Treating Ulcers

[Tab]

Joe is quite special, and thus has had to give me a run for my money the past 2 years. The vet said that teeth are generally more of a problem in stallions and tiny heads. So we've done the whole dental thing, treated a leg laceration, he has experienced weight loss, and now rain rot. My barn is cleaner than it has been in years and everyone gets special treatment, but it has been a very wet year. Always the most special ones find a way to keep you on your toes. While I'm treating the rainrot has anyone here treated horses for ulcers? He's a very worried stallion and runs and whinnies much of the time. He is grazed, gets grain, and lots of grass hay, and he is wormed regularly. He's still too thin in spite of all of the food. Everything that goes in him gets run out of him. Besides gelding him (because I would eventually like to breed him again) I'm still looking for solutions! Any suggestions for weight gain supplements? As for ulcers, I've never treated for ulcers and would not be a bit surprised that is his problem. Any help for that?

Here's Joe after his betadine scrub bath

 

[FurstPlaceMiniatures]

If you think it is ulcers, you need to get your vet involved. I think horse people these days are too quick to point the finger at ulcers. Your vet will be a bigger help than anybody else!

 

[Tab]

I had the vet out and he floated his teeth and so that was ruled out. The vet asked if he had been wormed and he has. He made note that he never stops moving. I recall sleeping in the barn 11 years ago waiting for his first daughter to be born and he would whinny in his sleep. He doesn't stop. Have any of you treated minis for ulcers? Used mylanta along with gastroguard or any such thing? I'm not thinking hindgut ulcers, I'm thinking stomach ulcers. He makes healthy manure. No diarrhea. Maybe he's pooping out all of his calories, as he does mark his territory quite frequently. Very normal very little stallion in that regard

 

[Carolyn R]

Have you tried incorporating some alfalfa? It is a natural belly soother due to its calcium content and it sounds like the extra calories may do him good.

 

[chandab]

I have a mare that was nervous the first couple years she was here, she's finally settled in, the first time she showed signs of ulcers I thought it was colic, but anyway, I put her on U-gard pellets and it did seem to help her (they are more for preventing ulcers, but seemed to help her). I don't think there is anything in the U-Gard pellets that would cause a problem if the horse doesn't have ulcers.

 

[targetsmom]

I have treated for ulcers for long periods of time (Gastrogard mostly) but both horses that got this treatment ended up dying at young ages anyway. Some fairly easy things to try are slow hay feeders (like Nibble nets or Busy Snackers) so hay lasts longer, soaked alfalfa cubes, which are a natural stomach soother - or alfalfa in any form really; Stomach Soother - pureed papaya - which I have used in lots of ways. The only minis that improved with any of my ulcer treatments were on Ranitidine (from Wal-Mart) for a few days after a stressful event when they stopped eating grain. Those two are (knock on wood) still around. I posted a video on here that you should be able to find in a search for ulcer video that shows how to diagnosis ulcers from putting pressure on certain places on the horses body. I would definitely try that.

Try this link for ulcer video:

 

[Tab]

Alfalfa cubes sound like a good first step. A little extra protein isn't going to hurt him with all the running he does. How much would I give him at first and should I soak them?

 

[Ridgerunner]

He could very well have ulcers with his high energy 'stallion' personality. I have one of those boys! We had lots of problems with Bubba till they came out with Gastroguard. A round of that fixed him right up! I also put U-Guard pellets in his feed during the spring and summer when he's running the fence lines and flirting with the ladies. He's been fine for several years now! Knocking on wood here!

 

[Boss Mare]

Calories and protein. My stallion (non-breeding) gets a 14% protein pelleted feed, alfalfa hay, beet pulp and black oil sunflower seeds.

I've said it before and will say it again, many truly underestimate how much to feed a mini.. Some minis are easy keepers, some are not. My minis actually get more concentrated feeds than my big horse that is an extremely easy keeper.

As for ulcers, I like using Ranitdine (Zantac or generic).

 

[Norah]

I treat most things naturally , and have a mare that has / had. Ulcers , and is hyperactive . This is what worked for us.

Calories ...in the form of soaked hay bricks

Hay nets

Corn oil in with the soaked hay

Calf milk powder for more calories and for vitamins

Sodium bicarbonate 1 small teaspoon 3 times a week

Also a soaked pellet called wellness , I think it's like a purima feed for you guys

4 small meals a day

And give it about 1 or 2 years .

The pacing stopped

The nervous behavior stopped

I also want to add that it will help if you figure out that emotional problems is causing the ulcers. If you don't change what's causing his ulcer in the first place it will be just a case of you chasing your tail. He possibly needs a friend.

 

[AnnaC]

It might be worth doing a course of ulcer treatment for him, but from what I understand, those suffering with ulcers generally pick at their main food, preferring instead to eat their hay?

You say that he is getting plenty of feed - could you let us know his actual diet and the amounts please. Most of my boys will run the fences during the breeding season, some to a greater degree than the others. One is like your Joe in that he never gives up and even when in his stall, he is still 'on the go' in spite of having an all round view of other horses and a couple of youngsters stalled next to him for close company. He has a large field full of good grass when he's out, plus ad lib hay when he's in (mostly just picked at as he circles his stall!), he also receives 4 feeds per day giving him a total of 6lbs of Stud cubes and 4lbs of High Fibre cubes - approx 2 1/2 lbs per feed - he also gets a cup full of balancer to keep his mineral and vitamin need topped up, and this seems to keep him just about ok for those summer months, a bit like a very fit racehorse but with plenty on his top line! Once well past the breeding season, he steadies up for the winter months, settling to eat much more grass and hay, so we are able to reduce his main feed by half, but is naturally a very active stallion, so always requires plenty of additional food.

Just wondering how he compares with your boy - who's a good looking little lad by the way!

 

[Tab]

My husband, who has been with me for the past 9.5 years has reminded me that I've always fought with Joe's weight. I've owned Joe since he was a yearling and he's always needed the groceries as soon as his testosterone picked up. I think that the milk replacer powder and alfalfa cubes to stretch his meals may be my next course of action. I figure that the calcium will help neutralize some of the acid that is exacerbating any possible ulcer problem. Neutralizing some of this may help give his tummy an opportunity to heal. I will go onto the U-guard if it doesn't seem to be helping. I'm a little concerned by a full course of treatment with gastro-gard because they still need the acid to digest their volume. Say I continue to feed him high amounts of concentrates but suddenly shut off his acid receptors. That, to me, spells c-o-l-i-c. Historically he was on Patriot feed easy 12%, as well as Nutrena Prime, and now straight oats. I am a stickler for 12% protein for all other minis, as none have his high energy and speedy metabolism. I would consider higher protein for him only. Winter will be our saving grace, as nobody will be in heat and he will settle down a little. I don't have any geldings now and I cannot keep him in with the other boys because he chases them, YES, them. Tiny little Joe, practically half their size, is constantly running the 2 others off. Always he goes back to being by his lonesome. Goats haven't worked, only staying with his woman, Tori, but I have retired her from breeding, and the other mares are his daughters. The goats didn't work, he was mean to the goats. Thank you for your suggestions, I will definitely be implementing some of them! Thank you thank you!