Supplement to support an ulcery horse and who just had impaction surgery

[HorseBuff]

My mare (Friesian cross) just had 2 colon implications (large and small) and needed surgery to remove them. She is also very ulcer prone. She’s on omeprazole and sulcrufate now (for 10 days from our release date).

What we were on for “prevention” - SmartGI Ultra, GutX (2 pumps per day).
I don’t think the GutX helped at all as she still would get ulcery.

The Smart GI Ultra seemed to help with ulcers but given it didn’t help with colic. I’m not sure I want to put her back on it. My previous mare also coliced while on Smart Digest and passed away after surgery from a twisted colon. So, not feeling the love for the SmartPak digestive products.

She also got FWS after trying Smartpak’s SmartLyte (electrolytes). Not sure if it was the product that messed up her hindgut or a coincidence. It got better when I went down to a half dose so that tells me something. She was on it because she has anhidrosis and wasn’t sweating enough. Anyway, back to topic!

Ideally would like a product that supports both ulcer prevention and hindgut support.

The Equine Hospital suggested Assure Guard/Plus. Our barn manager really likes MadBarn Visceral+ and has heard good things from those who have used it.

Other info in case it helps -
She gets Timothy hay throughout the day (fed 4x per day) hay nets in stall and ground when in turn out. Alfalfa makes her hot so that’s a no go. She has a run out for her stall. She is getting Poulin ETEC Balancer (vets love this for her), maintenance dose so about 3 cups split am/pm.

She also gets E/Selenium per her numbers and copper/zinc because we have a high iron count in our water.

[TWH_Girl]

Can you keep her on sucralfate long term? That’s probably the best option for ulcers. As for a colic prevention product, there really isn’t one. EquiShure is good product- and also TractGuard from Fox Den Equine is actually a good supplement at a reasonable price point. It’s hard to recommend products because it’s so dependent on what your horse responds to.

[IPEsq]

For the hind gut and FWS, look for a product that has butyric acid.

[joiedevie99]

Different circumstance, but my vet said the quality of the probiotics/prebiotics matters. She recommends three products: Platinum GI, Full Bucket, and Assure Guard Gold. I’m currently feeding the Full Bucket to mine because it worked out the cheapest of those 3 with his other supplements.

[NaturallyHappy]

Would Succeed be an option??

[HorseBuff]

I looked at Platium Performance but it has too much molasses. I’ll check out the other two.

[HorseBuff]

I haven’t read great things about Suceed. One if the old posts here had some responses about it. I don’t recall exactly what they were but I crossed it off my list.

[HorseBuff]

The Assure guard is one the emergency hospital recommended. The gold combines it with the plus I believe. The plus is basically psyllium.

[TWH_Girl]

@IPEsq

For the hind gut and FWS, look for a product that has butyric acid.

TractGuard has butyric acid and is a palatable pellet. Really surprised no one ever recommends Fox Den stuff- besides Quiessence- as I’ve found them to be pretty good.

TractGard®

[amottb17]

I’ve had my mare on the Assure Guard Gold for the past year and a half - prior to starting it she had colicked badly about 17 times in the span of a year with 3 severe enough to require hospital visits. I will never take her off of it. She still had a couple very minor colics in the beginning and one emergency hospital visit last July (unrelated to ulcers) but has not colicked or shown any ulcer symptoms since then. This is the longest we have ever gone without a colic since I purchased her at 3 years old (she is about to turn 7). She had ulcers twice in those early years prior to starting her on the AGG but has not developed them since starting it. I had tried her on GastroElm and Platinum GI prior and neither did anything to prevent her colics or from developing ulcers.

Lots of success stories like mine - it is so expensive but is the one supplement I have her on that is worth the price 100x over. Plus their colic care program was the only one I found that would accept my mare with of her extensive colic/ulcer history - if that is something helpful to you.

My nutritionist loves the AGG but also highly recommends Protek GI or Protek HG - research backed and developed by Dr. Ben Sykes who is the world leading expert on EGUS. So that is definitely worth checking out and asking your vet about as well.

I have never tried the Visceral+ but have my girl on a couple other MadBarn products and love them!

Jingles for your girl!

[SW.IndyRider]

Relyne GI is definitely worth checking out, they have their study posted online to review. The results were impressive enough for me to use it.

Best wishes!