General musing - Can ulcers heal on their own?

[The wife]

A general musing regarding ulcers and healing.

I should probably know the answer to this but with excellent management ie) Low sugar, low starch, high fibre, high oil diet with ad-lib fibre and plenty of turnout can they 'heal' on their own?.

 

[Red-1]

I am not a vet, but IMO it would depend on the cause. I believe many ulcers are caused through pain as well as stress and unhelpful management. So, if the pain is un-diagnosed and therefore not treated then I don't think they would heal.

That would also fit with the fact that many horses are successfully treated, scope clear, then have the issue again shortly afterwards.

Personal opinion only.

 

[The wife]

I am not a vet, but IMO it would depend on the cause. I believe many ulcers are caused through pain as well as stress and unhelpful management. So, if the pain is un-diagnosed and therefore not treated then I don't think they would heal.

That would also fit with the fact that many horses are successfully treated, scope clear, then have the issue again shortly afterwards.

Personal opinion only.

And this is what I believe has happened to one of ours. Treated for ulcers, a delay of 3 weeks between scoping and finishing the course. About a week after completed ulcer treatment started headshaking. Scoped and new ulcers, including grade 3's formed. This particular horse had the BEST management prior to this. Turned out 24/7 on good but not rich grazing.

I actually ask this question as my own horse has come back from competition livery a changed horse. Before he was exceptionally hot, spooky, stressy (so much so that he reared over backwards on the yard just from being tied up) and inattentive. He does still windsuck at feed times only but has had great management while he was away - plenty of night time turnout and lots and lots of fibre. He has had no ulcer supplements during this period of time away and just wondered if it was possible his ulcers have gone because of it.

 

[be positive]

I agree with Red1 they will heal but unless you can treat the cause they will probably come back at some point, if the cause is poor management then if that can change completely they can heal, I went to a talk by a vet that, I think, said 12 months turned away 24/7 would allow full recovery but that if the horse was put under stress again they would still come back, if the stress or trigger can be removed then they may remain clear but even a short lorry journey can be enough to stress the horse and set them off again.

 

[The wife]

And I guess this is where management again comes into it ie) lining the stomach prior to travelling and ensuring everything is kept as stress free as possible for the animal. Very interesting reading...

Thanks for the replies

 

[YorksG]

We think that sisters draught mare had low grade ulcers when she got here (not scoped so not deffinitive). She was not happy in previous home, fed a high cereal diet and did not have everyday turn out. She was grumpy and girthy, plus most of her tack didn't fit and she was obese. We fed forage based diet, supplemented with aloe vera juice, turned out as much as possible and we now have a much reduced, happier mare who is no longer girthy or grumpy.