Ulcers - AbPrazole? Omeprazole? Others? Desperate!

[Brtripp]

Greetings all!

I am looking for some advice regarding my horses ulcers. We have recently made some changes and I need help with what to do next.

My horse is a retired senior horse, with CHRONIC ulcers. He also has DSLD (Sinking Fetlocks) and arthritis. As a result, he is on previcox daily (1/2 tab) daily.

We are currently treating with Omeprazole (generic paste from the vet) AGAIN. He is responding great - back to normal grazing self, gaining weight back slowly.

heres the issue — this is the third time we have done a 30 day treatment of omeprazole through the vet. Cheaper than ulcer/gastro guard, but still VERY expensive! He relapses because of the previcox — We need something that he can STAY on the rest of his life (he doesn’t have a lot longer here) to keep ulcers at bay.

I was using a powder omeprazole (compounded), but he got his last bout of ulcers while on treatment doses on that - so it isn’t effective (probably not buffered right).

Has anyone had a CHRONIC horse that had good success with abprazole plus? I’m so scared to try that, and have it not work. But am so desperate for my guy.

I can treat him on a maintenance dose of the omeprazole from the vet (which we KNOW works) 3 days a week (thats all i can afford) after we treat him for the 30 days. OR I can do the abprazole and we can do it daily.

Thoughts? Suggestions on Meds?

some other info – we were feeding patriot senior, with a fat pellet from patriot as well. We are in the process of switching to grain free Triple Crown Senior. he has unlimited access to hay, and can come in and out of his stall as he pleases (leads right to his pasture). We do lock him in at night due to coyotes, but he comes in on his own anyways. I asked the vet about Ranitidine - she said this works the same as omeprazole, not cheaper, since we know them omep works, stick with it.

We are SO desperate for a plan after we treat him — Cost is an issue for sure, but i want to do what i can for him within my budget.

Please advise!

[atlatl]

Sorry, I don’t have a specific solution but perhaps your vet can call wherever she went to school or do some research and see if there is any new news on that front.

That said, I have had one of my horses on SmartPak’s Smart Gut ultra after treating him for what we suspected was an ulcer. It is supposed to help protect against acid rebound when going off an acid suppressor It’s around $2 a day, but so far so good.

[Obsidian_Fire]

Lots of threads out here regarding ulcers. I’ve been thru it myself, several times.

Why does your vet think ranitidine would be the same cost as omeprazole? I buy it at Costco, and it doesn’t cost even as much as the generic omeprazole.

I had good luck using Abler’s “blue pop rocks”, but have not used their paste.

Is your boy on any alfalfa? It can make a huge difference.

Magnesium can also help.

The last time I had to give mine bute for an extended period, he showed no symptoms of recurring ulcers, which thrilled me to no end.

This is his diet: Free choice grass hay, 1 large flake alfalfa per day (1/2 in the morning, half at night). ‘Special Blend Pellet’ from Haystack (it’s beet pulp, timothy, alfalfa, flax, rice bran, canola oil, no binders, etc.) soaked in water to make a mash. Triple Crown Senior.

Supplements are SmartDigest Ultra, hoof supp, psyllium, magnesium, MSM, salt, Vit E/Selenium, vitamins, Brewers Yeast.

One thing I keep him on for ulcers is the psyllium. This was suggested to me last winter by my vet when he checked out with hind gut ulcers.

Think of how metamucil is when you get it wet - it forms a gel, which coats the intestines. So I have kept him on it, for whatever benefit I get out of it.

He gets mash partly because of the hind gut issue and partly he is a senior horse with bad teeth and does not chew his hay as efficiently as he should. My opinion is that the mash has helped enormously with his stomach issues, regardless of his teeth!

Calcium & Magnesium are your friends. Psyllium won’t hurt and probably helps. Ranitidine is not that expensive (altho I don’t know what you’re paying for your vet’s version of omeprazole).

Since he is retired, is there some other reason you are so worried about his ulcers? (not minimizing it, I’ve been thru it).

Cost-wise, I would feed him alfalfa and get some magnesium for him. Make sure he gets the Previcox on a full tummy (just like a human taking Advil).

Beyond that I am not sure I’d worry so much unless there was something else going on?

[SuckerForHorses]

My horse is a retired senior horse, with CHRONIC ulcers. He also has DSLD (Sinking Fetlocks) and arthritis. As a result, he is on previcox daily (1/2 tab) daily.

Chronic pain can cause ulcers as well. Perhaps his discomfort from the DSLD and arthritis are what’s causing the ulcer flareups. Adding Previcox, while “safer” than bute, could also be a contributing factor.

I was in your shoes exactly. 23 year old arab mare, retired, with hock arthritis. I couldn’t give her Previcox because, ulcer flareup. Hock injections were not affordable and didn’t last long.

I was treating her symptoms by giving her ranitidine twice a day (which is cheaper than omeprazole), but when I stopped, her symptoms would come back. They were worse in the winter when it was cold - arthritis + cold = miserable horse.

I have a few threads on here if you want to search.

I had plans to euthanize her this fall (October 2015). However, last summer, around October, she went off feed, and normally, did not go off feed until December/January.

I had her put down on October 24th.

I had to decide if her quality of life was enough to keep her around and treat her symptoms. It wasn’t. She was miserable.

[bellaalexander]

U shield

Hi, I have had great luck with the U shield.
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[nu2u]

Yes I hate to say it but I would bet that it is his chronic pain that is causing the ulcers and it may be getting close to that time when you have tried all but one option to make him comfortable…

[Brtripp]

thanks for all the input - Why are we worried about the ulcers even though hes retired? Because he loses weight FAST, goes off feed, etc. Hes not a happy guy!

I know his time is coming to an end in the near-ish future. BUT, when the ulcers are under control, hes a happy guy who spends about 14 hours a day outside grazing and enjoying his retirement. He deserves that. What that means is i’ve got to keep these ulcers under control, in a cost effective manner.

He is also on SmartGut Ultra, but were switching to every other day as it doesn’t seem to be helpful.

The previcox seems to keep his pain at bay - I’m sure hes still somewhat in pain, but hes able to walk around, graze, lay down, get up etc. as long as hes on the previcox. I’m sure that the medication is causing the ulcers – but he needs the medication to live, can’t live with ulcers either. double edge sword.

i guess im looking for feedback on the abprazole - best to do that? any great results from chronic cases? Or should I just do the omep from the vet that we know works, just a couple times a week at maintenance dose? I want him happy and comfortable as long as I can. My turn to take care of him!

[SuckerForHorses]

He is also on SmartGut Ultra, but were switching to every other day as it doesn’t seem to be helpful.

If it’s not seemingly helpful at an every-day administration, why are you going to every other day? Just stop wasting your money if it’s not working and put that money towards pharmaceuticals.

I used the Abler granules on my mare that I mentioned above. It definitely did take her symptoms away. I found that the cost of those was about the same as administering ranitidine daily, and the ranitidine is much easier to get - just go to Walmart.

If you’re looking for the most cost effective way to keep his ulcers at bay I would use ranitidine.

[stryder]

[QUOTE=SuckerForHorses;8287118]

If you’re looking for the most cost effective way to keep his ulcers at bay I would use ranitidine.[/QUOTE]

If you’re able to administer it at least 2x/day. It’s supposed to be give 3x/day, but I’ve had good results with 2x.

Omeprazole is 1x/day.

[cswoodlandfairy]

We have some horses at the barn with chronic or show related ulcer issues. We switched our horses to ADR Powder for the hindgut and Triple Crown Gastrotech for upper gut and it has done wonders for the horses. Their tell tail signs for us to know when they have ulcers are gone, happier, gaining weight, and calmer. The ADR powder can come in a paste or powder. My boy gets a scoop 2x right now due to showing, but will drop in the winter when we slow down. An older horse would scoot and boogie after each fence, vet said he thought it was due to the acid splashing on his ulcers. After a month on this stuff, issues gone and happier horse.

[bellboots]

I had a horse that had chronic ulcers. One sachet of the AbPrazole granules per day kept the ulcers down. I did a 30 day treatment for ulcers prior to the daily AbPrazole.

[ladipus]

I would not keep him on omeprazole long term…you will run into stomach acid rebound when you take him off…instead I would highly recommend putting him on Succeed Oral Paste Syringes-at least 30-60 days , along with either Finish lines U7 Gastric Aid or Nutracell Labs Ulcer Aide liquid for maintenance…Smart GI Ultra is also another good choice

have you ever done Sucralfate? Or Misoprostyl? They are also other good options to try and they treat hindgut…omeprazole only treats the foregut/stomach …I wiould offer alfalfa hay or a mix…in a nibblenet when stalled, and as much turnout as possible

ranitidine is a lot cheaper than omeprazole-it’s just more of a pain because it’s supposed to be given every 8 hours

[UNCeventer]

How much ranitidine do you give each feeding?

[joiedevie99]

I would put him on the abprazole for a treatment dose (per his weight), then one packet daily forever. If you order a big pack, it’s very economical.

Yes - there are risks to long-term administration of omeprazole - but the reality for many of our beloved oldsters is that their days are already numbered. Once they are up there in age, especially with another chronic condition - I’d rather give them the bute/omeprazole they need to be happy that day than worry about the future.

[SuckerForHorses]

[QUOTE=UNCeventer;8288476]
How much ranitidine do you give each feeding?[/QUOTE]

6.6 mg/kg

The dose is supposed to be every 8 hours but I have experienced excellent improvement with my mare getting it every 12 hours (with AM and PM feedings).

[Brtripp]

This is WONDERFUL! So, it worked for you?! that’s exactly what I would be doing. 30 days on the omep from the vet, then hoping to maintain forever on AbPrazole.

How long did you keep your horse on the Ab?

[Brtripp]

Agree - we are doing something forever. What are the risks to long-term administration? I imagine they can’t be worse than him relapsing.

Were really just trying to keep him happy and alive. Previcox for pain, something for stomach. Just want him to enjoy what he can.

[QUOTE=joiedevie99;8288506]
I would put him on the abprazole for a treatment dose (per his weight), then one packet daily forever. If you order a big pack, it’s very economical.

Yes - there are risks to long-term administration of omeprazole - but the reality for many of our beloved oldsters is that their days are already numbered. Once they are up there in age, especially with another chronic condition - I’d rather give them the bute/omeprazole they need to be happy that day than worry about the future.[/QUOTE]