Has anyone had a horse start bucking because of ulcers

[luckycricket123]

Sorry if I sound like an ignoramus, but I have very little experience with ulcers. When they are home my horses live out and have access to free choice hay, so they are pretty low risk. We recently went on an overnight trip with my horse where he was stalled for 3 days. I noticed he was eating about half as much hay as he normally would, and he seemed a bit overwhelmed at times by the activity in the barn. He started to get a little girthy, but I shrugged it off, thinking he was being a brat - he is very opinionated, and I was doing the girth up a little tighter than I would at home.

Now that we are home, he has been totally grumpy under saddle. When I ride him at the walk he is fine, but as soon as I ask for a trot he bucks. The first ride, he trotted a little then started bucking. Now as soon as I say his name to ask him to trot, he bucks. My first thought was saddle fit, and I have the fitter coming out to check, but as far as I can tell the saddle fit is good. He hasn’t palpated sore in his back, but he’s been going fairly normal on the lunge.

I am thinking about kissing spines, but I can’t understand why that would suddenly present itself as an issue after this trip.

I sent an email to my vet, but I thought I’d post here as well. What do we think? Saddle fit? Ulcers? Kissing spines? Something else I haven’t thought of?

[DancingArabian]

When my horse had ulcers, anytime I used leg, he would get FUSSY. Crow hop (never a full buck), kick out, tail swish, etc. He eventually flat out refused to move forward.

[luckycricket123]

@DancingArabian

When my horse had ulcers, anytime I used leg, he would get FUSSY. Crow hop (never a full buck), kick out, tail swish, etc. He eventually flat out refused to move forward.

Thanks! How did you treat if you don’t mind me asking? GastroGard?

[DancingArabian]

@luckycricket123

Thanks! How did you treat if you don’t mind me asking? GastroGard?

Ranitidine. I was concerned that scoping would cause him more discomfort since it required an extensive period of fasting, and going without food was what caused it in the first place. I wanted to do something for him immediately, so I went the ranitidine route. I found a video on YouTube about how to palpate for ulcers (because of course, I came to my conclusion on a Friday night), palpated according to the video and videod myself doing it. Vet came out a few days later, showed the vet the video, discussed symptoms, vet said to keep doing what I was doing if I did not want to scope.

Bought the generic version from Sam’s Club. 20 pills 3x/day, symptoms improved in under a week, but I kept him on it for a full calendar month, then dialed it back over time. I forgot the dosing calculations but 20 pills worked out to be for 1000 pounds of horse, and I was probably ‘overdosing’ him by weight but I figured giving ‘too many’ in this case would be better than not enough. I got lucky.

[OneTwoMany]

Whenever we suspect ulcers, we give a week’s dosing of UG/GG. If horse improves, we know we are on the right track. Scoping costs more than a full month’s treatment of UG/GG in our area, so we simply treat for a week and go from there.

Ulcerguard and Gastroguard contain the same product made by the same manufacturer. GG requires a prescription, UG doesn’t. The dosing is different.

Valley Vet has UG for sale at $30.00 a tube and Merial is currently offering a $5.00 per tube rebate on their website.

[bugsynskeeter]

@OneTwoMany

Whenever we suspect ulcers, we give a week’s dosing of UG/GG. If horse improves, we know we are on the right track. Scoping costs more than a full month’s treatment of UG/GG in our area, so we simply treat for a week and go from there.

Ulcerguard and Gastroguard contain the same product made by the same manufacturer. GG requires a prescription, UG doesn’t. The dosing is different.

Valley Vet has UG for sale at $30.00 a tube and Merial is currently offering a $5.00 per tube rebate on their website.

$5 when you buy from a vet. $2 when you purchase from a retailer.

UG dosing is different because it is labelled for prevention.

[eclipse]

My horse has ulcers and delayed gastric emptying caused by pyloric ulcers and all diagnosed via scoping… when his ulcers are bothering him he gets bucky! A bucking bronco… he lives on 10cc of omeprazole and when his ulcers are really acting up he’s on a full dose for a week and then taper back down.Gastrogaed (ulcerguard) is used for multi day shows where the stressors are greatest!

[eclipse]

@bugsynskeeter

$5 when you buy from a vet. $2 when you purchase from a retailer.

UG dosing is different because it is labelled for prevention.

UG is the exact same medication (per my vet) you just dose it differently

[Taza]

Ulcers can cause all sorts of problem behaviors, including bucking. As OneTwoMany said, I just treat for a few days when I suspect ulcers because it is cheaper than scoping. If they improve, I continue, if not I look for another reason. A number of people are having success using Nexium (esomeprazole) which is in the same family as GastroGard (omeprazole) but stronger and cheaper. This thread has lots more information https://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/forum/discussion-forums/horse-care/9650940-esomeprazole-nexium-for-equine-ulcers

[luckycricket123]

@Taza

Ulcers can cause all sorts of problem behaviors, including bucking. As OneTwoMany said, I just treat for a few days when I suspect ulcers because it is cheaper than scoping. If they improve, I continue, if not I look for another reason. A number of people are having success using Nexium (esomeprazole) which is in the same family as GastroGard (omeprazole) but stronger and cheaper. This thread has lots more information https://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/forum/discussion-forums/horse-care/9650940-esomeprazole-nexium-for-equine-ulcers

Thank you! I had seen that thread and I was thinking I should give it a try.

[IPEsq]

If you buy GG/UG from a pharmacy retailer like Valley Vet, you still get the $5 rebate

[OneTwoMany]

@bugsynskeeter

$5 when you buy from a vet. $2 when you purchase from a retailer. UG dosing is different because it is labelled for prevention.

I’m sure Merial changes their promotions from time to time, but I just got $5 back per tube on a purchase of UG from Valley Vet.

[bugsynskeeter]

@IPEsq

If you buy GG/UG from a pharmacy retailer like Valley Vet, you still get the $5 rebate

Oh interesting - I wasn’t aware of that. Thanks!

[Taza]

@OneTwoMany

I’m sure Merial changes their promotions from time to time, but I just got $5 back per tube on a purchase of UG from Valley Vet.

Where did you find that? I’m still seeing the $2 rebate and I have a bunch to send in. http://merialequinerebates.com/ulcergard-gastrogard/

[OneTwoMany]

@Taza

Where did you find that? I’m still seeing the $2 rebate and I have a bunch to send in. http://merialequinerebates.com/ulcergard-gastrogard/

Visit max.merial.com. It states rebate is $2.00 or higher depending on the offer. When I submitted my rebates a few days ago, I got $5.00 per tube of UG.

[eclipse]

Does anyone know why the rebate doesn’t work for Canadians? I can’t get an answer
from Merial, I paid in US $ and had it shipped to a US address but it was billed to my Canadian Visa. Sob it was a LOT of $$$$ I was hoping to be rebated I was gutted

[Taza]

@OneTwoMany

Visit max.merial.com. It states rebate is $2.00 or higher depending on the offer. When I submitted my rebates a few days ago, I got $5.00 per tube of UG.

Hmmm. So you have to do it from your phone. Thanks!

[LookmaNohands]

GUT from Uckele worked well for my older horse. About 10 bucks a tube I think.

[IPEsq]

I’ve ordered over the past couple of years from Valley Vet, Santa Cruz Animal Health, Riding Warehouse, and possibly Farmvet based on who had the best price at the time or a coupon code. Riding Warehouse was $2 back per tube. The others were $4 (old amount) or $5 (new amount) when I submitted the rebate request.

[OneTwoMany]

@Taza

Hmmm. So you have to do it from your phone. Thanks!

I submitted the info from my desktop.