Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome occurs in approximately 60 to 90 percent of the adult horse population and 25 to 50 percent of foals depending on age, overall performance, and situations related to daily life of the horse.
In some cases, horse supplements are good for the equine and will help heal and prevent the development of ulcers when combined with an effective feeding program. Effective supplements usually promote the production of neurotransmitters needed for proper blood flow to the stomach, increasing protection of the stomach lining, and helping to restore normal stomach function.
The equine stomach continuously secretes variable levels of hydrochloric acid all through the day and night and release of acid happens minus the presence of feed material. Foals discharge gastric acid as soon as two-days-of-age and level of acidity of the gastric fluid is high. High acid inside the stomach may predispose foals to EGUS.
The adult horses, the stomach secretes roughly 1.5 liters of gastric liquid by the hour. Gastric draining of a liquid meal happens within half an hour, whereas total gastric emptying of a roughage hay meal occurs in 24 hours.
Medications and changes in management practices are the cornerstones of treatment for horse gastric ulcers. Various medications are used for three purposes: to lower acid manufacturing, to buffer the acid that’s produced, and to protect the lining of the stomach from the side effects of the acid. H2 blockers are medicines that prevent the action of histamine. Histamine stimulates the production of stomach acid. Proton pump inhibitors are medications that inhibit the production of acid by the stomach.
Antacids buffer the action of the gastric acid. Since acid is continually being manufactured in the horse, antacids are effective for only a short time and need large amounts be given.
This will make them reasonably impractical in the equine, though their use on the same day of performance or a demanding affair may be advantageous. Particular drugs can block acid from coming into contact with the stomach lining. Unfortunately, these do not appear to be as effective in the esophageal portion of the stomach. Be aware that horses discharge gastric acid constantly, even when the stomach is clear, and when going on a fast.
Horses salivate when chewing and eating. This saliva buffers gastric acids because it contains bicarbonate, an acid buffer. Horses produce 10-30 liters of saliva everyday.
The kind of feed used is very important. Double the amount of saliva is created when horses eat hay or grass compared to grains as well as other concentrates. High roughage diets tend to activate manufacture of bicarbonate-rich spittle which buffers gastric acid.