The latest research shows that more than 80% of thoroughbreds retiring from racing suffer from ulcers. In order to understand how to prevent and treat your OTTB, you need to understand why ulcers are so prevalent in race horses. What are the causes of ulcers in OTTBs? The primary cause of ulceration in race horses, or ulcers in OTTBs, include the following: Intense ... Continue Reading »
Gastric Ulcers
How gastric splashing causes ulcers in horses
As you probably know, the development of ulcers in horses is a man-made problem. The domestication of horses has resulted in stressors and nutritional changes that are not compatible with a horse's digestive system. In addition, horse's stomachs are not compatible with high intensity exercise. It's for this reason you might see an increase in ulcer symptoms as your horse is ... Continue Reading »
Treating different types of equine ulcers
Understanding the different types of equine ulcers can be difficult and overwhelming. In simple terms, gastric ulcers are found in the horse's stomach while hindgut ulcers are found in the hindgut (or specifically the colon & cecum). Let's break it down further... Gastric Ulcers The foregut of the horse comprises of the esophagus, stomach, and small intestine. This ... Continue Reading »
Using acupressure to check gastric ulcer symptoms at home
Is your horse displaying gastric ulcer symptoms? Well before you start saving up for a scope, here's a presumptive technique that you can use to get a realistic indication of whether your horse has ulcers. Scopes or (endoscopes) are expensive, invasive and sometimes not entirely accurate. They're also no good for diagnosing ulcers of the hindgut. Bear in mind, the term ... Continue Reading »
Treatment and Prevention of Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome
Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) describes ulceration of the lining of the oesophagus, stomach and duodenum in horses. Ulcers are highly prevalent in foals, mature horses and performance horses. Studies have found 80-90% of racehorses and up to 60% of performance horses are affected. Why do Horses get EGUS? Digestive system of a horse functionality Horses produce ... Continue Reading »
