Grade 1 Ulcer horse

[mariaandefe]

Hi,

My horse has grade 1 ulcers, and I have absolutely no clue on what I should feed him. He is a showjumper at 120-130 level and also a stallion. I would like some help on how much grain he is allowed, what type of grain? alfalfa? beet pulp? I know the whole low starch diet, but I also would like him to have energy needed to compete at this level as well as have all his hormones at normal level. He isn’t in work currently, and he has lost a lot of condition.

He is currently on omeprazole tablets
Thank you

[punchy]

I’m not a nutrition expert, but I’m pretty sure those who are will need a lot more info to advise you. What does the vet who scoped him suggest?

A stallion out of work IMO is an ulcer generating machine; did he develop them while off work or did he have them before?

[JB]

what kind of ulcers? Squamous (non-glandular, upper unlined portion of the stomach) ulcers are often caused by diet issues.

Glandular - lower, lined portion of the stomach - are often caused by stressful situations, not diet

After that, we need to know what you feed now - hay/grass, feed(s) and how much, supplement(s), turnout hours in what size field, breeding schedule (if any yet)

Omeprazole tablets - compounded for a horse, or OTC human? What does he weigh, how many gm of omeprazole is he getting? Omeprazole is good for squamous ulcers, but not glandular.

[mariaandefe]

He’s a very very calm boy, he had these ulcers before he didn’t develop them suddenly. The vet suggested Gastrogard, then omeprazole tablets. Which I am currently going through now, but I assume it’s not really working.

[mariaandefe]

He has non-glandular ulcers as the vet stated ‘hyperkeratosis on non-glandular mucosa near to margo plicatus’

He currently has meadow hay, and a flake of alfalfa hay. He currently eats Redmills oat balancer, which he shouldn’t be eating in the future (1.2kg daily as he’s out of work) I’m currently trying to transfer him to a feed for horses with muscle tying as it’s lower in starch (15% starch) so as of now he’s eating two types of feeds together. He has omega 3 oil supplement, an anti inflammatory supplement, and brewers yeast + probiotics. He looks bloated, so I’m sure nothing has worked, and I don’t think the probiotics are suited best to his problem. He gets no turnout as he has injured his suspensory and he has no breeding schedule as of now + i don’t plan to breed him for the foreseeable future

The tablets are human, he gets 28 daily which each tablet has 20mg of omeprazole
He’s an OTTB, so I’m not surprised I just don’t know how to help him as everything is so limited here.

So, looks like I’m doing everything wrong

Thanks you for your help!

[JB]

@mariaandefe

He currently eats Redmills oat balancer, which he shouldn’t be eating in the future (1.2kg daily as he’s out of work)

why shouldn’t he be eating that?

@mariaandefe

I’m currently trying to transfer him to a feed for horses with muscle tying as it’s lower in starch (15% starch)

“muscle tying” - ? Does he tie up? 15% starch is pretty high, is that the Oat Balancer, or the other feed (which is what)?

@mariaandefe

The tablets are human, he gets 28 daily which each tablet has 20mg of omeprazole

Treatment to equal a tube of Ulcer/Gastrogard, using OTC human pills, is 114 pills. And, it’s not likely it’s buffered properly to survive a horse’s stomach

@mariaandefe

The vet suggested Gastrogard, then omeprazole tablets. Which I am currently going through now, but I assume it’s not really working.

unlikely human OTC omeprazole will work

@mariaandefe

He’s an OTTB, so I’m not surprised I just don’t know how to help him as everything is so limited here.

where is “here”?

[Simkie]

@JB

And, it’s not likely it’s buffered properly to survive a horse’s stomach

I’ve never seen anything that indicates buffering for an equine stomach is any different than buffering for a human stomach. Can you please link that research? I’d be interested in reading it.

[mariaandefe]

The oat balancer is even higher in starch. He doesn’t actually have a problem with muscle tying, but it’s the lowest starch feed I can find here. (He’s in Turkey). All our feeds are around 20% starch and higher the middle range being 28%.
About the Gastrogard + Omeprazole tablets. I will start him on a 28 day course again of gastrogard.

Everything here is very limited, so I’m trying to make the best out of what we have.