already. Periods of not eating cause ulcers.
- Before riding make sure he has a small feed of chaff or other fibre source to basically put a barrier on top of the stomach acid (so it can't splash up).
- Split his meals into as many small meals a day as you can manage, as a big bolus of hard feed also makes ulcers worse (assuming you do hard feed).
- If you don't already, feed lucerne/alfalfa. It lowers the pH in the stomach so is incredibly beneficial for horses with gastric ulcers.
- Keep everything as low stress as possible until you manage to get on top of the ulcers.
I hope some of this helps, but ideally the insurance company will cover you. Good luck and let us know what happens!
paulineh
Well-Known Member
Ask your vet about a test called "Succeed" it is cheap to do and can give you an indication to wheather your horse has "Gastric" and /or "Hind Gut" Ulcers. There is also a new product that is the same as "Gastrogard " called "Peptizole" this is cheaper.
Jim bob
Well-Known Member
Thank you all! Due to my boy been a poor doer anyway he is on ad lib hay and has been since I bought him 2 years ago. Whenever he is tied on the yard he always has a haynet so while I am grooming him before work he can eat if he wants. He does get a scoop of alfa a oil per feed and he gets 3 feeds per day. He will be going onto a low starch and sugar diet in the next 6 months due to possiable going barefoot. I try to make sure hes not stressed. he always has company. Since moving him to a yard with group turnout I have seen him go from cribbing in the field every 20 mins ( Indiv turn out) to cribbing twice in the field since nov! Which is huge!
How cheap is cheap??
How cheap is cheap??
paulineh
Well-Known Member
Sorry Jim Bob. it cost me £25 each test and my boy has had 2 tests. One before treatment ,then he was scoped and one a month after treatment. He remains on the "Succeed" supplement (For the Hind Gut Ulcers) and is now on a normal supplement for the (Gastric Ulcers)
My lad looks a picture of health, Lives out 24/7 in a small mixed herd of 2 other geldings and 2 mares. They have been together for many years, on a total fibre/oil diet and does not seemed stressed at all, but still got Ulcers.
You have done well to change his environment and it does prove that cribbing can be due to stress.
My lad looks a picture of health, Lives out 24/7 in a small mixed herd of 2 other geldings and 2 mares. They have been together for many years, on a total fibre/oil diet and does not seemed stressed at all, but still got Ulcers.
You have done well to change his environment and it does prove that cribbing can be due to stress.
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Jim bob
Well-Known Member
I was just wondering. how would I go about phoning? Sounds stupid I know but knowing my look if I was to ask if they would cover it when I actually went through with the scoping would they cover it? Since I have rang and questioned them?
Jim bob
Well-Known Member
I know there has been a study and that horses that were turned out in a field 247 for 6 weeks most of there ulcers clear up. I am debating whether to try that. What do you all think?
be positive
Well-Known Member
It is worth trying if you don't want to scope and treat with GG, there is certainly evidence that it helps but 6 weeks may not be long enough depending on how bad they are and how relaxed the horse is turned away, they can get stressed if a field mate gets taken out or something new arrives so turned away with a stable herd for the whole time would be best.
While he is out that is the time to change his diet to one that is barefoot/ ulcer friendly, as he is cribbing less than he was it may be that the ulcers, if he has them, have improved as the cribbing can be an attempt to relieve the discomfort, look into the supplements available, linseed is supposed to be good as it lines the stomach and is helpful for barefoot horses, there are many options but it can be difficult to find the one that suits the individual horse.
While he is out that is the time to change his diet to one that is barefoot/ ulcer friendly, as he is cribbing less than he was it may be that the ulcers, if he has them, have improved as the cribbing can be an attempt to relieve the discomfort, look into the supplements available, linseed is supposed to be good as it lines the stomach and is helpful for barefoot horses, there are many options but it can be difficult to find the one that suits the individual horse.