Sufalcrate causing colic?

[Scribbler]

I put my horse on a 4 week Gastrogard treatment to see if that would change some pissy behavior. So far so good. I then started Sufalcrate to run concurrently because that seems like a good idea.

I started the Sulfacrate on day 5 of the Gastrogard. About 15 minutes later horse was showing colicky symptoms, looking at her side, lying down, not eating. Still pooping. She was perkier after an hour, fine by evening, happy the next day.

This isn’t a major side effect of Sufalcrate but I did see the comment on some guidelines site “if sufalcrate causes colic symptoms stop using it and talk to your vet.” I did text my vet and he thought it was unlikely to be the sufalcrate but I’m still stopping it.

One of my barn friends was saying she took Sufalcrate for her own ulcers and it can feel odd, your GI tract is all coated and you lose your appetite.

Anyhow, sufalcrate seemed on the face of it a simple, useful and unproblematic kind of medication. Has anyone else ever had a horse react badly to it?

[Amy3996]

When did you give the Sucralfate in relation to the GG?

I used GG, misoprostol, and Sucralfate in various combinations while treating my horse’s ulcers and never had an issue. He gets dosed with Sucralfate still before trailering.

GG takes a few doses to reach peak effectiveness, so I wonder if it was less the addition of Sucralfate and maybe more a reaction to the altered pH in his stomach?

[JB]

Weird, I’ve never heard this, but am following to see what others have to say about their experiences.

[FitToBeTied]

You shouldt feed sucralfate with other meds. Feed it an hour before or rwo hours after per mfg instructions.

[Warmblood1]

I wouldn’t expect an oral drug to cause issues within 15 minutes outside of an allergic reaction.

A side effect can be constipation leading to colic but that wouldn’t have been a possibility in 15 minutes.

While just seeing colic would be an unusual allergic response, it’s not impossible. Honestly not sure I’d give it again if the colic is indeed due to the sucralfate. Tough to know.

[Scribbler]

Yeah I dont know if it was colic per se but she was acting colicky. I don’t want to put her through that again. The Gastrogard appears to be working really well.

[ladipus]

I fed Sucralfate to my mare without any issues …we would dissolve in small amounts of warm water and syringe it orally 30 minutes prior to feeding …I’ve also given it to others over the years without any issues …but they’re all individual…you never know I guess …I do
Remember reading something saying it can cause constipation and possible colic