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 Veteran
Posts: 101

| FINAL UPDATE: After much of you explained how the fecal test is not very accurate I had him scoped this morning and he does not have ulcers. He just needs an attitude adjustment and I’m going to have a chiro adjust him as well! Thank you for your help everyone this thread has been so helpful!!
Long story short I sold my gelding 8 years ago and he was given back to me this summer. He’s been standing in a field doing nothing for the past few years. When I started legging him up I noticed he would get ****y when I’d go to tighten his cinch so I thought it may be his back and gave him some time off and got a built up pad. Vet put him on an nsaid and said his behavior could be due to his lack of topline muscle. Tonight when I went to tighten the cinch I noticed he was being extra hateful so I held the cinch up to him as if I was going to tighten it and he immediately lunged and tried to bite me. This reaction is the worst he’s ever had since getting him back. He also chomps and pins his ears when I adjust his winter blanket (by adjust I mean pulling it even if it’s favoring one side). He’s fine once I start riding him he’s only hateful when I’m on the ground. I’m trying to figure out if this is a behavioral or physical issue since I don’t know what was done to him during the 8 years I didn’t have him.
Has anyone ever had any experience with this?
Edited by Gsdknox44 2019-02-15 8:55 AM
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 A Somebody to Everybody
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              Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Ulcers is the first thing that comes to mind..  |
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 Did I miss the party?
Posts: 3864
       
| Southtxponygirl - 2019-02-07 7:41 PM Ulcers is the first thing that comes to mind.. 
Mine too |
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 Veteran
Posts: 101

| Ulcers is also what I was thinking after some google searching. Does anyone have recommendations on the best way to treat them or should I just make a call to the vet? I will add he sometimes has loose stools as well with no diet changes I read that it can also be a symptom. |
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Gettin Jiggy Wit It
Posts: 2734
    
| My mare started doing this. Crabby, tried to bite and one time almost kicked me when cinched. Very unlike her. Had her scoped for ulcers and she had nothing. Glad I didn't waste money on treatment. Eventually my saddle, which was custom to her and I had for 4 years, was showing signs of not fitting. Her back slowly changed until it was apparent. She really didn't present any back soreness to my vet which is the frustrating part. Until a few months later after the ulcer scope, she final palpated sore in her wither area. I had her adjusted, injected the muscles along the side of her withers and did mesotherapy. Then started searching for a new saddle... Fun fun. Fast forward, she is still a little crabby but nothing like she was. Now it's hard to determine what's a learned behavior and what is soreness. Can they please just talk? |
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Expert
Posts: 3514
  
| Ulcers. Go to Tractor Supply and get a tube of Ulcer Guard. Give 1/3 a tube a day. If that helps then most likely it’s ulcers. |
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Elite Veteran
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| My first thought is ulcers, I would get the vet out and scope. Also, might not hurt to have him chiroed. |
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 Location: my piece of paradise | Have a mare exactly like this. No ulcers per scope. Have her chiro regularly. Her sternum and left side are always out. When she is out she is a witch when brushing and saddling. Have her chiro and she is fine after that. When she starts getting ill again we know its time for an adjustment. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 564
  
| I would think ulcers and adjustments like everyone else..I would try alfalfa if you can get it, so long as he can handle the protein...if it makes him hot just work him more..its a cheaper slower fix then something like gastro guard but it helps..but I would be scolding him for such behavior so it doesnt become a learned habit which can be dangerous. Best of luck!! |
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 Veteran
Posts: 255
    Location: Where Tall Corn Grows | I'd look into; ulcers, chiropractic adjustment and saddle fit. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 101

| Thanks for all the replies everyone! Talked to my vet today and I’m dropping off a fecal sample for them to test for blood tomorrow and if nothing shows then I’m going to get him scoped. I’ll keep y’all posted! |
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Posts: 253
    Location: SoCal | Hindsight is I should have had her on something for ulcer prevention, but sent my mare out to be bred live cover (4 hour drive, 1 month stay at a new house, with new herd, new hay, etc. and 4 hour drive home) and she was becoming nasty to blanket or cinch, also frequent colic episodes but was even passing manure relatively quickly in her colic periods but very painful. Couldn't even raise a hand to pet her side without her pinning her ears. I did Oxy-Aide when they had their special, as it's supposed to do front and hindgut uclers, and sure enough, she's back to her sweet self and enjoying scratches and being brushed again. If I remember correctly, the fecal sample should show hindgut ulcers as well. |
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Expert
Posts: 3514
  
| Try Zesterra. It gets both fore and hind gut ulcers. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 101

| Wanted to update everyone fecal test showed hind and fore gut ulcers. Vet recommended I put him on equisure and see how he does and go to Ulcergard from there if no improvement.
SO new question, has anyone successfully treated with something other than gastrogard? I don’t really have the $1000 to drop on it to treat him. I’ve read conflicting articles online about compounded Omeprazole not healing the ulcers and I also called and got a price on it today and it was a few hundred dollars so I’d hate to spend that and end up having to pay for the Gastrogard anyways. |
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Veteran
Posts: 124
 Location: louisburg, ks | I have had good luck with zesstera an nrf2 |
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  Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
     Location: Wonderful Wyoming | Gastroplus works on gastric and hind gut ulcers. No fillers or sugars. 1 months worth us $110 with free shipping and I have a 10% off coupon code going all month. BHW2019. The link will show before and after pictures as well.https://www.grazingbitperformancehorses.com/product-page/gastroplus?categoryId=bf0fdd7c-21a5-5a3e-984e-6d0c5b85bd22 |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 357
    
| I recently started a post about Alber equine. I have only heard good things about their products. Check their website out and it cost a good chunk less. Several different options |
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 Expert
Posts: 5290
     
| Just a couple things........ your vet probably used the Succeed fecal test. They are the ones that also sell the treatment. Lol. My vet told me that test is not very reliable. But anyway , you can get the ulcerguard instead of gatroguaed. They are the exact same thing by the exact same company. People have reported that half a tube , even 1/4 tube have been effective. |
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Gettin Jiggy Wit It
Posts: 2734
    
| FLITASTIC - 2019-02-09 8:53 PM
Just a couple things........ your vet probably used the Succeed fecal test. They are the ones that also sell the treatment. Lol. My vet told me that test is not very reliable. But anyway , you can get the ulcerguard instead of gatroguaed. They are the exact same thing by the exact same company. People have reported that half a tube , even 1/4 tube have been effective.
This is what I did for my other horse with ulcers. I got ulcergard from heartland vet supply with their ongoing site wide promo code discount. This week it's 6% for valentines day. I got it for 28- 30 dollars a tube. I could of given a half a tube for 2 weeks and a 1/4 of a tube for the other 2 weeks but since I got a deal on it I gave a half a tube for 28 days and a 1/4 tube for 8 days to wean him off. I like using gastrogard and ulcergard bec it has the science behind it to actually get past the stomach and be digested properly to treat with out me doubting it's potency and effectiveness. Other omeprazole products don't have that. |
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Expert
Posts: 3514
  
| Zesterra is supposed to heal both fore and hind gut ulcers. Gastrogard and Ulcergard has not heal hind gut. I’ve also heard that Succeed will heal them also but have never used it for that. Bryel Mulligan is on Facebook. Message her and she can answer the questions about Zesterra.
Edited by readytorodeo 2019-02-10 8:14 AM
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 Veteran
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    Location: SoCal | I didn't use omeprazole due to the price and it not doing anything to help the hindgut. As previously stated, I used Oxy-Aide on my pregnant mare, and did notice a major attitude change after treatment. I've been recommended the GastroPlex from MVP to maintain. I just started miss prego and my anxious OTTB on nrf2 (have seen great results on my dog and myself) so it'll be interesting to see if it helps them keep a happy tummy. I also usually keep my horses on a prebiotic and probiotic when there is a GI upset. |
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Gettin Jiggy Wit It
Posts: 2734
    
| Hind gut ulcers are hard to diagnose. When my gelding went off his feed we scoped him for gastric ulcers, he was clean. Then ultrasounded his large colon and tried to measure the thickness of the colon wall. They can also be diagnosed through blood work by checking protein concentration and albumin. Luckily my horse was normal with those tests too. The fecal test is not a very effective way to diagnose either form of ulcers. Even if you treat with a supplement for hind gut ulcers your horses needs to be on a special diet limiting bulk foods, like hay for a period of time. |
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| Nutrient Buffer and Nutrient Buffer HG - pricey but effective. https://equineplusfeed.com/supplements/nutrient-buffer.html |
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 Veteran
Posts: 101

| Just wanted to let y’all know I’ve decided to get him scoped to be sure of the best treatment for him. Thank you again everyone for the advice! |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 368
     Location: Ellensburg, Washington | I had a gelding that started doing that, though ulcers, etc. Turned out to be kissing spine. Injected his back and as long as I stay up on that he is great. Even my shoer noticed he was more supple after back injections. |
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 Having Smokin Bandits
Posts: 4572
     Location: Woodstown, NJ | Wow, interesting update! No ulcers after all! Glad I read that about the company that does the testing, sells the treatment. Good to know. Well, good luck. I admire your dedication to finding out whether it was mental or physical. It's always so tricky! |
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Gettin Jiggy Wit It
Posts: 2734
    
| ropin1 - 2019-02-15 8:49 PM
I had a gelding that started doing that, though ulcers, etc. Turned out to be kissing spine. Injected his back and as long as I stay up on that he is great. Even my shoer noticed he was more supple after back injections.
Good point! I had a mare that I wrote a response to this post that was biting while cinching and after she scoped clean for ulcers we x rayed her back because our next thought was kissing spines. She was also x rayed clean but point is that behavior while cinching can also be caused by back pain. |
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