Gastric Ulcers- a hidden danger

Is your horse grumpy and grouchy? Do you have difficulty maintaining condition on him? Does he have a dull coat, or suffer from poor performance? If so, your horse could be suffering from gastric ulcers.

What are gastric ulcers?

EGUS or equine gastric ulcer syndrome is common in an alarming number of horses and it is the result of the erosion of the stomach lining which has had prolonged exposure to the digestive acids that a horse's stomach continuously secretes. Usually, the bicarbonate in a horse's saliva neutalises this acid but sometimes this may not be enough.

The horse's stomach

A horse's stomach is divided into two distinct parts, the upper part which is the non-glandular portion and is lined in a simple squamous mucosa and the lower part which is lined with a more complex glandular mucosa and produces hydrochloric acid and pepsin, an enzyme that is needed to digest the food. This part of the stomach also produces an alkaline substance that protects the stomach from being eroded by the acid. Unlike us humans who only produce hydrochloric acid when we eat, in horses it is constantly produced and this acid can accumulate in the stomach and begin to irritate it, which is the start of the development of ulcers.

Causes of gastric ulcers in horses

Infrequent feeding

Horses whose stomachs are empty for long periods of time or horses that are fed low fibre, high cereal diets are at a greater risk of developing ulcers. Naturally, a horse has a trickle-feeding pattern where they eat small amounts of high fibrous food on an almost continual basis. This means that they have regular production of saliva, which is alkaline and so neutralises the acid that is produced in the stomach. Horses that do not have access to grass or forage throughout the day therefore have a reduction in the amount of saliva that they produce and so the acid cannot be neutralised.

Exercise

During physical exercise, the gastric secretion in the lower part of the stomach which is protected by a mucus often increases. The upper part of the stomach however, does not have this protective lining and is susceptible to acid splashing up from the lower part.

Medication

Frequent use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as Bute can greatly lower the horse's production of prostaglandins which is a hormone that helps to protect the stomach against ulcers.

Stress

Stress can also play a part in the development of ulcers as it can reduce blood flow to the stomach which can weaken the stomachs defence against them. Even minor changes to your horse's management or transportation can affect their levels of stress.

What to look for

Although there are a number of signs that you can watch out for, an adult horse may show very little signs at all which is why it is so important to watch out for the small ones such as: poor appetite and body condition, poor hair and coat, changes in attitude, mild bouts of colic or poor performance.

In foals the signs are usually more evident; teeth grinding, Diahrrea, excessive salivation, colic or lying down.

Prevention is better than the cure

Looking after your horse's diet and feeding a high-fibre, low-starch diet is of paramount importance.

• Feed little and often to increase the amount of time your horse is actually eating.

• For stabled horses, feed hay on an adlib basis.

• Avoid stress by turning the horse out more and minimising travelling where possible.

• Let them socialise or have visibility of other horses.

• Consult your vet if you have any doubts.

Gastric Ulcers- a hidden danger

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