Hello I am messaging you in regards to your experience with Gastroguard/Nexium/Ulcers.
I have an ulcer prone Gelding (15yr old WB, was dressage turned jumper at 11 when I got him). I think he has always had a history of ulcers but last year was the first that I looked into scoping/treating as some of the more typical signs (going off grain/picky eater/skinner) were NOT him. He LOVES his food, is a good weight, if anything in spring tends to get a bit to pudgy. However, he does get girthy, grinds teeth if nervous under saddle, and is spooky at sounds.
Last May I took him to get scoped and found grade 3 ulcers. Did treatment with GG 4 weeks full tube; three weeks half a tub (where two of those weeks he was showing and one week back home). He had much better behavior on that treatment. During summer we show so next time away gave 1/2 tub of GG for the week before travel, two weeks while away and 1 week back home.
Scoped again in the fall because we were at the clinic to get hock injections and wanted to see comparison and he was improved by still was mild grade 2 ulcers. Treatment was 3 weeks GG full tube and 2 weeks half a tub. I didn’t see as big of a difference that time in GG behavior but he wasn’t really that bad going in (ie not grinding anymore but still noise sensitive)
Finally just had him scoped last week (we live in Canada and don’t show over winter so he hasn’t been doing much for last 6 months), and this time very mild grade 1 ulcers but hindgut had some, which we hadn’t seen before. Vet wasn’t sure if perhaps the on/off of the GG might have been the cause. This was a scope that was free as boehringer was sponsoring, which was a bonus. Still had to pay for the Gastroguard and sucralfate, full month gastroguard and full month sucralfate.
They did not mention tapering this time, but not sure if they just forgot to add it in and there were more people around (the sponsors and some techs learning the scope) so I didn’t think of at the time. So he will be on the gastroguard and sucralfate until May 6th based on the amount they have provided currently.
While I KNOW my horse needs something as he really does have a noticeable difference, if Nexium is similar and at a fraction of the cost I am wondering if I could use the Nexium during that show time and tapering time?? I think you used some GG and Nexium combination based on your posts. Any thoughts or comments that you could share? I am conservative and want the best for my horse, so am afraid to risk trying but honestly another 6 weeks of GG treatment + day show items and I am torn.
Not to add to novel but we did make changes in grain - reduced grain/increased beet pulp/ added alfafa cubes before rides…and going from grade 3 to a soft grade 1 was a good year over year change so looking to keep it going in that direction…
