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Stomach Ulcers; Help me understand
Topic Started: Mar 6 2007, 11:42 AM (3,651 Views)
bellboots
Mama the Llama
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Just wanted to update everyone and also give a BIG thanks for all of the help.

We have been treating with Ranitidine 3x per day for 2 weeks now. I could tell a huge difference with the "don't touch me" attitude on the 3rd day, so we decided to continue the treatment as prescribed by the vet.

I have also changed his feed to Purina Senior, as I read somewhere that a senior feed was more easily digestible, and I make sure that he has hay in front of him all the time. He has always been on a daily wormer, and someone here suggested that it may help too.

So far, so good. I am still reading and trying to understand a daily supplement to use after the Ranitidine treatment is over. Crossing fingers that the Ranitidine will work, but if not I'm prepared to do Gastrogard or Ulcergard treatment.

For those of you that feed Ultium, does it make a horse hot? I only know of one person in my area who has fed it, and it drove her horse nuts!

Thanks again!
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seal harbor
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No - I'm feeding a three year old TB gelding Ultium and it doesn't make him hot.
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Anyplace Farm
Shunnnnn the unbeliever. Shunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.
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Ultium - Didn't make my or my BO's horse hot.
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YankeeTurnedHillbilly
Schooling
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Our new pony went PSYCHO on many grains I tried - but not on Ultium. She is actually more mellow now than she has been since we got her 4 months ago.

As far as Equine Senior, just be mindful that it has a lot of sugar in it - and sugar can flair up ulcers.

Glad to hear he seems better.
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Black Tack
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YankeeTurnedHillbilly
Mar 22 2007, 07:18 AM


As far as Equine Senior, just be mindful that it has a lot of sugar in it - and sugar can flair up ulcers. 


And that's the part that frosts me so much :pissed:

You figure something like that would not have sugar, and switch hoping you are doing the best for your horses. It's so hard to tell what has a high sugar content. You really have to phone the company, because even having the nutruitional breakdown and list of ingredients, it's still impossible to tell what percentage of sugar it is.

Anyway, sorry for the rant, and really happy to hear that your horse is looking better bellboots!

Mine seems quieter, after 9 days on Brooks (Kentucky Equine Research) Phase V. I really like the feed. But I'm still going to get him onto Omneprezole for a bit to see if that helps general demeanor.
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YankeeTurnedHillbilly
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Black Tack
Mar 22 2007, 10:37 AM
YankeeTurnedHillbilly
Mar 22 2007, 07:18 AM


As far as Equine Senior, just be mindful that it has a lot of sugar in it - and sugar can flair up ulcers. 


And that's the part that frosts me so much :pissed:

You figure something like that would not have sugar, and switch hoping you are doing the best for your horses. It's so hard to tell what has a high sugar content. You really have to phone the company, because even having the nutruitional breakdown and list of ingredients, it's still impossible to tell what percentage of sugar it is.

Anyway, sorry for the rant, and really happy to hear that your horse is looking better bellboots!

Mine seems quieter, after 9 days on Brooks (Kentucky Equine Research) Phase V. I really like the feed. But I'm still going to get him onto Omneprezole for a bit to see if that helps general demeanor.

I agree, it is frustrating....the sugar content of senior feeds also comes into question with so many older IR horses, cushings horses, etc.... <_<

Is hard to find what works best. Lord knows when we do - we stick with it!
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gunnar
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Ultium works well with my metabolic Ulcery boy! It does not make him hot.

How often are you givng the Rantinidine? From what I know you have to give multiple times day? Just curious as this is the problem with using Rant. or Cimit.

Glad to hear he is feeling better! :clap:
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Riverwalk
Schooling
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A few more tips I heard when I was going through this with my horse.

Feed lots of hay. If you can keep something in their stomach all day long to absorb acid, it reduces the risk of reinjury.

Feed hay on the ground. For some reason that I don't remember, feeding hay up high increases risk.

Feed oil. There is some clinical data that putting oil in their stomachs reduces risk. Plus, it's a cheap way to add calories, and my ulcer horses could always use a few extra pounds.

Be proactive. I don't want to mess around with another full-sized flare up, so I do the low dose omeprazole when I'm horse showing, or any other time that I'm messing with my horse's routine and worry that he may be stressed. So far, so good.

I don't really want to weigh in on the grain wars, but my horse, who went from fine to very sick and was back to normal with a round of gastrogard, eats a Nutrena senior feed. My sister's horse, who had much more serious and recurrent ulcers for a few years feeds her guy Nutrena XTN on the advice of several top vets. You'd have to look at the labels, but I think XTN and Ultium are fairly similar high fat/high fiber grains.
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bellboots
Mama the Llama
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I'm doing Ranitidine 3x per day. We are starting week 3 this weekend.

Unfortunately, I have been sick (& had a very sick child) for the past 8 days. I haven't been able to ride, but I felt like the time off would be a good stress reliever for him, too.

Since I rode last, his attitude has improved even more. He's still a bit grumpy when I put the saddle on, but I have to wonder if it's almost an automatice response, since he's been doing it for so long. It's nothing like it was - teeth grinding, head flinging, ears back, tail swishing - just an evil mess!

After switching to Equine Senior, I found out that it also had a lot of suger in it, but it's less than the sweet feed that he used to get. I"m talking to my BO about getting him on a low sugar feed - like Ultium. There is a cost difference, so I need to find out what she will do before I choose that particular feed. There are some others out there, but I've got to find out what's available in my area (which, btw is the middle of nowhere).

He is getting plenty of hay, fed on the ground. I will start him back on oil this weekend. He was on it until he decided to not eat when this started.

If all else fails, I'm prepared to do the Gastrogard treatment. But, I plan to make sure he gets Gastrogard before shows and shipping to help him more.

BUT, all of you have been so helpful with your shared information. I can't thank you enough!
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Addison
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Anyplace Farm please check your PMs.
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Anyplace Farm
Shunnnnn the unbeliever. Shunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.
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Addison -- got it. Thanks so much!!
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Fish Cheeks
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I think as much forage and as little "other" feeds as possible is good. By other feeds I mean both sweet feeds and complete feeds. IMHO, they are pretty unnecessary. Miles, my problem child, does best this time of year when he can have some grazing (that seems to help him most of all) - it seems to keep him settled very nicely, even if he only gets a couple hours a day. He also gets grass hay 4x/day, alfalfa pellets, rice bran 2x/day with his U-Guard 2x and Quiessence. I swear by the U-guard, and the times I've forgotten to re-order on time, I can definitely notice a difference in his demeanor and willingness to work.
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bellboots
Mama the Llama
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Fish Cheeks,

I'm glad that you posted - I have been contemplating using the U-Gard 2x for a daily supplement.

I am still feeding the Equine Senior - BO won't have a 3rd feed due to the (already) not so great barn help. My goal is to get him on mostly beet pulp (like a 80/20 mix with Senior), good hay and grazing.

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Fish Cheeks
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bellboots
Mar 27 2007, 05:08 PM
Fish Cheeks,

I'm glad that you posted - I have been contemplating using the U-Gard 2x for a daily supplement.


Yes, Miles loves the U-Guard - it looks and smells like Strawberry Quik! I feed one scoop in the a.m. and one in the p.m. - no complaints from the pony! :cheer: I tried Aloe Vera Juice for a while, but think the U-Guard has worked better. Plus it is easier to keep and I don't worry about the freshness factor in the summer.
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MAR
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Ok, I took 3 horses to be scoped for ulcers today....and BINGO! All 3 had them. They each had different symptoms...but ones I recognized as possible ulcers.

Horse #1(QH) lots of mild colics...always resolved with banamine...but then would colic worse the next day....Very resistant to leg...He has them all over and even in his esophagus...yikes.

Horse #2 (WB)Cranky and tail swishy...refused to go forward when the work got "hard" He has mild new and lots of old healed mild lesions.

Horse#3 (TB)Lost lots of weight after move to new barn...REALLY resistant to leg...started spooking and stopping at jumps. He has a CRATER!

All started gastroguard today.....phew
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