I have two TB’s and one QH gelding that are “managed” for ulcers. I think the prescriptions and $40 tubes are important and I have used all of them. But for me, once my guys were feeling better ~ less grouchy, less chomping on their sides, not so girthy, etc ~ the daily use of Excel (DePaolo Equine Concepts), Aloe Vera juice, beet pulp shreds, flax meal, Renew Gold and Redmond’s Daily Gold, has given me amazing results. I still have a pharmacy in the tack room if necessary but these products have really helped. The boys are happy, relaxed & have no bite marks on their sides. Last tests for blood in the manure were all negative. I also feed alfalfa twice daily and keep grass hay in front of them at all times. Turnout is helpful as well. Especially if you have access to pasture. Hope you find something that helps!
I’ve been treating my guy without success since March (scoping this coming Thursday) and after a particularly bad weekend, on Monday my vet suggested that we pull all grain and deal with weight later. He’s always had free choice hay so that’s not new, but he’s been getting TC safe Starch chopped forage 2x/day in his bucket, alfalfa pellets (he would not eat these back in March, but desperate times call for desperate measures?), and outlast. I have some rice bran too, but for now we’re sticking with this.
Within 2(?) days, he was back to his old personality. He’s been eating hay, playing with halters (he likes to take halters and stick them in his mouth and swing them around…he’s a toddler), and just being goofy. I’m shocked at the difference. The pawing is gone. He just seems…comfortable. Something to be said for grain free. After we scope and come up with a plan (I’d love to ride again in the future… ), we will have to make sure he can gain and sustain weight. He’s not one who wants to eat all day which doesn’t ever help.
After his ulcer treatment I put my horse on Redmond’s Daily Gold, it really seems to be working.
His cribbing and anxiety are greatly lessened.
For those of you who have gone grain-free, did you also ditch your digestive supplements? I am using SmartDigestUltra and Nutraworks Gastrofix. Not sure if either is doing anything but at the same time I’m scared about taking her off them…
Ditching them. He’s getting top hay, alfalfa, Renew Gold and Topline (amino supplement). We are looking into vite supplement. Keeping him on Probiotics.
eventer215 I sent you a PM!
My mom’s horse is a cribber and we suspected ulcers. Did a few poop tests and confirmed some bleeding. We’ve found a few things that help. She was on UlcerGuard for YEARS as the omeprazole did nothing for her. She get’s limited sugar, limited alfalfa, and putting her on sucralfate helped. She’s also on Immubione G-Tract and is now completely off UlcerGuard. She used to need 1/3 a tube instead of 1/4 and a week where she got a full tube a day for extra help. Not sure if your horse cribs as well but that’s a whole cycle of it’s own with ulcers. I echo cutting the sugars and grain as much as possible (including beet pulp) and look into sucralfate (or TUMS) and the G-Tract from Immubiome.
