[GrayCatFarm]

Okay, I know that doesn't make sense. Go to the bottom for the short question. But here goes the long background.... I know that my gelding has had ulcers in the past. When I bought him I changed his diet and scoping later showed no ulcers. Yeah! Fast forward - he's now in more strenuous work, and recently has been begun being stabled overnight for the winter (no night turn out here). Since the change from near 24 hr turnout, he's become extremely difficult under saddle, resists bending and flexing, and is flinchy on the flanks. Sounds like ulcers, right? So I started him on Abprezole and within 5 days had a different horse. Yet, the Succeed test run by the vet after about 7 days of treatment shows no gastric or hindgut ulcers. I don't usually think of ulcers clearing up so quickly. He is a very sensitive horse and can be stressed easily. Discipline and negative reinforcement get you nowhere except panic and confusion, whereas clicker training and rewards seem to be better understood. The transformation with the Abprezole is so dramatic I have to think that he's somehow stressed and had ulcers. I just wonder if anyone here has ever treated for ulcers and seen an improvement, even tho the diagnostic tests say ulcers are not the issue? TIA

[atr]

What's the Succeed test?

I know horses are not humans, but as someone who has been on Omeprazole in the past, I can tell you that you don't have to have frank ulcers in order to be pretty uncomfortable with the effects of too much gastric acid sloshing around.

[Simkie]

Oh yes. When Blush was in work, she SCREAMED ulcers. Scoped her and there was NOTHING there. No pinholes, no irritation, no scarring, nothing that looked like it was healing...just nothing. Her stomach was beautiful. And yet she ate better, looked better, and had a better attitude if she was on the full dose of gastrogard. So we kept her on gastrogard. We never really had an explanation, but it's what worked for her.

[GrayCatFarm]

atr: Thank you for the feedback. Succeed is an enyzme-linked immunoassay for albumin and blood in the manure. Pinpoints bleeding ulcers and breakdown of the mucosal barrier so albumin in the blood leaks into the intestines. Can't get much more from the web site without logging in as a veterinarian.

Simkie: Interesting that you mention she looked better, because he just didn't look right to me on top of all of this although he was in good weight. I'm thinking I will complete the 28 days, and then taper to a maintenance dose and stay there through the spring.

[Parrotnutz]

Okay, I know that doesn't make sense. Go to the bottom for the short question. But here goes the long background.... I know that my gelding has had ulcers in the past. When I bought him I changed his diet and scoping later showed no ulcers. Yeah! Fast forward - he's now in more strenuous work, and recently has been begun being stabled overnight for the winter (no


night turn out here). Since the change from near 24 hr turnout, he's become extremely difficult under saddle, resists bending and flexing, and is flinchy on the flanks. Sounds like ulcers, right? So I started him on Abprezole and within 5 days had a different horse. Yet, the Succeed test run by the vet after about 7 days of treatment shows no gastric or hindgut ulcers. I don't usually think of ulcers clearing up so quickly. He is a very sensitive horse and can be stressed easily. Discipline and negative reinforcement get you nowhere except panic and confusion, whereas clicker training and rewards seem to be better understood. The transformation with the Abprezole is so dramatic I have to think that he's somehow stressed and had ulcers. I just wonder if anyone here has ever treated for ulcers and seen an improvement, even tho the diagnostic tests say ulcers are not the issue? TIA

Had a discussion with my vet about this very same subject. She said there are many horses she had scoped that showed nothing, yet treated them anyway and it cleared up the problem. Probably hyperacidity which causes the same symptoms