Got sucralfate for ulcery horse and have Qs:
How long to take effect? Vet says 2 weeks but I read 2-8 weeks for full benefit. Would I know in a week if it was worth pursuing? How often do people go past 2 weeks?
Timing: Ideally I need to give either 30 minutes before or two hours after meals. If she has hay at 4pm and eats it on and off til I get there is 6pm too soon for the sucralfate?
I would say give it 2 weeks minimum. Sucralfate binds with stomach acid to create a paste that works like a “bandaid” over ulcerations. Empty stomach is ideal for this, or as close as you can get. Typically I’ll try to pull feed for 30 minutes or so before giving Sucralfate.
My vets have not had me worry so much about pulling food, but it is important to try to avoid giving it too closely with any other medication, as it could cause the other medication to be less effective.
When I first started using it, horse had already been on Gastrogard for over a month. I’d say within a week of adding Sucralfate 2x a day (with the Gastrogard dose given in the middle of the day), he started to get a lot less spooky, which to me was a sign he was feeling better. I was finally able to wean off the Gastrogard. The vet recommended giving that dose for a month or two then trying to reduce to 1x a day for another month before taking him off. Because he responds so well to it, I will also give it as kind of a one-off as well if he doesn’t have any other reason to be on it, where you’d normally give Ulcergard as a preventative.
All that said, I had tried it for another horse with no noticeable change at all.
My experience:
2 days to start eating like it was her job, about 3 months before I could pull her off it entirely and use it just for stressful situations
My horse had hay in front of her 24/7. She got dosed first thing in the morning and in the evening before she worked. She got her “hard feed” after she worked. Hard feed = ration balancer/alfalfa/supplements soup.
I saw results pretty quickly (maybe a week?) and used it for a long period of time with a mare who did not respond to anything else. Honestly I did not obsess over the timing. It seemed to help even when given close to a meal.
Unless you’ve scoped the horse to see exactly what’s going on, I’d give the full 8 week course of treatment. This will increase the chances of the ulcers healing fully, rather than just becoming less irritated. I never worry much about feeding it before hay, but I do try for 30 min before grain, etc.
Thanks all - v helpful!
Follow on questions: can it be ground the night before to be given in the morning? I’ve read grinding it helps.
Can it be mixed with molasses or anything wet in advance too?
I’ve mostly used the pre-mixed suspension (because I’m lazy and short of time), so I’m going to go ahead and say that if it’s available already suspended in liquid, it should be ok to crush and mix ahead of time.
They dissolve very quickly in water. Or you can grind them up.
is it OK to grind/dissolve them at night for the morning feed, mixed with molasses or whatever it takes to make them yummy? The barn guys can’t grind or mix much up on the spot.
@sascha I wish i had the suspension! but I have big old tablets. And there’s maybe a preservative in the suspension or another means of preventing it going… off…?
My horse lives on sucralfate. I buy it as a compounded powder because its easier (but more expensive). I add it to his grain am and pm, a small amount of water is added at feeding to bind it to his pellets. I am sure there is a more effective way to give it as a treatment but for daily use its the only thing I can do practically.
I fed it to my horse with a handful of grain/treats.
I use to grind and add apple sauce.
I don’t think they have much taste (my horse would tell me if they did), so you could give it with whatever it would stick to.
Yes, was going to say this. I add the whole tabs to a large syringe, cover with water, let sit for 5 minutes, then shake vigorously. Administer in the side of the mouth and good to go. It doesn’t taste bad, so it’s easy to give.
Awesome. I ground them up and threw in an handful of rice bran pellets + molasses and she ate them fine. 
When my boy was diagnosed with ulcers (via scope) the vet only gave us like 10 days of sucralfate to work in conjunction with 6 weeks of ulcergard. They said sucralfate is a bandaid but won’t heal it. It kind of covers the stomach so that it temporarily prevents irritation. You should absolutely not give it near other medications. I tried to give mine at a time when my horse naturally wasn’t eating much. I noticed a response in a matter of like 2 days! It was amazing. I also noticed return of symptoms immediately when our 10 days was over and I got 10 more days of meds. I genuinely think that stuff really make them noticeably more comfortable. Especially if you have obvious symptoms. Good luck!
At the barn where I work we’ve had 2 horses on it for months now. They get 10 pills am and pm dissolved in a dose syringe. The horses don’t mind it so it must not taste too bad and their owner swears they feel much better under saddle since they started on the Sucralfate. They also eat better. They have had no other treatment or medicine. I know, I didn’t think Sucralfate worked as a treatment either. But it sure seems to work. And we don’t worry about giving it at any particular time or on an empty stomach.
My understanding is that nothing heals ulcers except the body itself. The treatments we give them create a good environment for healing – Omeprazole by inhibiting the acid “pump” in the stomach, Sucralfate by being a “band-aid” for the stomach lining. Of course, my understanding could be wrong, but that’s what I’ve been told.
@Xanthoria, are you doing this in addition to UlcerGard/GastroGard, or by itself? Did you have hindgut ulcers diagnosed with a fecal?
(Trying to learn more about Sucralfate)
By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You may also receive promotional emails from The Chronicle of the Horse. You can opt out at any time.
For Customers
Company
Terms of Use
