Esomeprazole (Nexium) for equine ulcers

[Simkie]

@OTTBs

Now that my boy has been off Ulcergard for a month or so, it seems his symptoms may be coming back. I think I’ll be giving Nexium a try.

Report back! :yes:

[Simkie]

@csaper58

If you still have some of the capsules, can you tell if they have little enteric coated beads inside, or is the capsule the enteric coating?

I wonder if a balling gun would work? Could one maybe do all 3 caps at once if they are little.

I didn’t see these edit questions

Per this: https://www.drugs.com/nexium.html it looks like the drug is protected by something other than the capsule:

“However to make swallowing easier, you may open the Nexium capsule and sprinkle the medicine into a spoonful of pudding or applesauce. Swallow right away without chewing.”

Really, good news–even if a horse crunches a capsule, some of the coating on the drug might make it through intact. You could even paste by opening the capsules and adding a carrier.

The capsule are wee, could totally do a balling gun. I am going for easy, though, and dropping the capsules in the grain has shown positive effect

[csaper58]

Okay looked at youtube of pilling a horse with a balling gun.

I could get away with that maybe once.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPcJo8AH9jk

Yup, easy is best.

Thank for posting your experiences!

[Larbear]

Instead of a balling gun, maybe you could try taking a 60 mL syringe, cut the the tip off and then load with something dense like pumpkin puree. With the loaded syringe, place your pill on top of the pumpkin so that when you syringe in, the pills go in first and then pushed down by the pumpkin (or whatever stuff you want to use). If the pills are small enough, you might be able to get away with that.

That said, I’ve tried pilling SAMe and was not terribly successful. My horse is extremely talented at spitting them out. Even if I pull his tongue to the side and place my hand in his mouth and shove it back there up to my elbow!

[csaper58]

Bumping so another CLOTHer can find this.

[SuckerForHorses]

@Larbear

Instead of a balling gun, maybe you could try taking a 60 mL syringe, cut the the tip off and then load with something dense like pumpkin puree. With the loaded syringe, place your pill on top of the pumpkin so that when you syringe in, the pills go in first and then pushed down by the pumpkin (or whatever stuff you want to use). If the pills are small enough, you might be able to get away with that.

That said, I’ve tried pilling SAMe and was not terribly successful. My horse is extremely talented at spitting them out. Even if I pull his tongue to the side and place my hand in his mouth and shove it back there up to my elbow!

Too much work.

I just take an empty used UlcerGard syringe and use it as a balling gun. Load the pills, dose like you would the UlcerGard only pills shoot out and they swallow them.

[Simkie]

[quote=“SuckerForHorses,post:26,top![](c:427337”]

Too much work.

I just take an empty used UlcerGard syringe and use it as a balling gun. Load the pills, dose like you would the UlcerGard only pills shoot out and they swallow them.

[/quote]

Yep, would certainly work.

Here is a pic to show size. That’s a nickel, if it’s not obvious.

[IMG]http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s285/simkie/COTH/2017-02-272013.24.41_zpsbjzjjd3p.jpg)

[kashmere]

Oh, this is very interesting. I did not have good luck with pop rocks to treat my mare’s ulcers, but I am coming to the end of the course of GG (on 1/2 tube right now, down to 1/4 next week), and I would like to keep her on something until spring really arrives and she is on pasture more.

[Larbear]

@SuckerForHorses

Too much work.

I just take an empty used UlcerGard syringe and use it as a balling gun. Load the pills, dose like you would the UlcerGard only pills shoot out and they swallow them.

Yeh, it’s work…but my guy is a master at spitting pills out. Really REALLY frustrating. I ended up giving up!

[Simkie]

I think it would be interesting to use a syringe (ulcergard or otherwise) with something like coconut oil as a binder/carrier to help the pills move out and clump them together. The oil wouldn’t affect the coating or capsule at all, and as long as it’s cool, would have a paste consistency. You could also use applesauce or whatever, but anything water based is going to start degrading the coating/capsule.

But it’s also just dead easy to toss the pills in grain

I’m down to my last three bottles today (3 x 14 pills) and will start to taper the two horses I’m treating. I figure 40 mg (2 pills) each for 7 days and 20 mg (1 pill) each for 7 days will end this little test nicely. I could treat for the full four weeks and then taper for two if I bought one more box (total cost would then be ~$50/head) but I think this should be fine.

Do note, if you’re buying Nexium, that there is a TABLET option. I have no idea how that would go–my whole experience is with the CAPSULE.

[keysfins]

Bumping this again. Simkie, was it your horse that had Sulfa antibiotics for ulcers that would not heal?
Thanks

[Simkie]

@keysfins

Bumping this again. Simkie, was it your horse that had Sulfa antibiotics for ulcers that would not heal?
Thanks

Nope, not me. I’ve never treated an ulcer horse with antibiotics. That was … @eclipse, maybe? On a DGE horse?

[keysfins]

@Simkie

Nope, not me. I’ve never treated an ulcer horse with antibiotics. That was … @eclipse, maybe? On a DGE horse?

Ok, thanks, will do another search.

[DunByMistake]

I ordered some this morning so my guy will be next guinea pig. He is adjusting to living alone and I know he is already prone due to a bout with ulcers in fall.

I’m in Canada so about $80 a month for me but that’s still less than 1/3 of the price of the compound generic omeprazole my vet can get for me.

[Simkie]

@DunByMistake

I ordered some this morning so my guy will be next guinea pig. He is adjusting to living alone and I know he is already prone due to a bout with ulcers in fall.

I’m in Canada so about $80 a month for me but that’s still less than 1/3 of the price of the compound generic omeprazole my vet can get for me.

Fabulous! Can’t wait to hear how it goes for you

I am starting another horse on it tonight. Since it went so well for my two guinea pigs, I’m going to treat Blush, too.

The taper for Pigs and Dove is going just fine, no concerns. :yes:

[DunByMistake]

@Simkie

Fabulous! Can’t wait to hear how it goes for you

I am starting another horse on it tonight. Since it went so well for my two guinea pigs, I’m going to treat Blush, too.

The taper for Pigs and Dove is going just fine, no concerns. :yes:

How are you tapering down? Just feeding less pills and hoping they stay intact through the swallowing process? Or are you alternating what days you give dosage on?

[Simkie]

@DunByMistake

How are you tapering down? Just feeding less pills and hoping they stay intact through the swallowing process? Or are you alternating what days you give dosage on?

I detailed how I’m approaching it right here.

@Simkie

I’m down to my last three bottles today (3 x 14 pills) and will start to taper the two horses I’m treating. I figure 40 mg (2 pills) each for 7 days and 20 mg (1 pill) each for 7 days will end this little test nicely. I could treat for the full four weeks and then taper for two if I bought one more box (total cost would then be ~$50/head) but I think this should be fine.

[OTTBs]

I finally remembered to buy some Nexium last week and started my boy on 3 capsules a day. Saturday I was thinking he was better behaved for brushing and under saddle–until he went a little nuts on his left lead canter. I forgot to give his dose yesterday. Today I rode him again and he was a bit more pissy about brushing his face but was good under saddle both directions. (Nexium given about 1.5 hrs before ride today.) Will continue on and report back again after more time.

[dps]

following

[beowulf]

@Larbear

Yeh, it’s work…but my guy is a master at spitting pills out. Really REALLY frustrating. I ended up giving up!

can’t you just pop the pills in a fig newton? i get that they shouldn’t be chewed too much but it looks like they have coating inside the coating.

i’m intrigued and thinking about trying a test run for my sister’s horse (with her permission, of course). he has as close a “natural” set up as one can have (excellent grain, 24/7 roundbale of quality hay, and 24/7 turnout) and still seems very ulcery. with him getting the pill in will be the challenge, not because he is picky but because he flings his grain every which way.