Finally took the plunge and bought enough Nexium for four weeks at treatment dose and a 2 week taper. He got the first dose tonight, so we’ll see if there’s any improvement in the next couple of weeks! Fingers crossed.
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Reporting back that unfortunately, my groom thwarted my horse show test. I decided we would do 2 pills Nexium as a preventative. My groom was extremely skeptical of the tiny pills compared to the tubes of GG. I reassured her that 2 pills was actually a lot, double what was recommended here. I agreed we could go to 3 pills the second week of showing if she was worried and I would taper carefully.
Well instead, she decided to give a full tube of GG on show days bc she just felt like something was off with him last week. This is an FEI groom who has worked with very big name horses and I trust her, but I also know we can all get set in our ways with the horses sometimes.
I will say he was pretty terrific in the show ring last week. But I also think I rode much more determined so :winkgrin:. He got turnout 4 out of the 7 days of the week when I was there and I think the grass also helped. My problem is when we scope him this week, I will have no idea if the Nexium was useful in a preventative dose. I’m sorry my sample was tainted for this group’s anecdotal research :no:
Well unfortunately, despite the extra medication and turnout at the show, my horse’s squamous and pyloric ulcers have returned according to the scope. I feel terrible for pushing him to this point. He felt so lively and happy dragging me to the paddock this Sunday I thought we had gotten through unscathed. I’m sure it’s not the Nexium’s fault but I think this will be my last experiment with it on this horse unfortunately. I hope everyone else has better luck!
Do you think his day[s] without turnout are not contributing? I’m sorry you’re going through this – but I have had a very hard time managing ulcers (and getting rid of them) for client horses that have limited turnout. I wouldn’t say it’s impossible… but it’s pretty close.
Bummer! Those pyloric ulcers especially are so hard 
Congrats on the success in the ring, though!
Well this is the first show we’ve gone to that he’s had turnout of any kind. Most shows on the west coast have no turnout so we do hand walks or if there’s a sliver of grass, we will graze there. I hear what you’re saying, for sure i think this horse would be happier on the east coast, but I can’t convince my husband to move unfortunately.
LOVE this thread!! I’ve read all 27 pages 😆
Is 120mg too much Nexium to give an 1175lb horse?
I started my 12 years old OTTB on 60mg this week without much improvement (still crabby when groomed, girthy, anxious, inattentive, not cleaning up his hay) then he was accidentally dosed with 120mg (AM/PM feeding miscommunication) which seemed to make a much bigger impact (cleaned up his hay, ok when groomed, better attention).
Nah. Some people use much larger doses. Just be aware of the possible hind gut side effects, and taper carefully when you’re done. 
Great thread - I read all 28 pages. I have a sweet quarter horse gelding that has Uveitis, which is treated with large doses of banamine…and we live in the high desert, which has wild weather swings…and hegets ulcers. I haven’t had him scoped, but he responds to omeprazole treatment. We are having a big change I weather and he recently had a bad eye flare, I want to remove the eye, but my vet wasn’t on board ( is now - next flare up is removing it) so I read this after just ordering $800 worth of Ulcergard. Gave him 3 Nexium today about 11am. At 5pm he was a back to h8mself…eating all his supplements and playing with my yearling! So we will do this for a month… wish I saw this earlier!! Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge 😘
Yay, glad you’ve seen such a prompt response, @trailtrottin! Very sorry to hear of your struggles with uveitis (And all that $$$ spent on ulcergard, ouch!!)
My guy has a better appetite now and is more amenable to grooming but his working behavior is still terrible. I’ve only been lunging him the last week and recently he’s been refusing to even WALK to the right, to the point that he rears, strikes out and grabs the lung line in his mouth and tosses his head.
Ive heard that resistance to the right (in this case refusal) is a sign of hindgut ulcers. Is this right?
There are just so many things that can cause resistance. Joint pain or neuro neck issues would be my first look. Sounds like a comprehensive lameness exam is in order.
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He saw the vet chiro two weeks ago and she did a soundness check at the same time: sound with some right hind arthritis but not severe enough to impede light work. He’s on Acti-flex for the arthritis and has been on it for over a year.
So he’s not had a full blown lameness and neuro exam recently? That’s really where I’d start. Feed through joint supplements are also not very effective.
If you’re concerned about hind gut ulcers, ranitidine would be a better choice than a PPI. You can overlap them and then taper the nexium.
I emailed my vet about getting an exam. In the meantime I’ll order ranitidine powder. I’ve heard good things about Equishure as a stomach supplement so I might put him on that.
Interesting and encouraging thread! What would be the ideal taper if you do were to begin the treatment with 80mg? 80mg as extra insurance that at least 2 capsules made it into the hindgut without getting crunched.
PPIs don’t act in the hind gut. If you’re dealing with hind gut ulcers, you’ll want to use something else, like ranitidine, or equishure, or succeed.
Fwiw… I got an entire prescriptions worth of misoprostol at CVS with their gold RX program when my mare had hindgut ulcers for 60 bucks.
I understand that but I’m under the impression that the capsules have to make to the hindgut to be properly absorbed. Isn’t that correct? That’s why you’re recommending giving 3 instead of 2, in case one gets “crunched”.
I’m treating gastric ulcers. So, in that case if I want to taper from 80mg, what would be the proper schedule?
Thanks!
They have to make it past the acidic environment of the stomach. That is not the hind gut.
Just add another week on to the taper if you’d like to use a higher dose.
