Started both my mares (OTTBs one fresh off in Nov the other has just had a stressful life in the past two years including recent EPM diagnosis) on the treatment but am wondering for shows what I can / should do? They stay on aloe (not give same time as Nexium) but I think they would benefit from Nexium while away at shows (newer one is still a worrier although I think that will fade with consistent work). I was thinking 3 pills starting 1-2 days before trailering and then tapering to 2 once back home just not sure how long they should stay on two (and then eventually 1)? I want to have a āsystemā so that I donāt have to worry about figuring it out for each show. We will mostly be trailering in to 1 day schooling shows but have 2-3 week long away shows planned in the fall.
You could taper weekly and probably be fine.
@quietann You just own a typical Morgan that loves food. I know quite a few that sound like yours, ones 32 y/o and will still take down the fence and go on the porch to let you know your late.
Well, that is true! I have yet to meet a Morgan who did not love its food! Mine will try to turn herself inside out for a treat.
She has also been used as a āhay testerā when hay quality has been iffy. Basically the barn manager would lead her up to a bale, and if she turned up her nose, that meant the bale was bad. The hay supplier would replace bad bales at no charge, but only if they were not opened.
Iām wondering if anyone on this thread actually had a scoping after treating with Nexium that showed resolution of ulcers. Anecdotally it appears people have had luck with alleviating ulcer symptoms. Iām intrigued to give it a try, considering the cost of UG.
My mare has had two bouts of what appeared to be mild gas colic in the last couple of months and Iām wondering about ulcers. No medication needed and it resolves in 20 minutes. Basically rolls a few times, looks uncomfortable, then it passes and sheās back to herself. Both times it occurred after she ate about half her dinner (vit/min plus a small amount of hay stretcher). Sheās also sometimes slow to finish up her āgrainā. Eats free choice hay without issue.
I bought her last May and her training schedule has increased a lot, so Iām wondering if thatās it. I donāt know her well enough to say sheās the type that has mild bouts of gas colic for some other reason. I know if could be things other than ulcers, but i feel this is a good place to start.
@mlb722 my gelding has occasionally had the exact same mild colic-like episodes halfway through eating his dinner that resolve just as yours do. He is also a very high stress/anxious horse in general, but I have only owned him for 6 months so cannot be sure what is potentially ulcery behavior and what is just personality. I am also considering giving nexium a try, the cost canāt be beat! I would love to hear about the scoping results as well. Have any of the people who have treated with this done so at recommendation of their vet, or just based on the success talked about here? Thanks!
Interesting Emerson! I started yesterday, luckily she ate the capsules in her dinner without any problem.
Thanks for all this information and anecdotes. Iām starting my horse on a Nexium course on Sunday. Wish us luck!
I had a TB with classic ulcer symptoms after a stressful week long show ; no scope, just put him on Nexium. Appetite and weight gain improved rapidly. He was leased out to a new rider, and I advised them to do a course of Nexium considering his new change of environment and reappearance of symptoms. They had him scoped after a month of treatment and his stomach was ulcer free. Nexium does work!
Yay! Awesome to have some scoping evidence! :yes: 
There have been at least two scientific studies of Nexium in equines that included scoping. In both cases the ulcer were reduced after 30 days.
Okay, weird question. I have some Ulcergard on hand (use it when showing.) My horse has had a drastic change in personality the past month. Gone from a rock solid, laid back horse to a nervous, spooky horse. Completely out of character with no change in feed or routine (although we have had an unusually cold winter and there is NO grass, which is unusual. There is usually enough to nibble on during the winter.) Thinking ulcers might be the cause.
So to my question, I am thinking of doing Ulcergard for maybe 10-12 days (1/2 tube for 4 days and then 1/4 tube for 8 days) since I already have some. Then switch to Nexium. Would that be okay to try?
Help! Was just trying to figure out do a taper from a full tube of GastrGard for 2 weeks (for a barn move), using Nexium for the taper. Sheās been on 60 mg of Nexium since end of December, we just started full tube of GastroGard today.
It seems to me that if you START with GastroGard/UlcerGard and its usual full-tube protocol, that Nexium doesnāt make the exercise any cheaper. Hereās my thinking:
GastroGard contains 2.28 grams of omeprazole
Esomeprazole (active ingredient in Nexium) is apparently stronger than omeprazole, so 2.28 grams of omeprazole = 1.14 grams Nexium
1.14 grams Nexium is 1140 mg
Nexium comes in 20 mg capsules
So a full tube of Gastrogard is equivalent to 57 Nexium capsules
57 Nexium capsules costs around $32.50, which is about the same as GastroGard (actually more)
So to do a taper, you have to taper from where you are, which would be the equivalent of 57 Nexium capsules. Thus, a taper using Nexium doesnāt work out to be any cheaper than just sticking with GastroGard.
Is my logic correct? Iād love to find a more cost effective way to do this, but donāt want to risk rebound acid issues.
Am going to discuss this with my vet next week but would appreciate any thoughts in advance.
Well, no. Really not at all. Go back and read the paper linked in the very first post in this thread. 40 mg of esomeprazole was enough to raise the pH of the stomach to āhealingā levels. FORTY. Most of us have been giving 60 for the crunch factor. How weāre tapering is detailed ad nauseum in this thread, too.
I would not go from sub therapeutic levels of omeprazole to even more sub therapeutic levels of omeprazole to therapeutic levels of esomeprazole. Use therapeutic levels. Full tube of the merial product. 40+ mg Nexium.
But there have been studies done that show 1/2 tube (and even 1/4 tube) of GG/Ulcergard are just as effective as a full tube.
No, there havenāt. There has been a study that shows that different product, available in Australia and very different than Gastrogard, may be as effective at smaller doses. That product is enterically coated, which makes it more bioavailable. That research is not transferable to gastrogard.
This is discussed on the first page of this thread.
Hmmā¦I was basing it off this from a US vet but I guess he misinterpreted the study he is basing his advice on.
Rameyās a charlatan. Best to take just about everything he says with a grain of salt. 
Or, if you go with the other paper a full tube of GG is roughly equivalent to max of 14-15 Nexium (maybe less if your horse is lighter weight). So, thatās still about $8-9 for the name brand stuff. I used Nexium for tapering with calculating a half dose at 7 pills. Then I went down from there to 3 then 2 then I donāt think I bothered with 1 pill.
Since coming back from his āboot campā, my horse has shown some signs that his belly is NQR. Not full blown ulcer behaviors and could also be attributed to static, but heās a little more girthy and ādonāt touch meā about his sides. His hay appetite also went down some. So Iām trying this time the 3 pills for a little bit. Appetite was quickly back to normal. Still waiting on him to stop wanting to bite me.
Ah thatās rightā¦ I looked back at my notes from my discussion with my vet and he said 3-4 Nexium was about the same as a quarter tube of GastroGard. Phew! I want to make this taper really slow so cost savings are much appreciated!
If you read the paper linked in the very first post in this thread, it demonstrates 40 mg of esomeprazole raises the pH of the stomach to āhealingā levels. That is analogous to a full tube of gastrogard. So be careful with your taperā¦3-4 pills down to nothing is very likely not a taper at all.
