Does My Horse Have Ulcers?

11/21/2018

You cannot know how many times I have asked myself this question. Other than just being a ridiculously sensitive snowflake (that's the first time I've ever used that word in this context, but it's true for Izzy), there didn't seem to be a more plausible explanation for his um ... theatrics.

Never mind that Izzy demonstrates NONE of the signs commonly associated with ulcers. According to Doctors Foster and Smith, signs of gastric ulcers in adult horses include:

Poor appetite
Weight loss and poor body condition
Poor hair coat
Mild colic
Mental dullness or attitude changes
Poor performance
Lying down more than normal

No, nope, never, not in this lifetime, negatory, maybe once in a while, and really - no.

Internet photo

The big brown horse is either Mr. McDreamy or a complete jackass. In his defense, the jackassery portion of his behavior rarely crops up anymore. Not that Mr. McDreamy is a daily occurrence either, but I am seeing more and more of that horse. So when Izzy started wigging out two weeks ago, I called the chiropractor like normal. Except that didn't solve everything.

I had run out of theories. This horse lacks for absolutely nothing. He gets the best hay we can find, there's copious amounts of it, and he lives on nearly a quarter of an acre. In desperation, I started researching equine ulcers and treatment.

Another internet photo

What I found is that there is only one FDA approved medication for the treatment of existing ulcers. Sold under the brand name of GastroGard, the medication is called omeprazole. GastroGard is generally prescribed for 30 days at the cost of around $32.00 a dose/tube. The only way to actually diagnose equine ulcers is through the use of an endoscopic examination. Otherwise you're just guessing.

To prevent equine ulcers, the exact same omeprazole is administered but at one quarter the dose of GastroGard. The product, also manufactured by Merial, is sold under the band name UlcerGard. GastroGard must be prescribed by a veterinarian as it is used for the treatment of ulcers. Since UlcerGard is used to prevent ulcers, it does not need a prescription. The tubes are identical, but the dosage is different. If giving GastoGard, you administer the entire tube. If giving UlcerGard, you give only one-quarter of the tube a day. A tube of UlcerGard generally costs the same as a tube of GastroGard.

Even though I doubted that Izzy had an ulcer, I decided to treat him with UlcerGard to see if it made any kind of a difference. I used it for four consecutive days. I also bought a second tube with the plan to use one dose each week for a month. I looked at it like giving him a Tums. My stomach gets "ulcery" at times but a few Tums over a couple of days generally gets me feeling back to normal.

Did it help? I don't know. At the same time that I administered the four days of UlcerGard, I also worked the snot out of him. After looking at every possible factor, I realized that his jackassery started when we moved the clocks back an hour. I think that the change in my schedule - coming out at what felt like an hour later, combined with less saddle time, simply rocked Izzy's little world.

I am still going to give the once-a-week dose over the next month, and I am considering adding a tube of UlcerGard to his routine when I know a change is coming. As a side note, both of my boys are on Platinum Performance Equine which contains Calcium, Magnesium, and Thiamine, the same ingredients found in many over the counter ulcer supplements. If those ingredients were going to "fix" anything, you would have thought it would have already happened.

Overall, the best "therapy" for this horse comes free of charge: exercise in the form of lunging on a line and free lunging. When he's tired, he remembers who I am, and his brain re-engages.

Who doesn't love "free?"

Nicole

11/21/2018 07:12:07 am

We had a Morgan who was prone to them. We put him on Stomach Soother, a papaya based product. It helped him.

Bakersfield Dressage link

11/21/2018 10:35:45 am

What symptoms led you to try the Stomach Soother, and how did you know it was working?

Sean link

11/21/2018 09:26:53 am

I'll start with a disclaimer, I am not a vet or a nutritionist. I do however have a degree in Animal Science, have decades of experience working with vets and nutritionists in some of the top dressage facilities in the country, and have spent a fair amount of time studying things related to equine nutrition.

So, all that being said, I would personally caution against the use of omeprazole or any other proton-pump inhibiting drug as an ulcer preventative regimen. It absolutely does have its place in the treatment of ulcers, and quite effectively so. However, several studies have shown that long term use may actually have detrimental effects on the gastric system as a whole.

While some of those studies were too small to draw definitive conclusions, they did provide enough evidence to warrant more large scale studies. They included results such as decreasing bone density, slowing down digestion, and altering hind gut microbe populations. I would encourage you to look into some of that.

As for the minerals in the platinum, you're correct in that those are related to stomach acid buffering properties and are in many gastric and overall wellness care supplements, including the ones I carry. They are an important component. They don't go much farther than that though. The other piece of that puzzle to really see the benefits are things like pre- and probiotics, and other ingredients designed to actually support a healthy gastric system front to back.

As a side note, while no proper study has been done, I was talking to an equine internal medicine specialist that I know about ulcers. They said that just in casual conversations with other colleagues, it was observed that horses with two consecutive days off from training seemed to have a lower occurrence of pyloric ulcers. Again, these were just casual observations from vets and by no means a proper study, but it's still interesting to note anyway, and may warrant a proper study one day.

P.S. sorry I wrote a novel in your comments. :)

11/21/2018 10:51:09 am

Sean, you are welcome to share any time, no matter the length of the comment. And, if you happen to stop back by, you are also welcome to leave your barn name as a resource for other riders. You'd be surprised how many people read this blog - I know I am! :0)

Your comment made many excellent points. My background starts with a lifetime of caring for my own horses both at home and in "low service" boarding situations. I like to know every tiny thing that they ingest, secrete, and step on.

Using UlcerGard on a long term basis isn't on my agenda, nor would my budget allow it. I like to do research, and I am always interested in trying out things that might make my horses healthier, and as a result, happier. I don't think my horses have ulcers, but they can demonstrate anxiety. That brings me to another thought: why is it assumed that anxious horses have ulcers?

I have high energy, intelligent horses that crave activity and interaction. It's a bit of a double edged sword though. I love that personality type, but I do work full time and find it difficult to play with them EVER SINGLE DAY. :0)

Drifting from the topic is this last thought: I was an endurance rider for more than 15 years, and I never once thought my horses had ulcers. And if any discipline can cause a horse to be anxious, it's endurance. Those horses travel long miles in the trailer, and then work their butts off the next day. The day after that, they might run again (if the race is a multi-day), or they might stand in the trailer for another long ride home.

One season, my mare did three 100 mile races, four days of back to back 50s in Death Valley, and then a few other 50 mile races throughout the year. She didn't get treated for ulcers.

I say all of this to suggest that ulcer medication for horses might be a bit of a fad. I hate to jump on the fad bandwagon, but sometimes we feel compelled to try something only to not be accused of not doing our very best.

That was all a very long winded way of thanking you for sharing your own thoughts. Your advice is always welcome. :0)

Chris Kaznowski

11/21/2018 02:08:00 pm

Also, there is a Purina product called Outlast that a lot of endurance people are having good luck using, reporting that it improves attitude and performance. Not using it ourselves as we are no longer competing.

Shirley

11/21/2018 02:34:44 pm

Agreeeeed, Sean!!!!
I must add that my own experience with the product Ulc-R-Aid has been sooo good, I'm afraid to take my mare off!
She wasn't a great eater, but adequate, and ither than that, showed no symptoms on the first list.
HOWEVER, she was prone to all manner of nervous reaction and behavior patterns that completely ruined our relationship! 🤣
She may NOT have ulcers... I was throwing a Hail Mary pass and praying for a receiver! Fact is, within a week, she was eating like a starving Ethiopian, calm, less reactive (as in OVER reactive), no longer grinding her teeth on my pipe, digging holes to China or pounding my barrel feeder into submission if let it run "dry"....

Marlane link

11/21/2018 02:44:31 pm

I use probiotics available for horses bought from the feedstore. When ever I have a horse with diarrhea, or who is chewing wood or eating other horses droppings, I give it to them and it seems to help .

Karen

11/21/2018 04:54:44 pm

So I have a complete over achiever type horse, always needs to try, second guess, over do, you name it. He is a recipe for an ulcer. He shows no outward signs, other than girthiness and will kick at your hand on his ab area. I have finally learned that he is just not happy when I don't keep him on the omeprazole. I would absolutely disagree to not give a PPI. Why would you not make your horse a rideable, comfortable animal? Because of inconclusive studies? Horses don't compete for that long, they can withstand a decade of PPI's if need be. I have also started giving Equishure for hind gut ulcers, because my horse sometimes looks short on the right hind and that is a common sign. He has had every flexion, block, x-ray, chiropractic, bute, etc. to no avail. I figure if he has them in his stomach, he has them in his hind gut. He gives me all he can, so I figure I must do the same for him. You can get abprazole for much cheaper than Gastroguard, and it has always made just as big a difference.

Sarah link

11/27/2018 09:48:22 am

My mare has always had an appetite (seriously, girl inhales food/grain/treats) and has never been listless, or dull. She is however incredibly grumpy tacking up, prone to flight, was weaned early, and is on limited turnout....

I do have her on a Omega HorseShine, yea-sacc, and a amino acid supplement as those ingredients are main ingredients in Succeed which is designed to help with hindgut ulcers. So maybe now I need to look at stomach ulcer assistance as well. HORSES! WHY? WHY? WHY?!

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