Trying to diagnose a Gastric Ulcer with..

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alinni1336

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Hi - So my vet can't scoop my horse and I don't have the funds to pay for those expensive ulcers supplements for horses. So I need to "test" for the ulcers and wanted to treat my horse for a month with Ranitidine or Omeprazole ( you tell me which one to use ) and see if I see any improvements! If I see major improvements I think it is safe to say it's a ulcer.

Which one should I use after that as a treatment? and what is the daily dosage?

Thanks:):)
 
alinni1336 said:
Hi - So my vet can't scoop my horse and I don't have the funds to pay for those expensive ulcers supplements for horses. So I need to "test" for the ulcers and wanted to treat my horse for a month with Ranitidine or Omeprazole ( you tell me which one to use ) and see if I see any improvements! If I see major improvements I think it is safe to say it's a ulcer.

Which one should I use after that as a treatment? and what is the daily dosage?

Thanks:):)
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The succeed faecal test is £25 and tests for hind gut and gastric ulcers so might be worth trying first?
 
Why can't your vet scope your horse? Have you any idea how painful ulcers are for horses? In my opinion it's no less important to scope for ulcers (if possible) than to scan a tendon injury.

Edited.. in answer to your question ranitidine is cheaper but you have to really bulk by it if getting the human version and I do believe it has to be given ridiculously regularly to have the same effect as omeprazole but I may be wrong. Omeprazole is around 27 pounds a day.
 
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If you can't afford ulcer treatment, then the best treatment for ulcers is turning them out 24/7 and making adjustments to work methods etc. to minimise further damage.
Note that the people who make the Succeed test do not claim it is going to detect all cases and recommend that it is used as only one of the diagnostic tests to use. Even if you have a positive test, you will still need to follow up with treatment which may be expensive depending on the extent and type of ulcers involved.
I don't want to be rude, and I know that people's circumstances can change without warning, but consider whether you can actually afford the horse though if something else goes wrong e.g. a stitch up needing a general anaesthetic, or even a straightforward colic that responds to drugs but is after hours can end up costing quite a lot; while there are many conditions that are expensive to treat if you don't have insurance.
Good luck
 
wkiwi said:
If you can't afford ulcer treatment, then the best treatment for ulcers is turning them out 24/7 and making adjustments to work methods etc. to minimise further damage.
Note that the people who make the Succeed test do not claim it is going to detect all cases and recommend that it is used as only one of the diagnostic tests to use. Even if you have a positive test, you will still need to follow up with treatment which may be expensive depending on the extent and type of ulcers involved.
I don't want to be rude, and I know that people's circumstances can change without warning, but consider whether you can actually afford the horse though if something else goes wrong e.g. a stitch up needing a general anaesthetic, or even a straightforward colic that responds to drugs but is after hours can end up costing quite a lot; while there are many conditions that are expensive to treat if you don't have insurance.
Good luck
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First of all the vet in our town does not have the technology to do a scope. Second of all yes I can afford emergency care for my horse. I even have a savings account for things like colic surgery if it's ever needed. I just feel ulcer treatment is unnessarcy expensive and heard some success stories when people used generic omeprazole and wanted to know more. So thank you very much for your concern.
 
I take it that you are not in the UK? Depending on which country you are in you may be able to get Omeprazole via the internet, as different countries have different controls on drugs. You can Google it. It does sound like you have consulted the vet already, if he/she is not able to scope could they not help you access the treatment? What do they suggest?

If it were me and the technology was not there I would put onto a ulcer friendly diet, as in ad lib hay, that is low in pesticides, no hard feed if it is not necessary, turn out in company and avoid stress. There are other supplements, such as Rite Trac that do go in feed and provide some relief. That is expensive though. I would also avoid riding until symptoms improve.

I also think poo picking twice daily means less need to worm, a worm count/blood test could mean you need to put less strain on the guts by avoiding unnecessary worming.

Other anecdotal remedies include Aloe Vera, Slippery Elm, and many others.
 
A friend of mine has previously ordered ulcer treatments from the USA. Can't remember the name for the life of me, but it was a fraction of the price and she gave it with the approval of her vet. Could be worth exploring.
 
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