Compounded Sucralfate feeding question

[Gardenhorse]

Those of you who give your horses compounded Sucralfate long-term for ulcers or hindgut issues, how often do you give it? Do you just put it on their grain? What do you do if you also generally give other supplements/meds in the grain?

I have been trying to get my horse off Sucralfate for the last few months, but she gets girthy again within a couple of days. Last time she was scoped, she had no ulcers, but was still girthy and grumpy when ridden when not on the Sucralfate.

Currently she’s getting 10 tablets dissolved and syringed in her mouth twice/day 30 minutes before she gets her grain. In order to save money and make it easier for the barn workers, I’m starting to look at compounded Sucralfate. I’ve seen many people say they just put it on the grain. However my horse also gets Zyrtec (for respiratory issues) and Vitamin E supplements with her grain and I’m worried about the Sucralfate interfering with those. (She also gets SmartDigest, but it’s obviously not doing much so will probably stop it).

During the summer, when they’re on night turnout, I could probably get them to break her grain into 3 portions and just do the supplements with a mid-day snack. But once we move to daytime turnout, more than 2 feedings is unlikely. I guess maybe in the evening, they would be willing to do one small feeding with the Sucralfate when she first comes in and then the rest of the grain with her supplements 30 minutes later.

Anyway, sorry for the novel, just looking for insight into how other people feed Sucralfate long-term.

[Bogie]

At my vet’s suggestion, I kept my mare on Sucralfate during hunt season. I just add it to her grain. Over the summer, I dropped it down to 1x/day, but she’s getting a bit girthy again so I’ll go back to 2x/day.

[Amy3996]

I got my compounded Sucralfate through Rood and Riddle. Our vet recommended it be given on as close to an empty stomach as possible. She told me that if it’s given with grain it compromises the med’s ability to coat the stomach.

[Bogie]

I’ve also heard about the empty stomach but my vet said it was fine to put it in her grain. I will need to ask again.

[Pezanos]

The stuff from Westwood says specifically on their label that it can be used as a top dressing. My horse went to the hospital last week so I added it, plus generic Nexium to his feed. I figured the esomeprazole is in time-released capsules so it would be okay. Whatever I did worked because he didn’t get the normal post-super-stressful-event girthy/grouchies.

[js]

Initially I gave it 30 minutes prior to feeding 3 times daily, I mixed it with apple juice and squirted it into his mouth but that was when he actively had ulcers. Now I mix it with a little water and put it on top of his grain. I give it twice a day. Additionally, I also give him U-Gard pellets and Outlast. So far it’s been working.

[iJump]

I just put the pills in my horses grain. It must work this way because it’s obvious when I try and take the horse off them.

To those feeding long term, do you ever do any breaks?

[Maude]

I buy the tablets from Valley vet and use a mini coffee grinder. I put the ground powder in little individual containers and make up 14 (a weeks worth) containers at a time. I store them in a cabinet out of the sunlight.

[Gardenhorse]

Thanks everyone. I just ordered the powder from Rood and Riddle pharmacy. It works out to about half the cost I was paying for tablets, so hopefully it works. We’re going to try the Sucralfate with her am/pm grain and put her supplements/Zyrtec in a small lunchtime feeding. If this seems to work well, then for winter/daytime turnout, they’ll do a small feed with her supplements at night check.

I have also heard that it works best on an empty stomach, but for those doing it more as a maintenance protocol, I wonder if they don’t really need the full treatment dose. So even though it is reduced effectiveness due to being fed with grain they still get enough of an effect.

[Gardenhorse]

@Pezanos

The stuff from Westwood says specifically on their label that it can be used as a top dressing. My horse went to the hospital last week so I added it, plus generic Nexium to his feed. I figured the esomeprazole is in time-released capsules so it would be okay. Whatever I did worked because he didn’t get the normal post-super-stressful-event girthy/grouchies.

Hope your horse is recovering well from whatever required him to go to the hospital!