Spasmodic Colic

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Deano645

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Just after some advice with my mare, she is 17 and I have owned her for 14 of those years, she has been prone to spasmodic colic since she was about 10 years old (maybe twice a year), when she had the last bout the vet suggested that she may have stomach ulcers and if she had another bout maybe we should investigate. There are only a few occasions that I have had to call the vet out, usually I lunge her a bit and it seems to settle. Yesterday she had another mild bout so now I am considering what to do, I hate to see her suffering. She is on a worming programme and always has been since I owned her, her diet consists of Hifi Lite, Spillers Horse & Pony Cubes and Spillers Lite Balancer. A friend has suggested I try Pink Powder so I have got some today to try. She is in at night and has haylage which is of good quality, in the day she is out on approx. 2 acres of grazing which is well maintained. I am going to call our vet on Monday to see what to do but wondered if anyone has any advice on her diet which may help? I wondered if perhaps she could be sugar intolerant. I can't give her hay as she gets a dreadful cough with it even if it's steamed or soaked and of the best quality. Her weight is fine and her coat is in good condition, she does have a bad back occasionally which was checked out by both a vet and her chiropractor but again nothing major found, and I read this can be a symptom of ulcers.
 
Yes, calling my vet on Monday and asking them to do just that. She was a lot brighter today, but she obviously has a poorly tum :(
 
I think you're right to go down the scoping route if the vet suspects ulcers.

Diet wise I'd maybe swap the horse & pony cubes for high fibre cubes, and ideally feed them soaked. From personal experience I find that alfalfa can upset my horse that gets ulcers, but there isn't much in HiFi & that may just be him.

GastroGuard is the drug of choice for gastric ulcers, but it's expensive. If you aren't insured then you may like to know that my vet says there's now research out saying a half dose is as effective in treating as a full dose. My lad also has problems further back & I've found EquiShure to be a fantastic product for him. A syringe of Gaviscon or Coligone liquid often gives relief if he's starting to look uncomfortable.
 
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