Timothy to horse with possible ulcers good bad?

[Fharoah]

Feeding timothy to a horse when you are concerned about ulcers? Is timothy good or bad for horses with ulcers.


Thankyou in advance

[Mr.GMan]

Not sure, but I will be following this thread too. My mare is ulcer prone. I have had her on timothy mix with orchard and she seems to do well. I have tried alfalfa when she goes off feed, but she will not eat it, so I go back to the timothy. I recently bought a bag of chopped alfalfa that has some molasses in it. She will devour that, so I think that is a keeper.

[mypaintwattie]

I have had my horse on only timothy hay for just over a year. She had ulcer symptoms, but I could not give her alfalfa because she would get hot. Flash forward to a few weeks ago- vet and I started treating her aggressively for ulcers using ranitidine, and at the same time I started to add in a flake of alfalfa for weight gain. After not noticing a difference in her energy level, I switched her to alfalfa at her morning meal, timothy in the afternoon (they feed our "evening meal" about 3pm) and I give her alfalfa again in the evening. She has THRIVED!!!! She has gained weight and has just blossomed. All of the research that I did seemed to point to alfalfa as being able to buffer the stomach from acids, without the same rebound that antacids may have.

[Fharoah]

So you are saying alfalfa not Timothy? My gelding is a super easy keeper. He is currently on stall rest and 1.5 grams of bute twice a day after arthrodesis surgery. He is doing fine but would have daily outburst includding tripple kicking the brick walls while at hospital, they choose not to administer gastroguard despite my request that he be given it daily as a preventative. My gelding is eating well, is one ace three times a day because he gets wild and has to rest (ace helps he still has his moments). My concern is I was reading that a study where 47% horses that scopped had ulcers but still had good appetite. Since he has been home he has been on timothy as our local is high in sugar he seems to have improved but still 3 grams of bute a day is allot and I really don't want him to develope problems so would like to feed him accordingly. Alfalfa likely has too much energy for him though. So I am wondering how timothy effects ulcers pervents or causes them? Any other advise is greatly appreciated!

[fivehorses]

Why would they refuse to administer gastrogard after you requested it?

Alfalfa is known to provide a buffering effect on ulcer prone horses.
I don't think timothy hurts, but doesn't seem to have the same benefits of alfalfa.
The best thing is to always have hay in front of your horse, regardless of what type. The point is to never let their stomach be empty.

[mypaintwattie]

I have never seen any research that timothy hay prevents or contributes to ulcers, just that alfalfa is more of a buffer to a horse with ulcers. If you can't give him straight alfalfa, you could try alfalfa pellets, just a few cups at each meal. Now that he is home you can give him UlcerGard- 1/4 tube a day has been shown to help prevent ulcers. The full tube would get very expensive, as they are about $35 a tube. Ulcergard is GastroGard, but OTC.

[yellowbritches]

I have always fed a little alfalfa (about 25% of their total hay amount) to an ulcer prone horse. I've always fed either timothy (preferred) or OG. Alfalfa is a good buffer.

[MaresNest]

Agree with everyone saying that alfalfa is the way to go for a horse with ulcers. There are 2 good things about it. First, it's a tougher hay than orchard or timothy, so they have to chew it more. Because they have to chew it more, they swallow more saliva with it. Saliva is nature's antacid. Secondly, the extra calcium in the alfalfa itself can also have some antacid properties.

Of course, if your horse isn't used to alfalfa, make the change gradually.

[Foxtrot's]

Alfalfa is a good buffer, but when my foal had ulcers the vet was in agreement with the timothy as not being a problem. I think a mixture is the best.

[Fharoah]

The problem with giving my horse alfalfa is he is on strict rest until at least middle of November. It is imparative he stay very quiet, which is not in his vocabulary. I am using ace to calm him because reserpine does not work nor does anything else I have tried. I am interested in putting him on fluphenazine but my surgeon on will not prescribe it due to the side effects, if the ace stops working I am going to try and get my vet to give me fluphenazine but I don't think he will because of the possible side effects so I am likely out of luck as far as sedation goes. I would feed alfalfa but am concerned he would get more wired on it, aslo he puts on weight really easy, although lost allot at hospital and is slight at the moment while on the bute. Any changes in appetite he will be examined and I will insist on different pain killer as well as a full treatment of gastroguard. I think he is improveing a little and may be more managed on possibly equinox.

Does anyone know if they sell equinox in Canada as my vet could not find the product? Does anyone know where I can purchase ulcerguard in Canada, as I have not been able to locate it, they don't tend to ship across the border.

[Fharoah]

[QUOTE=fivehorses;4339234]Why would they refuse to administer gastrogard after you requested it?

My surgeon felt Fharoah had no clinical signs of ulcers and gastroguard would just be extra medication. I was worried as he wound up being the only horse at the hospital which had no sunlight. He would also have outbursts triple kicking the walls, trotting circles in his stall almost three legged lame less than a week after surgery, he was in pain and pointing his toe, and lonely even though I spent lots of time with him he is a horsey horse and was lonely. I felt Fharoahs outbursts could be sharp pain as sometimes half an hour after food would trigger it I also felt he wasn't drinking as well, surgeon felt he was fine and I was overreacting but really on consecutive twice daily bute can you be over cautious? I also expressed some concern over right sidded dorsal colitis. My surgeon felt his explosions at the hospital were just him and not an indication of ulcers and felt he was doing well.

[Fharoah]

I am open minded towards alfalfa if ulcers become a concern. I really value everyones help and any more wisdom is greatly appreciated!

[rcloisonne]

That alfalfa gets them wired is an old wives tale. Alfalfa is high in protein and low in sugar. As with children, it's the sugar that gets them wired.

If he's not used to alfalfa start slowly as it can cause some horses to have digestive upsets if they're not used to it. I second using the either pellets or cubes in place of grain, in addition to the timothy hay.

If it were my horse I'd also consider cutting back on that dose of bute a little and give what he does get it all at once. The anti-inflammatory effects of bute usually last about 24 hours.

After what he's been through and continues to go through (including high daily doses of bute) his chances of having gastric ulcers and RDC are extremely high. If your vet doesn't believe that I'd seriously question his competency.

[Fharoah]

Fharoah appetite had improved since he has been home, he is now gobbling very well. I am more concerned as I don't want him to regress and am watching him very closely. Bute does scare me and I am only using it because it is good at reducing the pain and he is quite lame at the walk. 10 hours after the dose you can tell it is wareing off as he becomes more limpy at the walk. I do however feel he may be improveing a small notch and may be able to switch to equioxx or something, my regular vet could not locate it here in Canada, does anyone know if you can get equinox or equivilant in Canada?

[MaresNest]

I haven't ever heard of Equinox, and a Google search only reveals a wormer. Perhaps you've got the name wrong? Is the product you're trying to find an antacid? Neighlox, perhaps?

[rcloisonne]

She means Equioxx, a newer NSAID reported to have less GI effects than drugs like bute or banamine. It's a prescription drug and quite expensive if the horse has to be on it long term.

[Fharoah]

Cost is really not an issue just want the best for my boy. Sorry for the mistake! He was alittle slower with his hay today so I think I will cut the bute down to 1 gram morning and night and have my vet search for equioxx. I am really scarred of ulcers.

I guess I should add alittle alfalfa as a buffer, that you for that seggestion!