Has anyone heard of using Bentonite Clay to treat ulcers? I read that an effective treatment for ulcers is to make a gel from the powder and water and syringe into the horse. I read several testimonials that were full of praise for the stuff. Any opinions? Sounds like a great way to beat the cost of Ulcer/Gastro Guard - if it is safe to use!
Thanks
Sounds like it would clog up the intestines. I would hesitate to try it… there’s tons of better things out there.
It doesn’t clog intestines.
I have used it. My horse didn’t have confirmed ulcers, but I guarantee she had them - fresh off the track, high strung, had been fed loads of sweet feed, could eat a few bites of food then pace, etc.
I used Dynamite’s Miracle Clay and things settled pretty quickly.
Kaopectate used to be simply kaolin (clay) and pectin. Apparently, the kaolin, as a naturally occuring clay, had impurities and was taken off the market.
Kaopectate does not now include any kaolin…now includes salicylates.
I have also used Dynamite Miracle Clay on an ulcer pony, and suspect that most of the testimonials are from people bigging up their friends’ marketing schemes.
Omeprazole solved the problem for me, and endless acres of Vitamin G maintain the improvement.
Bentonite has been around in animal feeding for sometime and is a common binder in pellets. Many other uses including these to promote “digestive” health in livestock. In broilers for example it is added to feed to diminish the effects of aflatoxins.
It seems a stretch to consider it a treatment for ulcers. Perhaps some positive benefit in dimishing their extent.But benefit of clays to digestive health is documented in early Native America and ancient Eqyptian medicine. Over use can/does cause of host of other problems. Would not be a good idea in horse not drinking well as sometimes the case is with ulcer prone horses.
I know several folks with ulcer issues and amongst the list of suggested items is gelatin…but never heard bentonite or the other clays. Interesting that I came acrossed this the other night while reading about gelatin for a topic I was researching…
http://www.prometeus.nsc.ru/eng/science/scidig/06/sept.ssi#2
Am curious…any herbal/natural blends out ther for horse ulcers that contain gelatin? Knox blocks would be cheap…and one could even make apple juice sliders (none alcoholic for the horse…alcoholic for us humans) and share with the horsie LOL!
I used it on both of my horses who were symptomatic for ulcers but never scoped. Both horses’ symptoms reduced and then finally disappeared during a course of bentonite clay. I’m convinced.
I am not “bigging up” someone’s marketing scheme 
Yes, I am a Dynamite distributor, but I am because I like the products. I can just as easily tell you which products I’ve used that didn’t work for me. I don’t push the products - I give my experiences and leave it at that.
http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.3109/00365527209181163
Studies of simultaneous inhibition of pepsin and pancreatic proteases by various substances, suggest that bentonite, a clay earth mineral, has exceptional properties. It prevents lysis of standard clots by gastric juice and by duodenal aspirates in vitro, and, in animal experiments (Shay rats), has pronounced antipeptic ulcer-protective effect
Make of that what you will
It doesn’t mean it’s going to work miracles for every horse. It doesn’t mean it’s the fastest route. CAN it work? Yes. WILL it? Not necessarily, or not necessarily quickly.
Rumen buffer for dairy cows is available with baking soda
and bentonite clay in 50# bags for around $10 here in
dairy country. It might well be a very inexpensive way
to help a horse prone to ulcers.
I’ve used Bentonite Clay along with Aloe Vera Juice/Gel for my gelding’s ulcer symptoms with satisfactory results.
The benefits of Bentonite Clay is that they relieve ulcer symptoms and have a detox effect.
The cons are that it can bind with and carry out other supplements or drugs you may be administering (I had to take him off Platinum Performance CJ as he was constantly urinating), and that some clays can contain impurities (including heavy metals). So just know that not all clays are suitable for ingestion and that supplements containing chelated minerals seem to work better in conjunction with the clay.
Yep, daily dewormers have, or at least had, a blip on the label to not use with anything containing bentonite or montmorillonite clay for that very reason - can bind things and make the DW even less effective. But to that end, it can be useful for helping bind toxins that might be there if you have an acute reason to use it - similar to activated charcoal, but probably not as effective.
Had a dressage horse that seemed to be having issues with “splashing” when working, or mild ulcer symptoms.
Used the Dynamite clay per the directions of a distributor and after a week or so, it cleared up (continued using for about 30 days) and have not had the issue again.
Yes, this is a very old thread that I am resurrecting, I am aware of it’s age.
It’s 2019. Anyone with recent experiences with using bentonite clay for ulcers? Have a holistic owner at my barn who swears by it. Thought I would ask here for up dated opinions
As said here, Bentonite clay is an old time human remedy that was presumably somewhat effective before more advanced drugs. Many horse remedies fall into this category.
It seems to be harmless in reasonable doses.
But here’s the thing. Most people who go to the extent of scoping their horses before and after treatment to diagnose and to see results also go ahead and buy modern pharmaceuticals as well.
Most people who use OTC do so because they don’t want the expense of the whole vet call and routine.
So my guess is that few people using bentonite, aloe vera, or other things have before and after scans of their horses stomachs. So we don’t know what if any ulcers were there before or how much they improved.
Cachie,if you want to continue your discussion with your holistic friend, ask her if she’s ever scoped before and after treatment, and if not how does she know horse had ulcers?
On the other hand lots of people try out OTC remedies to see if they will " make a difference. " I actually like Herbs for Horses Ulcer Treatment with licorice and mallow. I think it did make a difference on one or two horses.
But if problems persisted it would be time for a real vet.
Anyhow if holistic friend is advising you on your own horse, you can say “that’s so interesting” and call out your own vet.
If holistic friend is just on about care of her own horse, you can just say “that’s so interesting” and then myob
Along with real cases of ulcers, thrush, laminitis, that really need prompt medical care, many many horses with holistic owners have what I call imaginary thrush, ulcers, laminitis, and sometimes idiopathic versions of those symptoms.
I’m a low meds person for myself and my horse, and I feel.good basic care eliminates many problems, so I am.holistic in that sense ( whole picture) but I have just learned to keep my mouth shut about the silly claims of some horse owners 
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