Looking for something to soothe the stomach and help prevent ulcers (along with management practices of course). Picky eater, so if it doesn’t come in pellets it must taste good. And no probiotics because he’s already on hindgut supplement that contains them. Your recommendations please?
SmartGut includes probiotics and something for the hind gut so you may want to discount it, but I have been very happy with it and my picky eater eats it.
I used the U7 liquid for a while- I thought it helped, and my picky eater loved it.
I also used Uckele’s G.U.T. recently- just for a short time before I stopped it to try a course of ranitidine, so I can’t comment on how well it works. I can say that my picky eater had no issues with it.
I haven’t used SmartGut, but per my vet some company-sponsored research on the SmartGut Ultra indicates that it helps protect the stomach after omeprazole healed the ulcers. I haven’t looked into that yet.
I use Uckele’s G.U.T. powder for my horse, whose mld ulcers are from Cushings. He’s been eating it with no problem mixed in his dampened TC Sr. feed. It’s a fine powder and smells like hot chocolate/marshmallow mix. The ingredients are mostly herbals used for soothing the stomach.
https://www.smartpakequine.com/ps/gut-177
Oops. I see it contains probiotics as well.
RiteTrac
Forco
Thanks everyone, keep 'em coming. I think what I want to do is use something to simply buffer stomach acid at mealtimes, plus try an herbal (like U-7) as well. Has anyone found a way to hide the taste or chalkiness of Tums? I was thinking maybe crush them & mix them with some ground flax (like HorseTech’s) maybe with a little maple syrup? But I’m open to easier or more proven suggestions. I don’t have access to a fridge so can’t do apple sauce or baby food.
I have a super picky eater that was so skinny when I bought her, she looked like a resume. It turned out, she had very little appetite. I tried everything, including 6 months of ulcerguard. Aside from all of her other many eating quirks, what turned the corner for her was switching her free choice to alfalfa, and the U7. I just use my body builder syringe and squirt it in her mouth 2x per day, as she would rather not eat than have anything mixed with her food. It has made a difference in her appetite, if we weren’t headed into show season I would put her on a diet!
[QUOTE=retrofit;8152947]
I think what I want to do is use something to simply buffer stomach acid at mealtimes, plus try an herbal (like U-7) as well. [/QUOTE]
The problem with this approach is that unlike people, horses produce acid 24/7, not just at “meal times”.
If you’re not dealing with active ulcers, the best preventive is feeding alfalfa and/or most grass hays (the exception being coastal Bermuda) and having them available all of the time as long as the horse is not overweight. An empty equine stomach is a prescription for ulcers.
Tums, U7 (I know this product also contains herbs) and other antacids are only effective for a couple of hours. They also trigger the production of even more acid by raising the pH in the stomach. So unless you can give the antacid every few hours, everyday, you could make the situation worse. Antacids can be appropriate before working the horse. Alternatively, some people feed a pound or so of soaked alfalfa pellets or cubes before riding or trailering if the horse likes them.
Why is coastal hay the exception, rcloisonne?
It is the only available hay where I am, along with alfalfa.
Coastal bermuda hay is very fine-stemmed and can be a factor in impaction colic.
Hi rcloisonne, I agree about acid production 24/7 & using an antacid. I oversimplified for the sake of clarity. Basically there are 2 or 3 times/day when a buffer would be helpful. The rest of the time he has access either to grass or hay. Also I avoid alfalfa because he’s an easy keeper and managing his weight is a challenge he. (Not metabolic, just an easy keeper.)
Hope this helps.
maybe look into Bio Sponge as well. It’s by errrrr…I forget.
I use it thought.
major brain fart.
[QUOTE=purplnurpl;8153228]
maybe look into Bio Sponge as well. It’s by errrrr…I forget.
I use it thought.
major brain fart.[/QUOTE]
It’s by Platinum Performance, by is not an ulcer product.It’s most commonly used for colitis and is thought to help absorb toxins in the gut/ prevent endotoxemia.
U-7 is nothing like Tums. It’s got slippery elm and licorice along with many other things. We gave it only on days that horse was going to work, and gave it an hour or so before. He’s very ulcer prone, and didn’t show his ulcer signs with this protocol. Otherwise, free choice hay, 24/7 turnout, and one grain feeding. Finish Line funded a study by a vet at Oklahoma State vet school and published the results on its website. The study population was young TBs who were just entering race training whose lifestyle had undergone radical change.
I suggest that you might go to the website and read the study.
Hi Viney, I already read the study. Many supplement companies have similar studies. (U-Gard & SmartGut have small-scale studies associated with them too.) I know U-7 has been around a long time and it’s widely used. I wish it came in a pelleted format though. My horse doesn’t tend to eat powder supplements and since he hardly gets any grain liquids just pour through too. Don’t mean to be a nay-sayer, it’s just a challenge!
I have had good luck with my OTTB on U Gard. Right now he’s on the powder (it smells SOOOOO good. Cherry, maybe?) however it sticks to his feed dish, so I think when he finishes this container, I’m switching to the pellets. It seems to do very good for him. He actually only gets it once a day (recommendation of twice a day) and it seems to keep his tummy soothed, but not overdone to where he gets the kickback effect in between dosing. He also gets free-choice hay which I believe is the first defense against ulcers and soothing the tummy.
[QUOTE=retrofit;8154064]
Hi Viney, I already read the study. Many supplement companies have similar studies. (U-Gard & SmartGut have small-scale studies associated with them too.) I know U-7 has been around a long time and it’s widely used. I wish it came in a pelleted format though. My horse doesn’t tend to eat powder supplements and since he hardly gets any grain liquids just pour through too. Don’t mean to be a nay-sayer, it’s just a challenge![/QUOTE]
My vet recommended U7 for my mare who internalizes life. The vet learned about it from an old time trainer. Well worth a try.It comes in both liquid which is very very thick, and a powder. I squirt the liquid on some well soaked alfalfa cubes. She gobbles it down. Alfalfa cubes are good for the stomach just like alfalfa hay and pellets.
According to the website it contains “Cinnamon, Cabbage, Aloe, Carrot, Slippery Elm, Ascorbic Acid, MSM, and Licorice”. No acid blockers etc.
The mare is also an IR animal who will founder if she’s given too much hay. Free choice hay is nice but some animals cannot handle it.
