Hind gut acidosis

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peaceandquiet1

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Looking for recommendations please feed/supplements etc.for the above. Pony is being scoped for gastric ulcers but assuming hind gut may be involved solely or additonally.

Pony currently has ad lib hay, free access to field, fed on micronised linseed and top spec ulsakind cubes and just started on Baileys ease and excell. Also started on NAF Oestress as a just in case.

She has lost weight and has had behavioural problems which may point to ulcers etc.

Thank you for any advice! Pony being rested.
 
I use Equishure, i have never had my lad tested for HGA but he had pretty nasty stomach ulcers so popped him on Equishure at the same time as the peptizole, he's back on a maintenance dose now while the grass changes. For £40 i think it's worth a try!
 
I've also used Equishure, but currently I'm having good results using Thunderbrooks herbal gut restore. I stopped using it for a week, noticed a big differences (girth = teeth aimed at me!), so its gone back in. Just feeding at maintenance dose so not too expensive.

BTW - Topspec ulsakind made mine worse. In fact when she was really bad I went right back to basics of just grass and soaked hay and then gradually introduced one feed at a time for a week to see what the problem was. She can tolerate kwik beet and copra - but neither in large amounts. Luckily mine is a very good doer because otherwise I think I'd be struggling!
 
SEL - I spoke with the Thunderbrooks people at Equifest and was interested in the gut restore, how long does the bag last if you don't mind me asking?

I ditched the ulsakind cubes too, I didn't see any real difference and he doesn't need the extra calories. Heard good things about ease and excel as well as saracen releve if your pony needs condition.
 
I will avoid the ulsa kind and continue with the ease and excell. Am looking at Succeed, Gut restore, Equishure, Gastroplus, Coligone, Protexin Acid ease, Gastro Pro, Saracen releve, Keyflow Pink mash........but which? Was going to put her on haylage but gather that will just up the acidity.
 
I guess it depends on what you want it to do - from my understanding there are a couple that are more specifically for hindgut (like equishure) and more for stomach (like acid ease) so you would go off that, some of the feeds have bits of the supplement in like healthy tummy has protexin formula in so if you fed the recommended amount you wouldn't necessarily need to feed a supplement alongside. I feed my lad readymash fibre as it has a low sugar/starch combo. He is a good doer so only gets 250g for both feeds, just enough to hide the supplements! He gets 100g of linseed and some salt, as well as the NAF gut balancer (couldn't get hold of the protexin one). I feed haylage, my vet doesn't believe it really makes a difference, I suppose it depends on the haylage but ours is very dry and hay like!

I think the key thing about ulcers is finding the underlying reason why. If you have good management (low sugar/starch cereal free feed, access to forage before exercise, stress free environment as possible etc) then usually there is a secondary reason to them ie pain elsewhere.

I scoped before treatment as we had no idea what was wrong with Toby last year and we found awful ulcers! Popped him on 4 weeks of Peptizole and rescoped and he was clear. I have popped him on a week's worth of syringes if I felt some of the symptoms had come back and we are due our final scope before the insurance runs out in a couple of weeks!

I personally think if you are insured/have the money and it won't stress the pony too much, I would do a scope, it's the only way you will know for sure whether that it what you are dealing with. Ulcers have to be treated with the omeprazole medication first and then you can use any of the above feeds/supplements to maintain good gut health.

I hope this helps a bit, might not be 100% accurate in places, I am just going off my own knowledge and research having dealt with them. Join the Equine Gastric Ulcer FB page, some good info on there :)
 
emfen1305 said:
SEL - I spoke with the Thunderbrooks people at Equifest and was interested in the gut restore, how long does the bag last if you don't mind me asking?

I ditched the ulsakind cubes too, I didn't see any real difference and he doesn't need the extra calories. Heard good things about ease and excel as well as saracen releve if your pony needs condition.
Click to expand...

I got the bag shortly after Shiloh's proper relapse which was 8 weeks ago and I reckon there's another 4 weeks worth in there. I'm just feeding 1 scoop a day rather than full dose. I haven't seen a cow pat for weeks so if she reverts back when this bag is finished I'll get more.
 
I have 1, poss 2, with HGA and heres the things I have found over the last few years....

Grass needs to be limited. My horses lose weight on spring grass instead of putting it on.
Equishure is the only thing actually shown to restore hind gut PH, it made a big difference to mine. However long term HGA can cause irritation/ulceration of the hind gut that will also need to be treated. I used Ranitidine as it's easy to get and cheap.
Anything with sugar beet or alfalfa are a HUGE no for my horses. They get irritated on it within just a couple of feeds.
Mine do well on Keyflow feeds, esp Pink Mash.
If you do go down the road of scoping have the hind gut scanned at the same time, this can detect any thickening of the hind gut wall that will indicate irritation/ulcers.
 
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