Long term support for ulcer horses

[alsxx]

My Tb was diagnosed with grade 4 squamous and glandular ulcers, and duodenal gastritis. He scoped almost clear at 1 month, but with persistent gastritis so had a further 6 weeks gastroguard plus 4 weeks antibiotics. He then had two weeks off the GG and was rescoped. He was clear everywhere, apart from two ulcers that had reappeared - 1 squamous and 1 glandular..... Sigh :-(

He's now on another month of GG at full dose, to be followed by a further month at quarter to dose (to treat, and then prevent). My vet feels it is likely though that he will need to stay on a preventative otherwise they will just come back.

Diet wise, vet couldn't be happier with it and doesn't feel there is much more I can do to keep them at bay. He raced for five years so likely he had them a long time so I don't know whether that makes him more susceptible.

My question though, does anyone have experience of managing a horse like this? What do you keep them on to prevent reccurance? I read somewhere about omeprazol granules you could buy from the US so not sure if that would be a more economical variation to the gastroguard!!

I only have tea, and cheese and cucumber sarnies to offer...!

 

[Poorlypony]

I am in a similar situation - horse scoped clear today following pyloric ulcers.

I asked my vet about the US granules. He says they are ineffective because (forgive the lack of science) while people absorb omeprazole straight into their stomachs horses do not. It has to travel through their stomach into their blood stream and the acid destroys it on the way. For this reason it needs a carrying agent to make it work - this why gastroguard is the only really effective drug and they hold the patent which is why it is so expensive.

He said he thinks the feed additives are much of a much. One made by boehringer (forgotten name) has been tested most extensively and is good but is very expensive.

I am also interested in what other people feed.

 

[Holidays_are_coming]

I use the granules from America and they do work they are coated to protect Tge ompeprazole from the stomach acid, mines were bad and they kept coming back but since she has been on one packet of ompeprazole a day we have had no problems at all!!

 

[Boysy]

Just as a note, Omeprazole is GastroGard. And Omeprazole is indeed coated so it gets to the right place, the only ulcers they won't treat and nor will Gastrogard is hind gut ulcers.

 

[Holidays_are_coming]

The Ompeprazole I use is not GG its from Abler online!

 

[Holidays_are_coming]

I am in a similar situation - horse scoped clear today following pyloric ulcers.

I asked my vet about the US granules. He says they are ineffective because (forgive the lack of science) while people absorb omeprazole straight into their stomachs horses do not. It has to travel through their stomach into their blood stream and the acid destroys it on the way. For this reason it needs a carrying agent to make it work - this why gastroguard is the only really effective drug and they hold the patent which is why it is so expensive.

He said he thinks the feed additives are much of a much. One made by boehringer (forgotten name) has been tested most extensively and is good but is very expensive.

I am also interested in what other people feed.

Ompeprazole still has to be coated for humans too, its exactley the same concept the difference is we can swallow tablets whole so the whole tablet can be coated however horses would chew the tablet and damage the coating so small granuals need to be coated so they get to the stomach intact.

The one made by BI is called pronutrin, its also not very palatable and Im not convinced it works

 

[YasandCrystal]

I think with ulcers you need to find the root cause and eliminate it as far as possible.
If you have a stressy horse then deal with the stress - can it be turned out 24/7? does it need a companion? are you ensuring it has access to fibrous forage at all times?

My WB had ulcers, the root cause of these was chronic pain and stress due to the chronic pain. I have addressed these through his diagnosis and rehab of the dysfunction causing the pain, using pain meds interim and 24/7 turnout to enable him access at all times to forage and as natural a lifestyle as I can offer him.
This maybe not ideal for everyone, but don't be scared to give a calmer regularly to a stressy horse to keep it calm. i also used RelaxMe by First Horse for months for my WB. Now he is on a sugar and cereal free diet - lives out 24/7 - I use micronized linseed to maintain his weight in winter and good quality hay and a general supplement, nothing else. And I also regularly used aromatherapy oils - lavender, camomile, geranium for theor calming effects.

 

[micramadam]

My warm blood mare was diagnosed with Ulcers earlier this year. She was given gastroguard for the first month and then scoped again. Ulcers were gone or almost healed.
To try and prevent them we have been following a herbal routine. 1 week in 4we add Chamomile flowers and Slippery Elm Bark Powder to her hard food. She is only fed hay (absolutley no haylage) with the occasional slab of straw and when in the stable has a constant supply available.
6 months on and there has been no colicing (symptom of the ulcers). Time will tell if this is the best long term management for her but so far so good.

The Chamomile flowers calm the bowel and the Slippery Elm provides a coating, The Chamomile flowers also have the added effect of calming a stressful horse - stress can be a cause of ulcers.

I have also read that Liquorice is supposed to do wonders for the digestive system. Haven't tried it but would be interested to hear if anyone else has.

 

[SpottedCat]

My horse had exactly the same as yours, only the glandular ones were caused by bacterial infection and needed antibiotics to clear them. I now feed Ulcer Calm by feedmark and haven't had a problem since.

 

[fruity]

My old anglo arab was on Gastro Guard when diagnosed and has since been on Global Herbs Acid x http://www.globalherbs.co.uk/equine/acid-x.html
and has had no problems at all

 

[VioletStripe]

From what I've heard, fibre and lots of it! Have also heard of people feeding aloe Vera and slippery elm to keep them at bay and also treat them, it apparently creates a barrier for the acid in a way? Have a search on here and I'm sure someone can explain it at better than I can

 

[VioletStripe]

Oops, am on phone. I meant someone can explain it far better than I can.

 

[alsxx]

I think with ulcers you need to find the root cause and eliminate it as far as possible.
If you have a stressy horse then deal with the stress - can it be turned out 24/7? does it need a companion? are you ensuring it has access to fibrous forage at all times?

My WB had ulcers, the root cause of these was chronic pain and stress due to the chronic pain. I have addressed these through his diagnosis and rehab of the dysfunction causing the pain, using pain meds interim and 24/7 turnout to enable him access at all times to forage and as natural a lifestyle as I can offer him.
This maybe not ideal for everyone, but don't be scared to give a calmer regularly to a stressy horse to keep it calm. i also used RelaxMe by First Horse for months for my WB. Now he is on a sugar and cereal free diet - lives out 24/7 - I use micronized linseed to maintain his weight in winter and good quality hay and a general supplement, nothing else. And I also regularly used aromatherapy oils - lavender, camomile, geranium for theor calming effects.

This is something I've been really pondering - the cause - he's likely had them since his racing days, certainly in vets opinion; he's always been a stress-head - but since they have largely gone he is much much better - he's definitely not stressing any more and is a much altered personality for the better!.

But, he's had some lameness issues this year - he's just been diagnosed with bone spavin, which has been treated, plus a niggly problem on the other hind that we don't yet know the cause - we are treating one thing at a time (Vets advise) and currently bringing back in to work to see if the other problem flairs up again - if it does we'll be going down the bone scanning route. I have asked whether discomfort from leg issues could be the underlying cause/stress - vet told me to stop looking for reasonings!!

Diet wise, he has a high fibre, low suger diet - fast fibre, speedibeet, micronised linseed, vitamin supplement, brewers yeast and corn oil plus good quality hay. Currently he's on 24/7 turnout, although certainly not lush grazing, with a companion, and some sheep - my vets opinion is there is not much more I can improve on, and since they have come back, presumeably, whilst he was off the GG for the 2 weeks, she thinks he is going to need to be maintained on a low dose to keep them away. Which will obviously be very expensive when the insurance runs out. Hence why I was wondering about the effectiveness of the granules or anything else as a maybe cheaper alternative.

I'm tempted to try him on boswellia - for the hock, but also as I read somewhere it is soothing on the gut and effective in cases of gastritis - I'm wondering if an improvement in comfort levels may lessen what could be his stressor. I'm just a bit nervous about trying him on this now since we are waiting to see if he breaks again, and obviously don't want to mask anything!!

 

[Prince33Sp4rkle]

the omeprazole granules have worked wonders for my sharp nappy ex racer who is now a dressage horse.

he is down to 1 sachet a day now and will shortly be maintained on feed mark ulcer calm with the omeprazole the day before, day of, and day after, a show only.

they have made a HUGE diff to his life and when your insurance runs out i would reccomend you try them.

 

[YasandCrystal]

OP it sounds certainly like you have done and are doing everything for your boy. I think if you carry on being vigilant you will be ok with getting to any problems before they get big. Ex racers like you say often have ulcers from their old lifestyle and feeding regime which once addressed may never come back.

I do hate that when vets say stop looking for reasons - that is why I really value using a holistic vet at times, because they really want to pin down a cause and will not simply just treat the symptoms. Luckily my regular vet was very disappointed/surprised at the low grade ulcers my horse had on scoping and she instantly knew that there was more to his aggressive behaviour than those could cause and that the ulcers were a symptom of something else. She was right he had chronic Sacro illiac dysfunction. My regular vet referred him to a holistic vet though who is an osteopath and mobilised his sacrum. Made a huge difference to him

 

[MinxGTi]

I looked into Ompeprazole ages ago for my boy, but never went through with it as I thought it was illegal to import it?
Am I wrong?

 

[Prince33Sp4rkle]

been many an argument on here, but in reality as long as you arent buying to re sell i doubt customs are too bothered.....ive not ever had a packet stopped and neither has anyone i know who buys it that way.

 

[MinxGTi]

been many an argument on here, but in reality as long as you arent buying to re sell i doubt customs are too bothered.....ive not ever had a packet stopped and neither has anyone i know who buys it that way.

Thank you which company are you sourcing yours from? I'm going to brave it :lol:

 

[Holidays_are_coming]

It's called abler if u google it will come up