I’m starting my horse on omeprazole this weekend and I just want to make I’m administering it correctly. I know it needs to be fed on an empty stomach, so how long before and after administering it should he not eat? I feed hay around 6:30 am and then I feed hay again around 12/1 pm, but if I see in between that time he’s run of hay I’ll throw another flake.
When I was treating my horse for ulcers the vet said at night, only feed enough hay to last him until about 10 pm. In the morning, give the omeprazole, wait 30 minutes before feeding anything, feed hay, and then 15-30 minutes after that, grain.
And there is nothing sadder or more outraged than a horse who only gets a tube of Gastrogard when everyone around him is getting grain and hay. 
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My vet recently told me that gastrogard can be given any time, not necessarily on an empty stomach. Sucralfate, on the other hand, needs to be fed an hour away from meals or other meds.
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We fasted at night after about midnight. Gastro at 5, sucralfate at 6, grain at 7 if memory serves.
Thank you for the replies! The only thing is that my horse goes out at night on grass. If I administer it during the day how long should I wait before throwing more hay? I was going to wait until he finished his morning hay, but I’m just not sure how long I should withhold more hay after that. I feel bad withholding hay, but I want the omeprazole to work.
My horses are out 24/7. I give the gastrogard either midday so a few hours between meals (when they are getting sucralfate an hour after meals) or at night check when I throw more hay.
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I was thinking midday might be easiest for me to administer it. I usually feed lunch around 12 pm and around 9 am he’s finished his am hay and I’ll throw him another flake to hold him over until lunch, so I was thinking I’ll not throw him the extra flake at 9 and then around 11 give him the omeprazole and then feed his normal lunch hay at 12. Does that sound right? Is that enough time for the stomach to empty itself before dosing him?
