Your Vet will be able to recommend an appropriate treatment regime depending on the type and severity of ulcers diagnosed.
Prevention and management As previously highlighted, our modern day horses are kept very differently to their ancestors, but there are plenty of ways that we can improve their mental and physical wellbeing in this respect, even with limited turnout. The mainstay of feeding should always be to ensure a high level of fibre in the diet. This can be from a combination of grass, hay and fibre-based hard feed. It is useful to feed a low-sugar, high-fibre chaff prior to exercise to soak up any free acid which may splash around the stomach. Half a Stubbs scoop of chaff fed 20 minutes prior to exercise is appropriate for most horses. Those who get bored in the stable can be entertained by treat balls containing high-fibre nuts, and hiding healthy treats such as sliced carrot through the bed can encourage natural foraging behaviour. Bringing horses in / turning out at the same time as their mates can also be surprisingly effective at reducing stress and the incidence of gastric ulceration. Some horses and ponies will also respond well to magnesium- based calming supplements. Recent research explored the relevance of workload, and it has been proven that certain types of ulcers are more common in horses who were rarely given days off- so it may be beneficial to consider 2 or 3 days rest every week for those that are ulcer-prone.
Veterinary practices. Feed is withheld so that the stomach empties and the whole area can be fully assessed. The horse is given light sedation and the gastroscope (a 3 metre long flexible camera) is passed up one of the nostrils to the back of the throat where it is then swallowed and passed down the length of the oesophagus (“food pipe”) into the stomach. All areas of the stomach are then carefully assessed, looking for ulceration and other abnormalities. Certain conditions may require small samples of the stomach lining to be taken for analysis, which can be done at the same time as gastroscopy. Once the procedure has been completed, the gastroscope is carefully removed, and when the sedation has worn off the horse can be fed as normal.
Treatment of EGUS
Treatment of equine gastric ulceration is highly dependant on the type of ulceration and the area affected, for example ulcers on the non-glandular part of the stomach respond to slightly different medication to those affecting the glandular portion.
The main aims for treatment of ulcers are; • To provide a physical protective barrier over the affected areas
Normal glandular area
• Reduce the volume of stomach acid.
Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome Discounted Gastroscopy Clinics - early 2020 held at Spring Paddocks Clinic, CV47 2QX.
“The professional care your horse deserves”
Summary Gastric ulcers can affect any type, breed and age of horse or pony. The onset can be gradual or can be triggered by a stressful event such as moving yards, or loss of an equine companion. Symptoms are highly varied, and any change in behaviour should be investigated. Gastroscopy is well tolerated by the vast majority of horses and gives a definite diagnosis if significant gastric ulceration is present. Most ulcers respond fairly quickly to the correct medication and management changes.
Thankfully awareness of Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome is better than ever, which means fewer horses and ponies suffer ongoing undiagnosed pain and discomfort from this condition.
01926 612937 24 hour service
www.springpaddocksequine.co.uk clinic@springpaddocksequine.co.uk
Monday 27th January & Monday 3rd February 2020 Gastroscopy (including all sedation) is only £100 on our discounted clinic day, saving £100!
Please telephone to book your place: 01926 612937 (a deposit will be required upon booking)
Severe glandular ulceration Bot worm larvae seen on gastroscopy Please mention Central Horse News What’s On when responding to advertisements THE WINTER SPECIAL 2019 19
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