Gastric Ulcers in Horses
True Understanding of and Managing Gastric Ulcers in Horses: Why Basic Animal Health Gut philosophy can change your horse’s health
Introduction to Gastric Ulcers in Horses
Gastric ulcers in horses are a prevalent health concern, affecting a significant portion of the equine population. These ulcers, which are lesions in the stomach lining, can cause discomfort and impact a horse’s overall health and performance. Understanding the causes, symptoms, and effective management strategies, including the use of Basic Animal Health Gut Health products, is crucial information for horse owners and caretakers.
Causes of Gastric Ulcers in Horses
Gastric ulcers in horses are primarily caused by factors such as:
- Diet: High-grain, low-forage diets can increase stomach acidity. Further, the ingredients in the feed are totally more important that the fact of feeding a concentrate. Have a good look at the first 5-7 ingredients as this is what makes up the majority of the pellet. Then evaluate whether your horse would eat any of it without the sugary taste of molasses or a flavoring. This will help you decide what is most probably best for your horse. Don’t be afraid of alfalfa-based blends but beware of the additional ingredients. It is truly the combinations that can be very troublesome. We will discuss the Insulin Resistance issues in later articles and most of that is directly related to the blend and not a particular item. But always, always, No sugars/No Molasses is best. High protein, Low NSC (Non-Structural Carbohydrates) and High fat. In this regard, be aware of the type of fat. There is a balancing act of Omega 3(Natural Anti-Inflammatory) and Omega 6(Naturally inflammatory) fatty acids. Simple is better by minimizing feeds, increasing fat and a small bit of a ration balancer with plenty of high-quality hay. Please don’t be afraid of Alfalfa. Remember, sugars make a horse hot just like kids on gummy bears. Protein builds muscle and alfalfa is highly digestible. Include a nice simple soft grass/timothy in a hay bag as well for 24 hr hay consumption. This will eliminate most of what is physically causing ulcers so that your Basic Animal Health Gut Health liquid or pellets can easily stabilize and repair any upper GI ulcers. A Pro Performance Pack is the best way to get your horse started to eliminate existing ulcers. Follow the instructions with your order. You may also refer to the Basic Animal Health channel on YouTube for complete explanation and ordering.
- Stress: Stress from training, competition, hauling, environmental changes or any number of issues that would relate to stressor in your horse’s life can contribute to ulcer formation. Carefully managing the above in your horse’s daily routine will stave of many of the stressor issues. Using Basic Animal Health Gut Health tubes days prior to and through events will help the stomach as the product mimics the stomachs protective mucosa. This helps to insulate the stomach lining from the excessive acids that tend to be secreted in times of stress in combination with an empty stomach. Remember that what a horse eats is through its stomach in 25 minutes. Understanding this will help you realize what you might be missing throughout your show day and hauling…. If you think about this carefully, remember those long show days with no chance for your show buddy to eat…… This time can be very detrimental to its health and obviously performance… Again, Gut Health tubes will help your horse in these times to remain comfortable and without inflammatory gastric issues. The Gut Health Gel tubes do so much more for the hind gut and system as well but we will get into that in a later article on Hind Gut.
- Medication: Certain medications, like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), can increase ulcer risk. Oral of course like bute etc but most don’t realize that injectable can cause the same undesirable effects. We need not get into the how and the why here but rest assured, research is prevalent proving this issue. Therefore, again and for the exact same reasons, Basic Animal Health Gut Health Gel tubes are the only answer to aid the horse in maintaining sound Gastric health the protective mucosa mimicking, pH balancing and cell migratory properties unique to this blend. It truly is second to none for gastric Health and as you will find out, for the entire Gastrointestinal system.
Clinical Signs and Diagnosis of Gastric Ulcers in Horses
Symptoms of gastric ulcers in horses include:
- Very cinchy
- Poor appetite and Weight loss
- Dull coat
- Behavioral changes (can literally be day to day)
Absolute diagnosis typically involves a gastroscopy, where a veterinarian uses a camera to visually inspect the stomach lining. There are pressure points that allow the horse to respond as to whether there are gastric issues or not. Please go to the video on the Basic Animal Health channel on YouTube (………) for the opportunity to see it in action. However, understanding that most horses have some type of lesion if left to their own, if appetite is normal, then the ulcer is most likely not the really root of behavioral, dull coat and/or weight loss issues. The challenge is most likely hind gut. The Stomach is literally a pass-through pre-digestion chamber. So much so that most food clears the stomach within 25 minutes of ingestion. This makes the stomach a very easy organ to maintain. Getting beyond the stomach tot eh Intestines and Cecum is the real challenge.
Traditional and Basic Animal Health Gut Health Products for Gastric Ulcer Treatment
Traditional treatments include medications like omeprazole. This treatment, being an H2 inhibitor, simply does one thing. It turns off the proton pump that produces Hydrogen that us used to provide the stomach with its digestive power, Hydrochloric Acid. Turning this off works well as a protocol in acute situations or temporary use but is highly invasive as a long term protocol. As you totally interrupt the traditional function of the stomach, inadvertently there is an overabundance of undigested food passing into the Small intestine and then Cecum creating more issues that can present the same to through the horse to the owners. The entire list of grouchy, grumpy, Cinchy, crabby, ear pinny, tail wringing, teeth grinding, saddle fit issues, etc, are all to often grouped in and treated as Gastric Ulcer. This is where Basic Animal Health started as a true answer to this whole challenge.
Basic Animal Health offers Gut Health products that support the stomach’s natural protective mechanisms and promote healing. The high powered Xtra Strength Gel tube mimics the Stomachs own protective mucosa while managing the acids both in the stomach and Hind Gut. The Gel almost instantly relieves the pain and irritation of an ulcer while providing the necessary elements to adjust the environment and fix the ulcer issue. Basic Animal Health’s GUT HEALTH line of products work together with the horse’s system to reach level of Gastric health unsurpassed and never interrupts the natural function of the stomach. Keep reading this Series as we will pull the parts of this product line together to support WHOLE HORSE HEALTH from the inside out. REMEMBER: Unless your horse has stopped eating, usually the challenge is not Gastric Ulcer but most likely Hind Gut.
Nutritional Considerations for Gastric Ulcer Management
Diet plays a crucial role in managing gastric ulcers. Recommendations include:
- Reducing grain-based feeds
- Feeding smaller, more frequent meals
- 24hr access to high quality forage
- Increased Water intake
- Increase feed through oils
Effective Management Techniques for Gastric Ulcers
Managing stress through regular exercise, ensuring social interaction, and providing ample turnout time are essential. Training routines should be adjusted to reduce stress and prevent exacerbation of ulcers. Feeding times should be regular and again, minimize modern feed concentrate intake.
Prevention of Gastric Ulcers in Horses
Preventive strategies include:
- Stress management
- Dietary adjustments
- Introduce GUT HEALTH Xtra Strength Gel orally 20 min prior to rides for premium performance
- Incorporating Basic Animal Health Gut Health products as a daily preventive measure to maintain gut health.
Conclusion
Managing gastric ulcers in horses requires a comprehensive approach that includes dietary management, stress reduction, and the use of supportive products like those offered by Basic Animal Health. Remember that the grouchy, grumpies, unless they are not eating, Gastric Ulcers are probably not the issue. Gastric Ulcers are way over diagnosed and money is wasted daily in treating an organ that has done nothing wrong. We will how you the true issue, so stay tuned. It’s about to get fun. Through Basic Animal Health, a true understanding of the causes and symptoms, and implementing effective management strategies, horse owners can help their equines lead healthier, more comfortable lives. That is the daily goal and reason for BASIC ANIMAL HEALTH. (wwwbasicanimalhealth.com for more information and to order today)
