Can antibiotics cause ulcers

[rubygirl1968]

My gelding was recently on a 14 dose of metronidazole for fecal water syndrome and now he won’t finish his meals. Can antibiotics cause ulcers?

It definitely gave him loose manure but haven’t been able to find anything about the ulcer question. He’s an easy keeper so I’d rather not have to keep upping the amounts fed to try to get him to eat.

He gets 1/2 cup soaked beet pulp and half pound of alfalfa pellets twice a day with minerals added.

Muzzled on pasture, 10 lbs of hay at night in paddock in small hole hay bags.

[S1969]

I’m sure it’s possible if they were used long enough. Or, if the horse already had ulcers they may exacerbate them.

But - antibiotics are known to disrupt the correct bacteria balance in the gut, and many vets will prescribe a probiotic at the same time - to be started upon completion of the antibiotic.

I’d ask your vet about a probiotic to try to correct the gut flora - which probably was off even before the antibiotic.

Is he eating the hay?

[rubygirl1968]

Yes, he’s eating everything else good, just not finishing his meals.

I forgot to say that he’s on a probiotic. I started when the metronidazole ended.

[Texarkana]

One of the most common side effects with metronidazole is loss of appetite. Possibly because it just tastes nasty.

Also, it can cause mouth sores in humans. So while GI ulceration isn’t a documented side effect in horses, I think it’s certainly plausible that lesions could form in other nonglandular tissues.

If it were me, I would tempt the horse with some extra tasty alfalfa for a few days if you have access to it. Sometimes it jump starts their appetite. If there is still no improvement in appetite for feed, then consider ulcer treatment.

Most likely he probably just needs a few days for his system to bounce back.

[JB]

@S1969

But - antibiotics are known to disrupt the correct bacteria balance in the gut, and many vets will prescribe a probiotic at the same time - to be started upon completion of the antibiotic.

@Texarkana

One of the most common side effects with metronidazole is loss of appetite. Possibly because it just tastes nasty.

Yep, all this. Any time there is an abx in use, there should also be pre/probiotics in use at opposite times of the abx. You’re not likely to keep a great balance of good bacteria, but you can minimize how much loss of the good there is.

I too haven’t heard of any abx /ulcer connection but I wouldn’t rule it out. The bacteria disruption is the most likely scenario though

[rubygirl1968]

He’s now eating normally, acts fine but has cow patty manure. He’s been getting the gutwerks twice a day, but so far isn’t helping that.

I’m too impatient and want instant results as a rule, so how long are you supposed to wait and see if something like probiotics work? Two weeks, a month?

Thanks

I guess one good thing is that he’s not having the liquid farts or any liquid other than the unformed manure.

[blue_heron]

My mom (a vet) has a gelding that has had loose poops/water for the entire time she’s had him ~10 years. How old is your gelding? This guy was 20-25 when she got him.

The only thing that has helped at all is extremely fine hay, like almost grass. She tried every antibiotic in the book, talked to specialists, supplements, probiotics, Sand Clear, absorbent clay, ulcer treatment, etc. She is thinking about having a gut flora restoration procedure done for him but not sure because he is so old now.

[rubygirl1968]

He’s 23. He’s had it since I’ve known him but it has gotten worse with age.

He’s not having any fecal water at the moment, knock on wood, just the cow piles.

I texted the vet yesterday and she said to try biosponge to clear that up.