What are gastric ulcers?

It is an erosion of the stomach wall, caused by excessive exposure to acid produced in the stomach.

They can vary from a mild area of inflammation to a nasty deep erosion of the wall that spontaneously bleed!

‘Gastric juice’ in the stomach is made up of acid and digestive enzymes that can overpower the protective mechanisms the stomach has in place to protect itself from damage.

 

gastric ulcer in stomach of a horse

What are the symptoms?

Horses with ulcers can display a range of signs including mild recurrent colic, behaviour changes, loss of appetite or preference to certain food types, poor performance and weight loss.

We diagnose ulcers using a gastroscope. This involves passing a camera via the nose into the horses stomach. This is done whilst the horse is sedated. This allows us to look directly at the stomach wall to identify any ulcers!

Have a look at the 4 images in the picture. The top 2 photos are of a healthy stomach with no ulcers. The bottom 2 images show some nasty ulcers!

If your horse is displaying any of these symptoms please feel free to contact the office on 01977652280 to discuss it with us.

Our Zone Days

Our Zone Days

Please give at least 24 hours notice for zone visits as they are very popular and booked on a first come first served basis

WORM EGG COUNTS

WORM EGG COUNTS

Use our top tips to ensure you collect an accurate FWEC sample from your horse in order to get an accurate result …