ulcers - helicobacter

[PuddingandElla]

Has anyone had a horse that has been diagnosed with ulcers caused by the bacteria helcobacter?
My mare is being treated at the moment and the vet took a biopsey today and it shows they are caused by this bacteria.
It can be treated by apparrently it is very rare that it is caused by a bacteria.
But the antibiotic is apparently quite dangerous too - i have to decided weather to treat her or carry on as we are at the moment.
Anyone have any experince of this???

 

[jemima]

No direct experience, no. But from the little I do know you might want to look at manuka honey as a treatment.

 

[Scarlett1980]

I know a really good feed that can be used for horses with ulcers but I've no idea if it would help yours. It is apparently formulated by vets and scientists and has been scientifically proven.

A friend of mine is useing it and he syas it's worked wonders. It's all natural so would be safer than a drug. Perhaps you can get your vet to look at the website? www.winergy.com

 

[mandyl]

hi not sure if horses can get it but ive just had the test for it and if ive got it the treatment is 2 lots of antibiotics

 

[PuddingandElla]

Hi - thanks. The vets says less than 5% of horses have to this type apparently an antibiotic can treat it but can cause fatal diorrea. I have to make the decision to treat or not. The alternative is carry on with gastrogard but a number of months.....

 

[jemima]

I still reckon it might be worth you researching the manuka honey yourself if it means avoiding either treating the symptoms permanently or giving a risky treatment.

 

[PuddingandElla]

I will have a look thanks - i'll give anything a try!

 

[Llwyncwn]

My mare had this 9 years ago as a result of an injection of Fynadine which can cause ulcers, and developed peritonitis too. The vets really didnt have a clue and told me to increase her hard feed (wrong), and prescribed Cemetidine (80 tablets per day crushed and drenched), 1 ltr Gaviscon, pro-biotics and antibios. She was colicing on average 3 times a day.
After some time I took her off the drugs, fed only best hay, Hi Fi and veg oil. The local health food shop were a great help and we put her on Cava-Cava, Valerian and Slippery Elm. She improved immediately. Spillers have some very good information sheets regarding ulcers, feeding etc.
Hope this helps.

 

[GreedyGuts]

Helicobacter has been cultured from horses with ulcers but there is no evidence that it causes them. The best treatment by far is Gastroguard, although this is quite expensive.

 

[PuddingandElla]

She has been on gastogard for the last two months. My vet says there is not enough reseach to prove that causes them but he has done a lot of work on the reseacrch programmes and believes it is a casue. The problems with gastrogard, as far as i am aware and i am no way near a expert is that it will keep everything at bay but it is not a cure - is this right?
You are right about it being expensive - about £800 a month at the moment!

 

[vripley]

Hi. Sorry you are having these probs. Helicobacter pylori is a def cause of gastric ulcers in humans (the bug breaks down the protective gel lining of stomach, which stops it from digesting itsself, so the acid can than burn 'holes' in the stomach lining = ulcers) so don't see why this can't happen in horses. (esp if a biopsy has revealed infection with this bug). In humans you get treated for 1 week with a strong antiacid drug (called a PPI- which is what is now used, it used to be cimetidine in people, too) and two types of antibiotic and this usually sorts the problem although reinfection can occur. Humans too can get terrible, dangerous diarrhoea (called pseudomembranous colitis) after LONGterm use with broadspectrum antibiotics, but this in turn is treated with another antibiotic. H. pylori is usually quite easy to treat with a short sharp blast of ABX in humans. (I am however used to treating people, NOT animals and found it really interesting that horses can get h.pylori, too!) I think the most important thing is to find a vet you trust and respect and then go with what they say. Good luck!

 

[derricks]

Hi Helen

Did you get my email ????

Sam

 

[PuddingandElla]

no - just sent you a tex. Will ring you in the morning. The saga continues!