Non-Responding Ulcers

[MrStinky]

Does anyone have any experience of horses with ulcers that have not responded to standard ulcer treatment? My 5yr old TB was scoped in the summer and diagnosed with ulcers (grade 2) he was given a month supply of gastroguard and was to be re-scoped in 28 days, at the end of this period the ulcers were still there, now grade 3. he was then prescribed a course of anti-biotics along with another 28 days of Gastroguard and was scoped again at 3 weeks. this then showed that all ulcers had gone. I have made the usual diet management changes including moving him to a new yard where he is much more settled and chilled out. He had another scope last week to see how he was doing after the treatment had finished and the ulcers have returned as bad as ever. The vet has now told me there is nothing else we can do for him except keep him on Gastro-guard for the rest of his life as the ulcers are too severe for him to manage without it. Has anyone experienced this - got any new ideas we haven't already tried?

 

[SpottedCat]

Can I ask who your vet is please? PM if you prefer.

I have managed to successfully keep ulcers (which also needed antibiotics and also recurred) at bay using Settlex by feedmark coupled with Protexin acidease/prosoothe (same product, different names) before I ride.

I have also been using some herbal mixes from silverliningherbs.com to sort out my horse's persistent diarrhea from the doxycyline, though whether they would help for ulcers or not I couldn't say.

I have heard good things about Succeed, though I have never used it myself - but I know an advanced event rider who swears by it for his top horse.

 

[trick123]

i could pm you with a feeding regime we have if you like for a horse with ulcers

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

I'd also look closely at his management to see if something in that doesn't agree with him. Then - if he was mine - I'd put him on a lifetime maintenance dosage of Coligone, the peppermint powder rather than teh aniseed liquid. It's truly amazing stuff and works out at a reasonable cost too.

 

[banners]

Succeed!! Can't beat it in my opinion!!

 

[dressagecrazy]

Im very much in the same boat as the OP. However my horse only needed 28 days of Gastrogard & has been on a maintenance dose ever since. He will be on this for life.

I didnt make any changes or changes in routine at all as mine are kept at home & all are fed a Fibre only diet with no added mollasses in there diet.
Plus they are Turned out every day, unless it's very bad rain as the fields flood.
My horse had Ulcers before i bought him, however they where left un-treated for 3 years. This was due to the fact no Vet thought he could possibly have Ulcers. The only symptom he showed was scouring.
It was only when the Re-current Colic started i was taken seriously.

I also feed Protexins Acid Ease in every feed now & give a handful before work or travel & it does work.

 

[BSloper]

I have resolved a severe problem in a 6yo TB gelding who was destined for meat as he had become unmanageable.

He was very irritable when he came to me and could not bear to be touched or groomed, lashing out at every attempt. He also constantly swished his tail, stamped his feet and looked colicky at times - looking around at his tummy and kicking at it. On top of all that he could not stop crib biting for more than a couple of minutes. When ridden he was alternately "stubborn" and grouchy - refusing to go and then getting stressy.

I was convinced he had a bad tummy and the only reason I could think of was ulcers.

Unfortunately, my vet did not have the necessary 3m scope to confirm this so, in addition to cutting out all cereal based hard feed I administered my husband's ulcer tablets Lansoprazole at 120mg per day. Within 48 hrs he (the horse, not my husband!) became an angel and within 5 days was out hunting and behaved perfectly for the first time in about 2 years. He stayed on that dosage for three weeks and then two weeks at half dosage then discontinued. He was fine for over a month, but after I tried to slowly re-introduce some mix to his feed last week the symptoms began to recur. My (new) vet agreed that the drugs I had given before were the most effective (he is on them himself so knows and agrees with my husband that they are more effective than omeprazole which is what is in Gastrogard) and on resuming the dose (and cutting out the hard feed completely) he returned to normal within 12 hours. Amazing!!!

Lansoprazole is not licensed for use in horses, but your vet can write a private prescription which you can take to your chemist. 80 tablets (4 weeks supply) cost me £23.99 so a lot cheaper than omeprazole. The maintenance dose from week 5 would be half that, so long term the cost is less than £3 per week.

I am also rigourously following all management recommendations ... several small double netted haynets and rocksalt lick to promote salivation which buffers the stomach acid which causes ulcers. Also only feed (we are working hard including jumping, flatwork and roadwork, about one hour daily preparing to event) alfalfa (Alfa-A) which is proved to reduce stomach acid and additional oil to ensure no digestion occurs in the stomach. I was worried he would lose condition, but Alfa has more protein than most conditioning mixes and the oil provides the calories needed for hard work. I was also told to mix some Tesco natural yoghurt in his feed which works as a probiotic. This regime works well for us and has saved me a fortune - not only the £1000 per month my vet says Gastrogard would cost, but also savings on feeding cereal based mixes and expensive supplements.

A wonderful indicator of his condition are the dapples in his clipped bay coat and the fact that his crib-biting has reduced by 90% within days.

Lansoprazole is a proton pump inhibitor similar to Omeprazole (the active ingredient in Gastrogard). It is best (and cheapest) to buy the capsules rather than the tablets. My horse takes them happily every morning pushed into holes made in an apple. He will even take them off my hand if one drops out as they are tasteless and do not break open in the mouth. If they made the capsules mint flavoured it would be even easier!!!

Well worth a go if you suspect ulcers are causing your horse discomfort. I will certainly make sure these capsules are always in my medicine cupboard!