Equine Ulcers Explained: How They Get Them, How to Treat & Prevent
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- čas přidán 3. 12. 2020
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What are horse ulcers?
Horse ulcers are non-healing sores. These sores can develop outside the body in skin and inside the body in the lining of the stomach and intestines (colon). Ulcers in horses mostly occur in the stomach (gastric ulcers).
The horse stomach is different from the human stomach. The horse stomach has two sections: an upper section lined with squamous cells that does not have a thick mucous coat, and a lower glandular-secreting section that is lined by mucus. Most gastric ulcers occur in the upper non-glandular section because it is not protected by mucus. Mucus is such a good barrier that the lower glandular section of the stomach where hydrochloric acid is produced is well protected. Some horses also have ulcers in the intestine, especially in the first section of the intestine (duodenum) that accepts food directly from the stomach. A few horses have ulcers throughout the intestines (colonic ulcers).
Ulcers affect horses by causing pain and poor performance. Ulcers can be an irritating illness-or they can be fatal if they erode through the stomach or colon and cause bleeding and peritonitis.
Key facts about ulcers in horses
- Between 60-90% of foals and stalled weanlings have ulcers.
- Over 90% of racehorses have ulcers.
- Over 60% of performance horses have ulcers.
Which horses develop ulcers?
According to Dr. Michael Murray in the Equine Veterinary Journal, about 60% of foals and 60% of performance horses have ulcers. Other equine veterinarians believe the number of foals with ulcers reaches 90%. Performance horses include event and dressage horses, and horses transported to trials or shows. Veterinarians who examined the stomachs of racehorses and weanlings confirmed that over 90% of racehorses and over 90% of stalled weanlings have ulcers. Stallions kept in the vicinity of females, including colts kept in the vicinity of their mothers, develop ulcers. Horses housed at home but undergoing training are also prone to ulcers.
It takes about five days for stressed horses to develop ulcers. This includes horses hauled to shows, horses housed in stalls they are unfamiliar with, and horses fed twice a day rather than allowed to graze throughout the day.
4 Key causes of horse ulcers
Several factors contribute to the development of ulcers, including stress, high carbohydrate diets, being fed twice a day instead of grazing, and physical activity:
1. Stress
2. High carbohydrate diets
3. Being fed twice a day rather than grazing
4. Physical activity
Diagnosis of horse ulcers
There is only one way to confirm ulcers and that is to put an endoscope into the stomach and look for them. Most equine veterinarians have 3-6 foot endoscopes to look at the back of a horse's throat (pharynx). Observing the pharynx allows veterinarians to diagnose roaring, displaced soft palate, and bleeding following exercise (exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage). However, an unusually long endoscope-one that extends 6-9 feet-is needed to see into an adult horse's stomach, so not all veterinarians can scope for ulcers. With foals, it's possible to see gastric ulcers with a scope that is only three feet long. If the endoscope is connected to a video, you can see the lining of the stomach just as your veterinarian does.
While some fecal blood tests may suggest ulcers, fecal blood tests can be misleading. For example, horses with worms, such as strongyles, can have blood in the feces but not have ulcers. This is called a false positive test. Horses that have a negative fecal blood test may have ulcers, but the blood leaking from the ulcers may have been digested by bacteria within the gut. This is called a false negative test. Because fecal blood tests can have false positive and false negative results, endoscopy-not fecal blood tests-remains the best way to diagnose horse ulcers.
If ulcers appear to be a problem for several horses in the barn, have the manure cultured for salmonella bacteria. Salmonella can cause ulcers throughout the colon, and horses with salmonella infections need special handling because salmonella bacteria infect people as well as horses and other animals. Many veterinarians recommend probiotics and fluids for horses with salmonella. Antibiotics are ineffective and are not generally used because they can further disrupt the intestinal environment.
If you would like to learn more about how I help horses learn to self-regulate and create endorphins and ease, I offer a step-by-step guide in both my Spirituality of Horsemanship Course and MasteryMembership Program. Please click here for details www.taoofhorsemanship.com
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Wonderful thank you! Can’t wait to listen to the whole thing!
We feed our two horses 4 times a day, plus turn out 24/7. The last feeding is at night around 11pm. They have an easy life. But the younger one is easily stressed while training, so I’ll pay even more attention to relaxation. Thanks.
Thank you Sidilicious! That is great advice!
Thank you Caroline perfect timing!! Just was sensing my horse Duke was having an Ulcer issue. Was also feeling perhaps it was from when he was showing before I owned him. Even though its been awhile it feels like they can get stressed even from the past memory of it. Thank you again I always learn so much from you!! Lots of love to you dear friend
Hi Rahansia! Yes, you are correct. Until the ulcer is healed, and most can't heal, they can be easily aggravated by triggers, stress, etc. Sending love and light to you always my friend!
I know im randomly asking but does someone know a method to get back into an Instagram account?
I somehow forgot my login password. I appreciate any tricks you can give me
Thank you SO much for this video! I highly suspect my 3 year old filly has ulcers, have had a vet out and she is on 'Ulcer Clear' while I research holistic options. I have opinions on weaning too early, and suspect she was weaned early so it's great to hear your insights in this also. The understanding of how they come about is so important.
Hi Sarah and Welcome! You're so welcome, glad I could help!
Excellent ! I agree totally.
Hi Mary Lynn and Welcome! Thank you so much!
Slippery elm works really well as a healing and preventative. ..about tsp with a cup of whole oats. Also helps humans with ulcerative colitis.
i like this suggestion slippery elm has worked wonders for my old dog who was diagnosed with pancreatitis
@@wendybell9007 like curing him completely?
A lot of the hourses in our school barn get irritated while grooming or tacking. They do have night tunout time, but they also do get grains in the a.m. I always thought the behavior was because of lack of training, but now I'm thinking it might be that most of them have ulcer... 😔😔😔😔
My question is,
I’ve had this horse for going on two years, and he has always been extremely grumpy, to horses and people, his previous owner told me that’s how he’s always been but the owners before that disagree. Now he’s an Appaloosa and I feel like lots of symptoms in Appaloosas get brushed off as breed standards as they’re known for being temperamental. In the first 6 months I had him his saddle was fitted, his teeth were done his body was checked by multiple different specialists, I gave him a ulcer treatment on the off chance, he’s on a grain free diet, on grass 24/7 with other horses, hay and hard feed daily… is it worth me getting in scoped? Even after I’ve already attempted to give him 2 ulcer treatments at different times? I mean I don’t wanna waste my money as I feel like I have tried everything already but I also don’t want him to be uncomfortable if there is something behind this behaviour. Can stubborn ulcers stay around even after treatments?
Hi Vita, Welcome! Great question and Caroline can and will help you. Please email her at Caroline@taoofhorsemanship.com to discuss your concerns.
Thank You
Sabrina
I wanted to see how you feel about cribbing horses, do you believe it's hereditary or a learned bad behavior and do you think ulcers could be a correlation between cribbing and ulcers? Thank you for your thoughts.
Hi Nicole and Welcome! Cribbing is not hereditary. It is a learned behavior. Horses can learn to crib by watching other horses and they learb to crib because of stress. When it comes to ulcers, they are created by stress, therefore they can learn to crib to help soothe themselves.
Do you think that it is okay to feed twice a day when they are in a winter field and there is grass? They are grazing all the time even if the grass is quite short. I live in the South of Sweden, no snow here in winter. Or if it comes its usually gone quite quick, max one day, and well they scratch through it and keep eating. In fact the sugar content in the grass raises when there us frost (an example how perfect God is). So they eat early morning and late evening. They sleep inside and are outside all day. Then they also get a bit to eat around lunch but only if they were being trained. I am thinking of getting a timer on a gate and open to another padock and leave hay there. But unsure if it is needed. Thanks
Hi IT and Welcome! Great question.
You can email Caroline directly at Caroline@taoofhorsemanship.com
XX
Sabrina
I got my horse +- 2 years ago l and shortly after one of our 3 horses were put down and a few months later our other horse died of something. The horse that is still alive i assumed was sad idk if horses can get depressed but if they can she probably was bc she kept looking at the spot my horse died (still does to this day and it was like a year ago) but she grazes 24/7 she has a stall but we dont close her in it, ever so she can choose wherr she wants to go. But i feel bad because now its only her and no other horses also i dont feed her other types of food like hay or anything like that. But i wantto start working this year so i can pay for nice food and training for her (she was wild when she got here and I've been trying to gain her trust for a long time now and ive also sat on her a few times. She bucked me off lol) so yea idk if she has ulcers but i learned a lot from this video. Thanks.
Gastroguard and Ulcerguard are the same medication, omeprazole. Ulcerguard just has a lower dosage. Another useful drug for ulcers in the glandular region of the stomach and the hindgut is sucralfate. Omeprazole is supposed to be most effective for ulcers the upper part of the stomach known as the squamous region. That's the extent of my knowledge, lol.
Hi Daniel and Welcome! Thanks for the info!
Oh my goodness me! Do me a favour, Goodbye!