Ulcer treatment & how long it should take for symptoms to settle

[olop]

My boy was diagnosed with grade 4 gastric ulcers 2 weeks ago. He has been on the gatstroguard for a full 2 weeks and I have not seen any improvement in his symptoms (he presented with being very irritable to touch from the girth area backwards) and he wouldn't let me groom him.

As I say he has been on the gastroguard for 2 weeks and there is still no change in his behaviour, I can pick his feet out but he will not let me touch or groom him

Have any of yours had ulcers, how long did it take for you to notice a difference? Maybe I'm being a bit premature!

 

[Tangaroo]

It partly depends which part of the stomach the ulcers are. Glandular ulcers are harder to get rid of than squamous ones. Horses differ in how they react to treatment. My boy gets a bit better tempered after a fortnight of treatment but he hasnt improved much and hes had ulcers for 10 months now. They are actually worse now than they were when we first found them.
The problem is finding out why they have got them and we are not finding that easy.

 

[olop]

Thanks for replying

What symptoms has yours got if you don't mind me asking? Really hoping I don't have 10 months of it

Do you think yours will ever go away then? I was going to ring the vet Monday and get some advice but I think I'm being a bit too eager!!

 

[Tangaroo]

My boy gets grumpy and sometimes quite aggressive, girthy and generally not wanting attention or to be touched sometimes. He wont go forward with a rider on. He has had nearly every test available including , back xray, full bone scan, bute trials, chiro, physio, osteo, Bowen, full lameness work up, blood tests etc etc to try and find out what the cause is.
The last specialist to scope him seems to think if we can find the cause the ulcers will get better.
I would give it a bit longer before ringing the vet, but also, make sure you eventually reduce the gastrogard very slowly. Dont just stop giving it as all the symptoms will come back.

 

[Michen]

Unless they are caused by management it's likely they are secondary to pain and therefore probably won't go unless you find the source.

If it's management then make sure he is NEVER without forage, gets as much turnout as possible, feed a scoop of chaff before you ride, cut out all sugary feeds. In fact whilst he's undergoing treatment I would be tempted to not ride and feed forage only just incase its something feed related that's not helping. Gastroguard will not cure ulcers unless you manage him correctly with it.

It took three months of gastroguard for my horse to scope clear.

 

[olop]

Unfortunately I think it was management that caused them. He was stood around in bare paddocks for for a few weeks and then suddenly changed to haylage which I think caused it.

He now has unlimited hay, 4 hours turnout a day in well covered paddocks and I've never fed him a sugary diet to an intolerance.

He was actually a little better today and only tail swishing at me rather than full on kicking out so I'm hoping that is an improvement.

Vet says he definitely isn't lame and his back and teeth are regularly checked. He is actually completely fine to ride, he wants to work which is odd in ulcers as you usually lose the performance but he is actually going better!