Ulcers??

[Hairy Horror]

My horse has started swishing his tail when doing up the girth. I was just wondering if anybody has experienced this with there horse and it turned out to be ulcers. He has no other symptoms at all, no weight loss, he is still forward when being ridden, eating and drinking fine, no face pulling when being groomed or touched under his tummy. What do you guys think?

 

[ameeyal]

Has he started to get a hairey winter coat, one of mine takes a dislike to being girthed when he has a thick coat, then stopps when he looses his coat, i know someone that clipps her horse by the girth area every year, and that stops the face pulling.

 

[Hairy Horror]

Thank you for your reply, to answer your question yes, I did not think of that. He is being clipped next week. I don’t usually let him get as hairy as he is at the moment. I do hope your right. Thanks again.

 

[Tori21]

my horse has developed to running forwards when the saddle is put on and is unhappy at the girth being done. I always fasten the girth very loose in the stable which is where he shows signs of turning threatening to bite and stamping a back foot, when I tighten the girth outside the stable I have none of these problems making me think its behavioural. I have just decided now to have him scoped for piece of mind which is booked in for this week so I should know if ulcers are the cause.

 

[JanetGeorge]

Girthiness is one of the most common signs of hind gut ulcers - although long hair getting pulled will do it too. But if he goes 1/10th lame in right hind and starts bucking or running backwards when mounted, then I'd put money on them as the cause.

 

[bubsqueaks]

We had no girthiness signs at all, other than facial pain expression the first & only sign was broncing - & I mean rodeo! Ours also went 1/10th lame in right hind. Had glandular ulcers which are in a totally different league to squamous ulcers - ours is currently turned away to see where nature takes him.

 

[Tori21]

well just had my results and grade 3 ulcers ! so glad I had it done now as it was something just niggling me.

 

[hopscotch bandit]

well just had my results and grade 3 ulcers ! so glad I had it done now as it was something just niggling me.

So what's the treatment plan can I ask? I suspect my mare has low grade ulcers but the cost of scoping and gastroguard treatment is too prohibitive for me to pursue. She shows no other signs of ulcers other than girthiness now and then.

 

[Tori21]

So what's the treatment plan can I ask? I suspect my mare has low grade ulcers but the cost of scoping and gastroguard treatment is too prohibitive for me to pursue. She shows no other signs of ulcers other than girthiness now and then.

1 month of daily gastroguard, then a rescope to see if the treatment has worked. It will be going through my insurance, but I thought I would rather pay to know properly rather than waste money on different feeds/ supplements that may or may not work. From what I have read the cost of scoping varies massively between vets so may be worth ringing round. Also if treatment is needed then it may be cheaper to get the prescription and then buy online, I will be looking at these in the future once my insurance wont cover and if they come back (fingers crossed they wont!)

 

[Pinkvboots]

well just had my results and grade 3 ulcers ! so glad I had it done now as it was something just niggling me.

Sometimes all you have is a gut instinct and you did the right thing following it

 

[Pinkvboots]

Hope she makes a good recovery.

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

Girthiness is one of the most common signs of hind gut ulcers - although long hair getting pulled will do it too. But if he goes 1/10th lame in right hind and starts bucking or running backwards when mounted, then I'd put money on them as the cause.

My mare nipped me when I did her girth up Sunday. Never has she ever done this before, so out of character. Came up 3/4th's lame back in June on RH flexion test. 2 vets and several physio sessions later we were getting somewhere.

She's had funny mild colic episodes over the past years. Vet been called etc but it's never amounted to anything.

Reading through a post from catembi yesterday (I spent a lot of time reading threads!) it seems her horse suffers these too.

I've spoken to my vet today and she's coming out Fri for 2 of my other ponies so we're going to discuss a course of action. I am leaning towards an ulcer diagnosis. 😦

So frustrating, I've taken my time with her, let her mature, had a setback or two and just when I thought we were sorted.....

 

[JanetGeorge]

My mare nipped me when I did her girth up Sunday. Never has she ever done this before, so out of character. Came up 3/4th's lame back in June on RH flexion test. 2 vets and several physio sessions later we were getting somewhere.

She's had funny mild colic episodes over the past years. Vet been called etc but it's never amounted to anything.

Reading through a post from catembi yesterday (I spent a lot of time reading threads!) it seems her horse suffers these too.

I've spoken to my vet today and she's coming out Fri for 2 of my other ponies so we're going to discuss a course of action. I am leaning towards an ulcer diagnosis. 😦

So frustrating, I've taken my time with her, let her mature, had a setback or two and just when I thought we were sorted.....

Mine didn't show any lameness on a flexion test - only lunged or ridden on a circle. With her, girthiness and cribbing were the first signs we saw. But mild cases of colic could certainly be a sign. Testing for hind gut ulcers just involves testing of dung for blood - certainly worth doing.

 

[Hairy Horror]

Has he started to get a hairey winter coat, one of mine takes a dislike to being girthed when he has a thick coat, then stopps when he looses his coat, i know someone that clipps her horse by the girth area every year, and that stops the face pulling.

Hello, you were absolutely right, he has now been clipped and I have ridden him four times

Has he started to get a hairey winter coat, one of mine takes a dislike to being girthed when he has a thick coat, then stopps when he looses his coat, i know someone that clipps her horse by the girth area every year, and that stops the face pulling.

you were absolutely right, once he was clipped he has not swished his tail once. Thank you.