Need help: Ulcers

[ThreeWBs]

I have a 6yo WB gelding that I *suspect* has ulcers of some type.

His symptoms are:
- Not massively interested in his feed when he’s in the barn, but is relatively happy to eat it in his field. He’ll often take a bite and walk away, then circle back and eat more. Occasionally does the phlegm response, but hasn’t been seen to do it in a while. He’s a bit of a pig, so the lack of enthusiasm to eat is odd, although he hasn’t lost condition.

- For the last 1.5 months he’s been on somewhat of a high alert status. Lots of staring and looking round for things that aren’t there, with the addition of spooking too. For such a mellow, chilled horse, this is very concerning.

- On some hacks, he’s behind the leg and can be nappy and spooky for no reason. He’s usually very good to hack and is always forward and happy. He is bad 1 of 3 rides.

- Doesn’t eat a lot of haylage overnight if stabled, but will eat it in the field.

- Runs over to me in the field, but turns away (doesn’t run off) when he sees his headcollar. Fine to lead in and be tied up.

- Not girthy and doesn’t care about the saddle, but if I prod round his girth area behind his elbow, he turns round to look at me.

- He’s had 1 month on Acid Ease and it’s not made a difference.

- He is still happy to run and buck around his field and never shows any aggression towards me or the other horses.

He is turned out 24/7 on good grass with additional haylage for forage. He has 2 feeds a day of balancer, molasses-free hi-fi, salt, hoof mender and sometimes a fibre mash. He only comes in at night if the weather is particularly stormy.

He is a chilled, happy-chappy, who has a pretty stress-free lifestyle, but his behaviour, as mild as it is, is very worrying.

My vet does not have the ability to scope, so I have ordered some Abler AbPrazole Plus to treat him for 1.5 months.

I have not had a horse with ulcers before, but does this sound like I’m doing the right thing? Does it sound like ulcers?

I hate to see him like this.

 

[ThreeWBs]

Sorry for the essay - I tried to include everything!

 

[be positive]

It could be ulcers but unlikely they are the primary issue, in my experience it is more likely he has low grade pain somewhere that is the main cause of his change in behaviour or that he is not comfortable with the herd dynamics, one of mine was similar when he was top horse and his companion never gave him time to relax it was very subtle but a change of grouping soon enabled him to rest properly.

I would have the vet give a basic workup to see if there is anything going on physically.

 

[Smogul]

You need to get investigations done rather than pointlessly treating for ulcers. My pony showed similar symptoms and it turned out to be a condition similar to IBS in humans which required treatment with steroids.

 

[Melody Grey]

Echo what others have said in needing a lameness work up to determine what else is going on. If it is ulcers, they are usually (read almost always) linked to significant pain elsewhere. In terms of ascertaining whether there are ulcers if you can’t scope, Abprazole May work. Back in the day we used to use Gaviscon over about three days- usually you’ll see a small improvement. It won’t cure ulcers, but may calm the inflammation enough to notice a difference?

 

[Goldenstar]

He needs a lameness work up

 

[ThreeWBs]

He did see the physio yesterday. She’s kept her horse with him for 5 years and knows him well. She watched him walk and trot up with nothing to report apart from how straight he is. He had a bit of tightness in his loins and poll, but nothing out of the ordinary.

We do not have an equine vet here, so getting them to see anything past a sound horse is difficult.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

My friend suspected ulcers with a new pony and she put her on the Ron Fields supplement and it made a huge difference, you can ring them and they will advise you what to use and feed they are very good. Sorry wanted to add the pony was on opramazole at the same time for the first month but continued with the supplement for a while longer.

 

[Tiddlypom]

We do not have an equine vet here, so getting them to see anything past a sound horse is difficult.

Are you in the UK?

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Reading back again when you say spooky and reactive is this hacking or schooling,? And how reactive is it a spook and run or just a look, his 6 and that can sometimes be a bit of a tantrum stage a bit like a teenager so it could just be that and the fact it's a bit colder.

One of my horses much prefers to be out he will often not eat as much in his stable leave a net yet if I tie the same net outside he will eat it, I think it's sometimes nervous energy and them just feeling happier to be out.

 

[Melody Grey]

Is he warm enough?

 

[Keira 8888]

Has he been drinking the same amount as normal? My horse was walking to his water a lot and then just playing with it rather than drinking. He had many of the issues you describe above (he had ulcers) but like everyone says, there could be other reasons for all this. It’s just so hard isn’t it. Could you find another vet who could scope? It may give you peace of mind to do this. Good luck! X

 

[ThreeWBs]

Are you in the UK?

I am, but on an outer island!

 

[ThreeWBs]

Reading back again when you say spooky and reactive is this hacking or schooling,? And how reactive is it a spook and run or just a look, his 6 and that can sometimes be a bit of a tantrum stage a bit like a teenager so it could just be that and the fact it's a bit colder.

One of my horses much prefers to be out he will often not eat as much in his stable leave a net yet if I tie the same net outside he will eat it, I think it's sometimes nervous energy and them just feeling happier to be out.

Both really, and sometimes when he’s just in the tied up too, although nowhere near as much.

When hacking, he’s mainly behind the leg, and trying to look back towards home. He is spooking at silly thing and being way overdramatic where he tried to spin and run off. If turned back towards it, he has big snorts and his ears are up my nose and it takes a while to get him past. This is a sharp contrast to the usual dope on a rope hack I usually have. He loves hacking and is very confident out on his own. It doesn’t feel like a temper tantrum, more like he’s telling me something.

He’s definitely happier out, but used to be quite happy to come in and chill.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

If it's a changed behaviour and management has not changed I would look into it further, it could be a pain response as in ulcers or something else is there not an equine hospital you could take him to for a lack of performance work up? This is what I would do if a horses behaviour had changed and I had no idea why after doing all the teeth, back physio checks.

 

[Tiddlypom]

I am, but on an outer island!

How difficult would it be to transport your horse to a mainland horsepital for a work up? It would be worth it rather than faffing around with a non specialist vet.

 

[Melody Grey]

How difficult would it be to transport your horse to a mainland horsepital for a work up? It would be worth it rather than faffing around with a non specialist vet.

I would second this- a professional transporter would be a good investment, although it depends on where you are with the feasibility of that!
Would there be any value in trying to get a specialist vet from the mainland to take a look/ start to assess remotely (perhaps with help from your physio)? Not ideal I know, but it might start the ball rolling in the right direction?

 

[Alibear]

Is it new haylage? Vet of two years ago said haylage was fine for horses with ulcers but this years vet says its a no as too acidic and I have to admit symptoms got worse after a few days on a new very wet bale. Just a thought.