MAY 2014 THE RIDER /53


WHAT’S UP DOC From the desk of Dr. Laura Frost


HALTON EQUINE VETERINARY SERVICES


What is EGUS - Stomach (gastric) ulcers in horses? Trauma from prolonged


exposure to stomach acid splashing onto the upper portion of the stomach can lead to ero- sions or ulcers of the stomach lining. The horse’s stomach is composed of two areas, the lower portion or glandular part which secretes hydrochloric acid and the the upper portion or non-glandular. These two areas are separated by a line called the margo plicatus and it is along this line on the nonglandular portion where we find most of the ulcers. Ulcers can lead to varying levels of discomfort in any given patient and can pre- vent horses from performing to the best of their ability. Jumpers may be reluctant to stretch out over a jump resulting in pulled rails or refusals and race horses may not stretch to allow their stride length to increase, there- fore not increasing their speed. In more rare cases, chronic inflammation/trauma to the equine stomach can develop into growths and tumors such as squamous cell carcinoma, a form of stomach cancer with a high mortality rate.


Why does this happen? There are several factors


that can contribute to the devel- opment of ulcers in the equine stomach with the primary being a stressful environment. Horses in heavy training or nervous horses, trailering horses or


Syndrome (EGUS) - Stomach Ulcers Demystified


extensive travel can all con- tribute to EGUS. Heavy exer- cise will cause the hydrochloric acid from the lower portion of the stomach to splash upwards on the more sensitive area, the non-glandular portion of the stomach, due to contraction of muscles and the physical reposi- tioning of the stomach due to exercise. Horses fed a low amount of hay/pasture or higher amounts of concentrate are also at a greater risk for EGUS because we are interfering with the way nature intended the horse to eat. In their natural state, horses typically eat forage continually throughout the day, keeping their stomach protected with food and saliva. Prolonged treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) and other medications may also contribute to EGUS. Foals that are sick or are in a stressful environment are likely to devel-


op EGUS and are often prophy- lactically placed on ulcer medi- cation due to their susceptibility when they are hospitalized or being treated on the farm for health problems.


How do I know if my horse is suffering from EGUS? The only was to confirm


your horse has EGUS is through endoscopy of the stomach. This involves fasting your horse for 12 hours usually the night before the examination so that the stomach is empty enabling the veterinarian to view the lin- ing clearly. The patient is usual- ly sedated to reduce anxiety and a twitch is applied to the upper lip prior to placing an endo- scope into the nostril. The endo- scope is a long tube, often up to 3.5 metres in length with a cam- era at the end. The endoscope travels to the back of the throat and is passed into the esophagus


down the neck region before it enters the stomach. The severity of any ulceration is graded from 0 to 4 and repeat examinations with endoscopy can be used to evaluate the response to treat- ment and future prognosis. There is no definitive blood test at this time to diagnose EGUS. Interestingly, many people believe that horses with EGUS are more likely to have a poor hair coat, are underweight and are generally poor doers. In my experience, there is no way to predict if a horse may have EGUS by simply looking at the patient, however there is a strong correlation between poor performance in either sport horses or racing horses and EGUS. Horses with chronic low grade colic should have EGUS ruled out as a possible cause of the horse’s discomfort. There is a trend in veterinary medicine to simply place a horse on ulcer medication to see the response, but the treatment may be expen- sive and often exceeds the cost of the endoscopic exam.


My horse has EGUS….. Now what? Taking a horse out of train-


ing or hard work and turning out on pasture will often heal most ulcers


in a couple of


months,however, the horse is likely to redevelop ulcers when work is resumed. More com- monly, horses are started on a medication called omeprazole, a medication that is given orally


on a daily basis. Many people mistakenly believe this drug coats the stomach when in fact it is absorbed through the small intestine and heals the ulcers by acting as a proton pump inhibitor; an action that reduces the amount of stomach acid pro- duced. Gastrogard™ is the only


with the medical treatment of EGUS, we need to look at the overall management of the equine athlete. We should strive to offer as much turnout as pos- sible and feed a diet high in for- age using concentrates to help maintain an ideal muscle mass. Horses have bicarbonate in their


Equine Gastric Ulcer


omeprazole drug that is licensed for use in horses in Canada and although it is more costly than the compounded versions, it has the best effect due to the stabili- ty of the drug in its patented form. Other ways of reducing the clinical signs of stomach ulcers include using H2 block- ers such as cimetidine or raniti- dine but generally have less of an effect than omeprazole. Many supplements are available that claim to reduce gastric ulcers, however, there is little conclusive research to support these claims as of yet. Along


saliva that will neutralize stom- ach acid naturally when the horse is allowed to eat several times per day. Concentrates high in starches are more likely to lead to ulcers when compared to the lower starch diets so care must be taken when choosing a diet for your horse. Once the ulcers have healed, a reduced amount of omeprazole may be used to prevent reoccurrence along with proper stable man- agement.


Pony Up! For Wind Dancer Pony Rescue Foundation


Dancer Pony Rescue, led by Isabel’s mother, Dr. Paula Dupuy, now works towards making Isabel’s dream a reality by helping the unwanted


was established in March of 2011, and is dedicat- ed to the memory of Isabel Dupuy. Isabel was a talented young rider and horse lover who was determined to one day establish a pony rescue on her farm but died at only eleven years of age in an accident. Despite that, she left a strong legacy in her dreams and determination to help ponies and to make the world a better place. The Founding Board of Directors of Wind


By Kelly Bowers The Wind Dancer Pony Rescue Foundation


local businesses from Ancaster and Hamilton to “Pony Up” for a corporate “friend raiser”. It was held Thursday, April 10th at Southcote 53 Tap and Grill in Ancaster to encourage part- nerships with local businesses and to add to the number of m o n t h l y donors


Mohawk College who chose Wind Dancer as their subject for a Marketing assignment. Asked how they did, Dr. Dupuy replies “The Mohawk students visited the Rescue on one of the coldest days of the winter and fell in love with the ponies anyway, so we knew they would work hard to make Pony Up! a success and we were very impressed with the work they did”. They also appreciate the hard work, sup- port and dedication of their many volunteers and for the


Dupuy was the event’s guest speaker. During her speech, she explained that this and future events will help promote Wind Dancer’s work and raise aware- ness about ponies and their wel- fare. This particular event was co-hosted by a group of Public Relations


students from


Wind Dancer. Dr


to Paula


pony both domestic and wild, by educating the public on the wonders of the pony and its care, and by providing a place where the many facets of the equestrian community can come together. Recently, they invited


mascot and inspiration behind the rescue, was there herself to meet and greet new friends of the rescue. I, for one, was the glad recipient of poka dot pony spit. The little Appaloosa mare was resplendent in Wind Dancer colours, pink and blue dots, lovingly applied by volunteer hands. For a few hours in the early evening, guests


sponsorship of Southcote 53 and Peller Estates. An honoured guest, Wind Dancer, the pony


Lee Academy Easter Egg Hunt in Lynden and Pony Palooza in Rockton. This summer will be a busy time for Wind Dancer. They will be taking part in Horse Day on June 7th with demos and a display in the Horse Palace on the Toronto CNE grounds for the OEF event. They can also be


drifted in and out and several members of the media who were invited, happily attended the enjoyable event. There was good food and refreshments, door prizes and lots of great infor- mation and conversation - plus Dr. Paula and her volunteers, of course. Since then, Wind Dancer appeared at the


Dancer Pony Rescue Foundation and ways you can be involved please visit us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/WindDancerPonies


Pony Rescue on Open Barn Days, the first Satur- day of every month. From 9 to 1, you can visit the ponies, see why we love them so much, and maybe meet your new best four legged friend. For more information about the Wind


seen with the pony, Wind Dancer, leading them in the July 1st Canada Day Parade in Lynden, ON. On August 16th, there will be a Vector Charity Horse Show and Dinner at Vector Eques- trian Centre near Freelton, Ontario. Fall’s annual Isabel’s Ride will be held again on Saturday Sept. 27th near St. George. Nov. 15th is a date to save for the second, Peller For Ponies Galla for adult pony-lovers. More details on the website. Both these fall events will raise proceeds for the rescue, some of which can help pay for the three new slow feeders they are saving for. Everyone is invited out to Wind Dancer


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