kayleighnic
New User
I know there's a lot of threads on here about ulcers at the minute but I'm at my wits end with my boy and am hoping someone will have some ideas that I haven't already thought of! This is gunna be a long thread as want to explain his full background so bear with me!!
Approx 8 weeks ago I started noticing my gelding kicking out whilst being girthed up, had saddle checked (no major issues) then other symptoms started to appear: off his hard feed, wind sucking on the fence in field very occasionally and he had very loose poos. Vet called and agreed he should be scoped for ulcers. Just got to explain at this stage that he is the least stereotypical ulcer prone horse you could imagine, he's ultra laid back, he's one I have to try and keep weight off rather than get it on, he gets fed no cereals at all, just chop and a gp supplement, and ad lib haylage/hay at all times (I'm very particular about all my horses not being left without roughage at any time!)
Anyway, vet scoped and found a few very very minor not even grade 1 ulcers, we discussed the fact that he may be suffering from some kind of hind gut discomfort/ colonic ulcers instead. Plan was to put him on a course of gastroguard and see if the symptoms persisted or stopped, as vet wanted to eliminate the very minor ulcers being the source of discomfort. We also tested his poo for infections such as salmonella etc but everything was clear.
After a four week course of gastroguard, all the symptoms had completely cleared, vet re scoped to find a perfectly healthy stomach, no signs of ulcers whatsoever, as the gastroguard would have helped any colonic ulcers too, we decided to see what happened when off the gastroguard, if the symptoms returned we could 90% assume we were dealing with colonic ulcers, so reduced dose of gastroguard for 8 days to 1/4 of a tube a day. After about 5 days I start to see slight return of symptoms, started kicking out again when being tacked up, by 10 days after the clear scope I called vet as I stood and watched him windsuck continually while turned out.
Rescoped 14 days after the clear scope and found huge ulcers, this time mainly top end of grade 2 some
Nastier grade 3 ones, I'm devestated. Now on a 8 week course of gastroguard and 3 weeks antibiotics.
We're at a complete loss as to what's caused them, knowing they've appeared in just 14 days and 8 days of that was on a reduced dose of gastroguard. In those 14 days there's been no causes of stress for him. No change in routine, we've been to two shows but he always travels well, and does his job so happily when we're there. They're also always given hay on the lorry both travelling and while we're at a show, he's also been absolutely fine when ridden. I'm heartbroken that there's obviously something going on that's stressing him out and I don't know what it is!!!! If anyone has any ideas at all is be very greatful, my main concern is that the gastroguard is always going to clear he ulcers but unless we find he cause theyre always going to return as soon as he's off it!
Thankyou for taking the time to read as I know it's very long winded!
Approx 8 weeks ago I started noticing my gelding kicking out whilst being girthed up, had saddle checked (no major issues) then other symptoms started to appear: off his hard feed, wind sucking on the fence in field very occasionally and he had very loose poos. Vet called and agreed he should be scoped for ulcers. Just got to explain at this stage that he is the least stereotypical ulcer prone horse you could imagine, he's ultra laid back, he's one I have to try and keep weight off rather than get it on, he gets fed no cereals at all, just chop and a gp supplement, and ad lib haylage/hay at all times (I'm very particular about all my horses not being left without roughage at any time!)
Anyway, vet scoped and found a few very very minor not even grade 1 ulcers, we discussed the fact that he may be suffering from some kind of hind gut discomfort/ colonic ulcers instead. Plan was to put him on a course of gastroguard and see if the symptoms persisted or stopped, as vet wanted to eliminate the very minor ulcers being the source of discomfort. We also tested his poo for infections such as salmonella etc but everything was clear.
After a four week course of gastroguard, all the symptoms had completely cleared, vet re scoped to find a perfectly healthy stomach, no signs of ulcers whatsoever, as the gastroguard would have helped any colonic ulcers too, we decided to see what happened when off the gastroguard, if the symptoms returned we could 90% assume we were dealing with colonic ulcers, so reduced dose of gastroguard for 8 days to 1/4 of a tube a day. After about 5 days I start to see slight return of symptoms, started kicking out again when being tacked up, by 10 days after the clear scope I called vet as I stood and watched him windsuck continually while turned out.
Rescoped 14 days after the clear scope and found huge ulcers, this time mainly top end of grade 2 some
Nastier grade 3 ones, I'm devestated. Now on a 8 week course of gastroguard and 3 weeks antibiotics.
We're at a complete loss as to what's caused them, knowing they've appeared in just 14 days and 8 days of that was on a reduced dose of gastroguard. In those 14 days there's been no causes of stress for him. No change in routine, we've been to two shows but he always travels well, and does his job so happily when we're there. They're also always given hay on the lorry both travelling and while we're at a show, he's also been absolutely fine when ridden. I'm heartbroken that there's obviously something going on that's stressing him out and I don't know what it is!!!! If anyone has any ideas at all is be very greatful, my main concern is that the gastroguard is always going to clear he ulcers but unless we find he cause theyre always going to return as soon as he's off it!
Thankyou for taking the time to read as I know it's very long winded!
