Ulcer ?
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Possible ulcer symptoms include grinding teeth, eating hay or grass but not grain, playing in their water, rolling & laying on their backs...and just a general appearance of not doing well, or a difference in attitude. Can be any or all of these, and it can be pretty subtle. I'm treating a 2 yr old gelding now that is fat, eats well, looks just fine and hasn't shown obvious distress - no rolling or teeth grinding. He was just unusually lethargic, unenthusiastic about his grain and kind of droopy. After 2 days on Gastroguard he's brighter and more energetic, playful again, he pretty well confirmed my suspicions. I've also treated a weanling this year for ulcers, pretty much the same appearance. Nursing well but not playful and not nearly obnoxious enough for a healthy 2 month old colt lol. Now he's back to being a brat and bouncing off every mare in the field.
Your best clue is to really observe your horse and know their normal behavior. If they are "off" with no other obvious problems, I suspect ulcers. Colic can be chronic and more subtle, but is often pretty intense - rolling, looking at their sides, very painful and not wanting to eat anything. Maybe no gut sounds or maybe too much gut noise... Banamine will usually ease colic pain, but it will aggravate ulcers.. There are so many degrees of intestinal pain that it's best to call your vet if you have a painful horse, and get the right treatment going from the start. Hope that helps.
Jan
Your best clue is to really observe your horse and know their normal behavior. If they are "off" with no other obvious problems, I suspect ulcers. Colic can be chronic and more subtle, but is often pretty intense - rolling, looking at their sides, very painful and not wanting to eat anything. Maybe no gut sounds or maybe too much gut noise... Banamine will usually ease colic pain, but it will aggravate ulcers.. There are so many degrees of intestinal pain that it's best to call your vet if you have a painful horse, and get the right treatment going from the start. Hope that helps.
Jan
Becky
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Ditto everything Jan said!
Also, a horse with ulcers will normally continue to pass manure even in small amounts if not eating much. In an impacted horse, manure production will stop or slow way down. It's really important to keep an ulcer horse hydrated so they don't become impacted.
Also, a horse with ulcers will normally continue to pass manure even in small amounts if not eating much. In an impacted horse, manure production will stop or slow way down. It's really important to keep an ulcer horse hydrated so they don't become impacted.
RobinRTrueJoy
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Blowing bubbles in the water, runny manure, off feed, grinding teeth, dog sitting, any or all signs.
I had a colt a few years back that right after weaning developed terrible diarrhea and teeth grinding, blwing bubbles in his water. Treated him with omeprazole, sucralfate(carafate) for almost two months and he was fine.
This past November I had a beautiful filly that had a teeny bit of loose manure and was blowing bubbles in the water, nursing great but no interest in feed , nibbled hay and grass. Got her started on all the meds imediately, she perked up real nice later in the day but she died suddenly overnight.
Don't take ulcers lightly! I jumped on her right away and I still lost her.
Robin
I had a colt a few years back that right after weaning developed terrible diarrhea and teeth grinding, blwing bubbles in his water. Treated him with omeprazole, sucralfate(carafate) for almost two months and he was fine.
This past November I had a beautiful filly that had a teeny bit of loose manure and was blowing bubbles in the water, nursing great but no interest in feed , nibbled hay and grass. Got her started on all the meds imediately, she perked up real nice later in the day but she died suddenly overnight.
Don't take ulcers lightly! I jumped on her right away and I still lost her.
Robin
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maggiemae
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Thanks for the replys. She had pneumonia and she was on a 1 1/2 week of antibiotics and a shot of banamine. She got better - like her old self - so I put her back into training (cart training) - but then about three days ago she just didn't seem like herself. I thought it was just the trainer working her too hard so I pulled her back out of training - but she still seems lethargic. She still eats - but she is usually a pig and now she eats very little. She is on free choice hay and TC Safe starch forage 2x daily. Nothing realy obvious just seems tired and lays down a lot, picks at her food, she is drinking now that I added gatorade to her water. Maybe she just isn't completely over the pneumonia - she was really sick with that. The vet is coming out Thursday to check her.
Sounds like an ulcer scenario, esp with the antibiotics & banamine course.
Robin, I think ulcers are way underestimated in foals. Sorry you lost your filly, they are just so fragile. I had several people question my colt having ulcers but he sure responded to the Gastroguard. Easy birth, no particular stress in his life but nontheless his manure never really firmed up right after his dam's foal heat and he was just - as my vet said - not doing right. Normal, healthy foals are supposed to be playful and energetic. They nap a lot but should have big bursts of energy too - when that doesn't happen something's amiss.
Jan
Robin, I think ulcers are way underestimated in foals. Sorry you lost your filly, they are just so fragile. I had several people question my colt having ulcers but he sure responded to the Gastroguard. Easy birth, no particular stress in his life but nontheless his manure never really firmed up right after his dam's foal heat and he was just - as my vet said - not doing right. Normal, healthy foals are supposed to be playful and energetic. They nap a lot but should have big bursts of energy too - when that doesn't happen something's amiss.
Jan
