Atypical Ulcer Symptoms

[aBayDay]

After dealing with what I believe to be a case of ulcers (responding well to Nexium but not yet scoped), where the only symptom was anxiousness/herdboundness in specific locations, I was wondering how many other people had delayed ulcer diagnoses due to atypical symptoms. I’ve always thought of classic ulcer symptoms as being weight loss/poor condition, girthyness, pain especially associated with the sides/flanks, frequent colic symptoms around meal time, poor appetite, and cribbing/teeth grinding. Usually several of these at once.

My horse had none of these, he’s chunky with a great coat, a happy-go-lucky guy 90% of the time, loves being groomed and is fine being tacked up. Voracious appetite and no signs of discomfort while eating. He’s gotten outlast with every meal, and has 24/7 access to forage. He developed herdboundness after a barn move, which resulted in some rearing under saddle. Nexium over the last week has so far made a huge improvement in his general demeanor when we are away from his friends. I’ll need to scope to confirm of course.

[Critter]

I’ve had 3 who have only gotten spooky…like uncharacteristically spooky.

Had one gelding who got spooky, but was still absolutely rideable until one day he was laying down looking like a colic. Severe ulcers…which we never even suspected.

My mare, who is not at all spooky normally, gets more reactive (especially to sounds) and spooky. Zero other symptoms.

My other gelding…who has been on ulcer meds…but seems to get set off whenever he has to get a shot of Exceed…has been super annoying and spooky last week. Just tight in his back and won’t settle. I realized this change had been since an Exceed shot (which in the past has set off a round of severe ulcers on him…he also had EPM and a mess of other issues). The last week, I bumped him up to a full dose of UG and added back in sucralfate…a few days of that and he’s much more settled and no spooking the last few rides. He also gets slow about eating, especially his hay.

[Simkie]

Being anxious and herd bound after a move is a pretty text book ulcer symptom, in my experience.

[GraceLikeRain]

@aBayDay

I’ve always thought of classic ulcer symptoms as being weight loss/poor condition, girthyness, pain especially associated with the sides/flanks, frequent colic symptoms around meal time, poor appetite, and cribbing/teeth grinding. Usually several of these at once

Grade three ulcers without any of these symptoms. Barefoot pony in light work with ample forage, buddies, regular massage, and a custom saddle.

[mdp9]

I like to think of it that when the horse’s tummy hurts, they have lower tolerance for everything, which may include being away from his friends or a semi-spooky area of the arena.

This year I had a horse who was being uncharasteristically suuuper headshy one morning when his rider was bridling him. Turns out he had a raging fever (anaplasmosis). Is that a typical symptom of a fever? No, but this horse was cranky because his whole body hurt.

Any change in behavior can be a sign of ulcers, in my experience.

[luvmyhackney]

My horse backs up at the mounting block as to say… not today please. When his tummy is good he stands like a rock. And he gets worried eyes. A couple more wrinkles above the eye and they get tighter.

[aBayDay]

Well I wish I had known that anxiety/herdbound behavior was such a common ulcer symptom! I’m really hoping this is the cause at least, we’re going on 6(!) days of good behavior since starting the nexium, even in areas that typically triggered the worst reactions.

Thanks for the responses

[joiedevie99]

My severe ulcer horse was on an active weight-reduction program when diagnosed. Three days a week he went out for an hour hack in the woods at the end of the day in addition to his morning work session. Happy as a clam. Placed third in a small tour CDI the day before the scope where we had to flush a ton of water through his stomach because the ulcers kept bleeding into the field of vision.

We scoped him for two reasons: He had a teeth grinding habit, and my young horse was showing classic symptoms and needed to fast and get hauled to the clinic for a scope. I figured if I was taking her, I might as well take him along for the ride. Horse showing classic ulcer symptoms got a clean bill of health (turned out to be EPM).

[mmeqcenter]

I’ve never considered spookiness or changed behavior to be “Atypical” symptoms of ulcers, I consider them to be textbook symptoms.

[bingbingbing]

My guy ate robustly, was fat and shiny. He cut way back on his water intake. And seemed checked out. He had very bad ulcers when scoped.

[anonevent]

Even if he doesn’t have ulcers, stress generally causes them to have GI irritation, which causes more stress.