Diet and management changes as well as some drugs might help prevent gastric ulcer development in horses.
Overview
An ulcer is an area of damaged and eroded tissue that leaves behind a painful divot (think of a canker sore or a bed sore). In horses, ulcers in the stomach, and even the first part of the small intestine (the duodenum), are exceedingly common. Veterinarians have adopted the term “equine gastric ulcer syndrome” (EGUS) to describe not only horses with overt ulcers but also horses with erosions in the superficial (surface) layers of the stomach or inflammation in the lining of the stomach or duodenum.
The prevalence of EGUS varies depending on a horse’s breed and use. Current estimates of EGUS in various horses are:
- 90% in racing horses;
- 37–66% in sport and leisure horses;
- 66% in 50-80 km ride endurance horses;
- 48% and 93% in 90-160 km ride endurance horses in the interseason and competitive season, respectively, and;
- 70.9% in pastured broodmares; and
- 50% in foals.
Therefore, EGUS is an important health problem that most horse owners face at some point or another. As described below, addressing certain factors such as diet might help treat and even prevent EGUS.
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