Towcester-vets.co.uk

SPRING 2013
Plum Park Farm, Watling Street, Paulerspury, Towcester, Northants NN12 6LQ Equine gastric ulceration
Practice News
The hidden health threat
Until recently it was thought that gastric ulcers only affected racehorses. goodbye to Hannah Hughes who is
However, through better diagnostics and a more detailed understanding of the leaving the nursing team to become Yard Manager at Milton Keynes disease it has become apparent that all horses are at risk of developing this performance limiting disease, especially horses undergoing intense levels of training. Studies indicate that gastric ulcers occur in up to 63% of performance horses, around 70% of thoroughbred broodmares and 37% of leisure horses.
Plum Park on Wed 23rd January.
Jeremy Kemp-Symonds gave a
What are equine
gastric ulcers?
Please visit our website to view a video of the evening – stomach lining, due to prolonged exposure to the acid produced by the stomach.
Claire Booth will
bleeding. In extreme circumstances in foals, Diagnosis
the condition develops to such an extent that perforation of the stomach can occur, all aspects of foaling, drawing on her ex- endoscope. Our equine vets use this endoscope to view the upper portion of the What are the signs of EGUS?
GI tract, including the oesophagus, stomach Signs of ulcers in yearling and adult horses Please contact the clinic or visit our website for further details: are common, but are not always immediate- Classification of
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ly recognised as due to gastric ulcers. The signs vary greatly between individuals, but equine ulcers
Alice Sheldon is now posting a
the more common clinical signs in adults regular blog on the latest news and research in the world of equine or- oped by vets to help classify the severity of equine ulcers, in which grades 2 or above are considered clinically significant.
Equine gastric ulceration article continues overleaf Opening Hours
Grade 0: Stomach lining
Grade 1: Stomach lining
Grade 2: Stomach has
available to answer any incoming calls or equine emergencies.
Towcester Veterinary Centre Equine, Clinic Plum Park Farm, Watling Street, Paulerspury, Towcester, Northants NN12 6LQ
Tel: 01327 811007 • www.towcester-vets.co.uk • [email protected]
Equine gastric ulceration continued:
Grade 3: Stomach has large
Grade 4: Stomach has extensive
NEW PRODUCTS
available at Towcester
Veterinary Centre Equine Clinic
We are pleased to introduce our new range of nutra- ceuticals. These are available to purchase over the counter from the clinic following prior discussion with a vet. Hoof Supplement
This contains biotin, calcium, zinc, copper and methionine
and formulated to maximise healthy hoof growth. We have
found it to be especially useful in horses which have poor
hoof and sole quality.
Probiotics
Our probiotics contain high levels of Saccharomyces.
Why Do Gastric Ulcers Develop?
Current research suggests that this is the most effective Gastric ulcers occur when aggressive factors in gastric juice probiotic ingredient. Designed to maximise intestinal – such as acid and digestive enzymes – overpower the protec- health, these supplements are particularly beneficial to tive factors in the stomach lining. As horses have evolved to be horses suffering from a range of intestinal disorders such continually feeding, acid is continually secreted into the stomach; as diarrhoea. They can also be useful in cases receiving this means that prolonged periods without food to neutralise that acid can lead to ulceration. When horses are denied free access to feed or fail to eat, ulcers can develop rapidly.
Ulcer supplement
This is used for horses who are at risk or are suffering
Does Your Horse Have Gastric Ulcers?
from gastric ulcers. We often use this after a course of If your horse has no spark, is reluctant to canter or gallop, Gastroguard in EGUS cases. The supplement works in threatens to buck or bite when the girth is tightened, head shakes 4 different ways; Contains antacids, a seaweed extract to when ridden, or is showing signs of mild recurrent colic then form a gel on top of stomach contents, prebiotic and es- your horse might have gastric ulcers!
sential amino acids to improve production of mucus and cells to line stomach.
Remember 1 in 3 leisure horses are affected by gastric ulcera-
tion and performance horses are far more likely to be affected!
Blood Tonic
Visit the web site for more information, videos and to conduct an An iron and B vitamin tonic. Great for a boost in flat horses or horses with low red or white blood cells, recovering from illness. This product is also useful for horses in high Once diagnosed, treatment with a daily oral paste, omeprazole (gastroguard), is very effective. It often results in a near immediate improvement in clinical signs.
Joint Aid
Our best selling old favourite. Contains 99% pure, phar-
Assessment for gastric ulceration is usually performed in maceutical grade Glucosamine to maximise bioavailability. the clinic using our stocks. However we can perform the Perfect for maintaining high performance horses and well procedure on your yard if you book our mobile diagnostic loved old ponies alike. Always worth a trial, you should see unit via reception. Doing this will mean you can take advantage of our reduced visit fee scheme. In November 2012 we held a gastroscopy day at our clinic. Several horses were ‘scoped’ and a video of the talk given to clients on the cause and effect of gastric ulceration in the horse is posted on our website. It is about 40 minutes long, very informative and it is worth viewing if you suspect that your horse may have ulcers. We are planning to run another day soon, where we will be offering clients the opportunity to present their horse for gastroscopic examination free of charge to enhance the practical demonstration. Check out our new look website on
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This Newsletter is provided as an education service to our clients. All news and other items in this newsletter are for information only and should not be treated as a substitute for specialist veterinary advice. For all images, the copyright is the property of the photographer.

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