Thoughts On Horse Ulcers

[Maesfen]

In here because more people see it.

I went to an 'Ulcer Evening' last night with a friend which was very interesting. There were four vets there who actually scoped two horses for us to see, the Baileys' nutritionist and the person from the company that produces Gastroguard which is an ulcer treatment, probably the most widely known and used too.

One of the points that came up was that 100% of racehorses have ulcers; they are the biggest culprits if you like.

Our thoughts were that with 100% of racehorses having ulcers - then every winner must have an ulcer - so does this mean that ulcers do NOT affect horses as much as we think or are led to believe. Surely horses would not carry on running let alone winning if this hurt them? Are we being panicked into action by the drug companies?

Your thoughts please.

 

[Serenity087]

Somewhere between 25-40% of dairy cows in the UK are lame, but they still make milk. Hobbling on 3 legs apparently doesn't stop milk production, so does that make it okay? Are we being scared into giving a damn about lame cows?

Just because you can't see an affect on performance does not mean you should intentionally ignore a health and welfare issue in an animal.

As it happens, lameness does affect milk production, but the cost of treatment isn't offset by the improvements. I think you'll find ulcers do affect racers, but it won't show until someone trains a winner without one.

 

[ihatework]

How do they know 100% of racehorses have ulcers? Are you seriously saying that every racehorse in training has been scoped and has ulcers?

I'm not doubting the figure is high but 100% .....

Ulcers are also graded into different catagories, the lesser severe I am sure will not hinder horses so much in their training. The more severe might well do. Just think how good an average horse winning an average race might have been?

 

[Gingerwitch]

Its cause and effect basically - we take grazing animals - stick em in a stable 23 hours a day feed them high protein energy food by the bucket load - want them lean so lay off on the rougage and hey presto a horse with ulcers.... race horse, polo horse, show jumper, dressage or even your little fat pony.

The ulcers are created by the gastric jucies in the stomach and if they have nothing to work on then they work on the stomach lining.

 

[Nari]

The other thing to consider is the effect ulcers have on behaviour. Now this may not be of particular concern in racing but for the owner of a leisure horse it can be a big issue. My lad has been much calmer & far more predictable since his ulcers were treated & it's made both our lives easier.

 

[joeanne]

I think Gingerwitch has hit it bang on the head.
Horses have evolved to be grazing animals, spending most of the day achieving the amount of fibrous intake needed to stay healthy.
When you remove the ability to graze, and substitute with cereal based feeds and hay/haylage, the horse can no longer regulate its own need to feed. The stomach produces gastric juices, which when having nothing to break down, turns on the horses own stomach lining.
I wonder how many horses that live out 24/7 would come back with ulcers?

 

[Angelbones]

Sorry but I disagree, I don't believe it is 100% of racehorses. I've had some scoped recently - due to my hunter' behaviour and performance having deteriorated. None of the 3 National Hunt horses I had scoped had any ulcers at all, but my boy did have. He is now on Gastroguard and the difference in his behaviour and willingness to work is quite dramatic.

I think the key is - not all horses have them (and there is more than one type), not all that do have them will suffer a pain / discomfort reaction to make them an issue at all, not all horses that do have ulcers need the drug treatment (a change in husbandry for some will do the trick) and that if you scope enough horses you will find enough that have ulcers to say that 'most' do have them and therefore need drugs. Not all horses with ulcers will get the desired results from taking the prescribed drugs - they don't work for all. Some owners will always plump for the drugs, and some just can't afford it - and there are products on the market which will make a significant difference that are not the 'be all and end all' drugs.

Yes we can all be sitting targets for the drug companies, especially those of us with unanswered questions about our horse's performance / behaviour / condition, and in many ways the fact that so many of us are insured to the hilt with our horses only plays into their hands.