Didn't your vet discuss this with you when he diagnosed them?

Treatment options include:
Omeprazole (Gastrogaurd) which is given once a day for a minimum of 2 weeks though treating for 4 weeks is recommended
or Ranitidine or cimetidine which both require dosing every 4-6 hours for at least 2 weeks

There are lots and lots of "ulcer supplements" on the market--these products will not TREAT ulcers though they can help minimize symptoms. Especially the ones that are basically antacids like Tums--however antacids only provide relief for an hour or less.

You also need to provide free choice hay or pasture turnout. Alfalfa serves as an antacid so if you feed alfalfa hay or cubes it wil help him feel better right away even though the ulcers won't have healed that quickly. Cut out all grains and sugar from his diet--if you need to feed him to maintain weight then go with a forage based product or a ration balancer (designed to be fed at a rate of 1-2 lbs per day). Cut out any sugary treats you may give as well.

 

gastro guard, but it's expensive, and I wouldn't use it unless your horse has severe ulcers because of the expense. another course is ranitidine (hopefully I spelled that right!), which usually comes in a pill or powder you add to their feed for several weeks and then as needed.

the best thing though once you've got it under control is feeding a lot of grass hay. horses aren't meant to eat 2x a day, so the stomach acid builds up and ulcers form. so feeding them multiple small meals per day will really go a long way.

there are also some herbals you can feed that help, such as aloe vera juice, slippery elm bark, peppermint, fennel seed, and a few others I can't think of.

do not feed anything w/ devils claw, and limit use of bute and banamine since those will irritate it.

 

How do you know your horse has ulcers..?
A vet? Or did u just persume?

Ryle came up with a few good opitions.

 

i haven't actually got a vet out but ages ago i posted a new topic about my horse windsucking, he does it when he is stabled and afta he finnishes eating and ppl came up wit the idea that he has stomach ulcers.
BTW thanx for all the suggestions

 

a REALLY cranky horse at my barn has ulcers and the owner goves him a supplement that really seems to help, I think this is it: http://www.smartpakequine.com/Produ...uctClass.aspx?productclassid=2755&cmPreserveSource=true&cmPreserveCategory=true

any of their ^ ulcer supplements work well

 

Gastraguard is the treatment of choice, although ranitidine/cimetidine can have a decent effect as well.

However, I think the biggest things you can do are managemental: A 100% forage diet is a must, as above. Also, stress has been shown to be a factor in equine stomach ulcers, so try and reduce it as much as possible. You can do this by keeping an established daily routine, turning out with the same horses every day, not doing too much hard exercise.
Also, make sure you don't give him any NSAIDs (non steroidal anti inflammatories), such as bute, as they are terrible for horses with ulcers.

 

A lot of horses have ulcers... almost 90% of show horses... and I think 96% of race horses? A big percentage of foals are even BORN with them... so as of yet, they can't decide scientifically, what causes them. (they are also more wide-spread then they thought... just most horses don't show symptoms).
My horse cribs (windsucks) as well; when he went to the new bolton center for colic, he was there for 6 days. When he came home, he cribbed like a LUNATIC. (he is now pastured with no cribbing collar...) I believe my horse cribs due to pain (and yours may too). So here's what I did:
Feed beat pulp. It is amazing for horses with ulcers... some will only eat beat pulp when given the choice (I've seen horses push their normal grain away and only eat the beat pulp until the ulcer went away). It has no sugar (unless molasses is added... but you can purchase it without it), and it a really nice forage replacer (up to 50% of forage!). It also helps keep and put on weight. It also has low (or has none) none-usable carbohydrates... which I think I've heard make ulcers worse, too.
Switch your grain, if you're feeding it, to something pelleted and without a lot of sugar. As noted, sugar=baaad. There are lots of options out there.
Good luck!

 

ok thanx heaps for the replies but i am in australia and i am wondering if these products are avaliable here??
i am recently feeding him speedi-beet which is made from sugar beet but it has no sugar in it and lucerne chaff. and he gets equlibruim aswell. we use to feed gold cup equestrian mix but we have stopped now because he was getting abit hyped on the grain. anyway he is my main comp horse and as u kno it is currently show season so he is under intense work and prob a fair bit of stress too!!!

 

Oh ok. Barastoc Equestrain mix shouldnt fizz him. If he is your main comp horse shouldnt he need that extra energy. Theres no grain in Equestrian Mix either :wink: :roll:

 

it has got oats and barly in it, i classify that as grain. it doesn't fizz most horses but some it does.