What Are Gastric Ulcers?
Gastric Ulcers occur when acid produced by the stomach begins to erode the stomach’s lining.
What Signs Should You Look For?
Behavioral issues and decreased performance are the most common outward signs.
However, if your horse begins acting differently, this isn’t an automatic diagnosis. It could just be a behavioral issue.
Premier Equine has a 3 meter scope that can be guided into the stomach to accurately diagnose your horse. If your veterinarian has a 1 meter scope, understand this is used for respiratory issues and cannot be used to see the stomach.
1 in 3 Horses Suffer from Gastric Ulcers
These ulcers are very common in foals. They are under a lot of stress and their stomachs are changing which requires more acid.
It is also very common in show horses who are usually eating a high grain diet which means not much saliva is being made. Less saliva means less calcium is produced, a mineral your horse needs to counteract acid build up.
Treatment & Prevention
Treatment is available, but can be quite expensive. Talk with your equine veterinarian and have a 3-meter scope performed before you begin paying for treatment.
The best prevention method will be different for each horse. This could mean a diet change, adding supplements to their meal or medication.
Talk with your veterinarian first to determine the best preventative action based on your horse’s overall demeanor, body type and stress level.
If you think your horse may have gastric ulcers, have them scoped for free on July 14! Learn more about this gastroscopy and nutrition seminar.
