Ulcers - supplements - etc etc etc

irish_only

irish_only

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I know this has been done to death, and I've read just about every post on the forum regarding this. I also have Dr Kerry Ridgeways article about ulcers.
Lots of questions -
1 - How much has everyone paid for a scoping?
2 - which products did you find actually worked
3 - if natural remedies worked, what amounts did you use
4 - If a second scope showed that ulcers had gone, did you get a re-occurrence
5 - If I can't sort this out with my horse, do you think I should shoot myself?

Thanking you all in anticipation,

Suicidal
 
I am interested too, and to see how many people have felt like banging their head against a brick wall.
The two main supplements that seem to be the most effective are gastro guard and gastro plus, both of which are very pricey.
 
My ex racehorse has symptoms, so I scoped. Took me a while though, tried fad products, none of which made any difference. If you want to fix them you need to allow them to heal first which is where the Gastroguard (or similar) comes in, this contains Omeprezole which stops acid production and allows healing. Wish I'd scoped months before, best think I ever did.

Scoping cost about £300 (not sure as it all went on insurance). She was then given the Omeprezole as had 2/3 grade ulcers (gastric). A faecal blood tests revealed very high levels of hind gut ulcers too which we're treated with a supplement called Equitop Pronutrin which contains lecithin. Her hard feed was also changed to Dengie Healthy Tummy

After 4 weeks she was rescoped and all clear. Hind gut also came back negative.

When I first contacted my vet and asked for her to be scoped he said "if you think she has ulcers, she probably does" meaning go with your gut feeling, excuse the pun!
 
Thank you RP for your reply. I am convinced she has ulcers, and now they can't fit her in for at least 2 weeks for a scope and have suggested starting her on treatment anyway as if she improves after 7 days then we have the answer, so am going down that route. I have also been advised to use a probiotic so will do. We are already on an ulcer diet, and she has to stay out at the moment because she won't eat sufficient hay if stabled. All I can do now is wait and see if she feels better. Again many thanks.
 
Mine is on Peptizole which is just another 'Gastroguard' type product but made by a different company. I couldn't believe how quickly I saw a difference in her, even after the first day she seemed to have changed.

She was a stressy horse in the stable, put that down to being irritable because of the ulcers and low and behold, she's much more chilled out now
 
My boys ulcers re appeared, I was wracking my brains as to what I could do. He is very comfortable now.
So, I used GG, after this I put him on protein acid ease, I am now using feedmark ulcer calm, don't knowif iit's doing much but I was looking through ingredients that apparently help.
I changed his feed to top spec, due to the cost I now feed Saracens as it's cheaper and his condition hasn't changed. I use the essential balancer £21.50, re-leave £12. I also give him global herbs restore liver tonic every couple of months, I really rate this, done wonders for his general health. Also Alfa a molasses free chaff and when he's stables Alfa pellets and ad lib hay.
I have moved yards since the treatment and gave him a maintenance week dose of GG, he also lives out the majority of the time which helps. Yes I it now but in winter he will be in over night, he will go out at 7 and in at 7.
In America you c an get granules which I've been advised by my vet work but legally aren't registered over here. They are online.
 
I have an new box of peptizole (same as gastrogaurd) and a syringe of gastrogaurd, if this would be of help to anyone using daily as a preventative dose and insurance has run out to cover the costs!!

I no longer have the pony, so this is going to waste - PM me for more info if anyone is interested. Also have a tub of feedmark settlex, which I found worked really well for my pony with ulcers.
 
Very briefly!

Scoped for ulcers + prescribed gastroguard
Gastroguard made no improvement to behaviour but ulcers disappeared
Behaviour / condition worsened
Diagnosed severe hindgut ulcers/acidosis/lack of bacteria
Prescribed equishure - saw immediate improvement
Went onto herbal treatment programme + introduction of bacteria
Improvements continued
Programme finished, horse better than he was but still not right.
Awaiting results of latest poo test - will do a Ted update once we have these!
 
See my post in Veterinary. It's not an easy or straightforward journey as very horse is different.

It's also a case of costs unfortunately as the omeprazole is hugely expensive. My horse has now been scoped four times and the insurance money is gone but we are actually no further forward.

He's now just started on Gastro Plus and three days in I can already see a difference. Not counting any chickens yet though as we've been here before. It seems to be a long process so set yourself mentally for it to rumble on. Sorry!
 
Tamski said:
See my post in Veterinary. It's not an easy or straightforward journey as very horse is different.

It's also a case of costs unfortunately as the omeprazole is hugely expensive. My horse has now been scoped four times and the insurance money is gone but we are actually no further forward.

He's now just started on Gastro Plus and three days in I can already see a difference. Not counting any chickens yet though as we've been here before. It seems to be a long process so set yourself mentally for it to rumble on. Sorry!
Click to expand...

Cheers for that, will go and look at your post.
 
Just wanted to say I have started to gradually introduce mine to Aloe Vera juice, NAf Gastri aid mixed into some Dengie Healthy Tummy. I will update with results if anyone would be interested?
 
irish_only said:
I know this has been done to death, and I've read just about every post on the forum regarding this. I also have Dr Kerry Ridgeways article about ulcers.
Lots of questions -
1 - How much has everyone paid for a scoping?
2 - which products did you find actually worked
3 - if natural remedies worked, what amounts did you use
4 - If a second scope showed that ulcers had gone, did you get a re-occurrence
5 - If I can't sort this out with my horse, do you think I should shoot myself?

Thanking you all in anticipation,

Suicidal
Click to expand...


1 - £100 for initial scope, then about £200 after that
2- Horse had grade 3 ulcers. Used peptizole (omeprazole) for 1 month and ulcers were mainly gone but horse remained poor condition/poor appetite so continued peptizole at 1/4 dose for a further 2 months. Another repeat scope showed ulcers totally gone.
3/4 - Moved horse onto a gastric supplement called eky gard (pre biotics/probiotics, antacids, lecithin etc etc) and scoped again a month later and no re occurrence. I do however still give 1/4 dose of peptizole at stressful times (competitions/stabling away etc just to be sure)
5- Dont give up ,you will get there. I was despairing as my horse seemed to show no improvement on treatment initially even once ulcers werent visible on the scope. But we got there in the end with the prolonged low dose and the results have really been worth it, he is such a different horse.

Good luck
 
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