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 The One
Posts: 7997
    
Location: South Georgia | I board, so I am limited. My horse got ulcers and was treated with Abgard (omeprazole) for 20ish days. He was doing well. 3 weeks have passed since treatment, and he's back ulcery.
Currently being fed ... http://www.mid-southfeeds.com/p/Equine/extruded-horse-nuggets-13-8
The only things I could get in place of what he currently gets...
Here are the "low starch" options from this distributor for the barn I board at...
Option 1: This one...http://www.mid-southfeeds.com/p/Equine/ener-g-plus-12-10
OR
Option 2: This one...http://www.mid-southfeeds.com/p/Equine/quality-blend-12-12-low-starch
Would either of these be better that what he currently gets? He's on MVP Gastroplex and Exceed 6-way also, along with turnout all but 2 hours per day (1 hour in stall for each feeding, at most) and hay in pasture and stall as well.
Edited by horsegirl 2018-09-07 7:51 AM
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Veteran
Posts: 217
| That's a tough choice. I was going to say 12-10 at first reading of ingredients because of the molasses is typically a no for me, but that 12-12 low starch has a lot of good stuff to feed the bacteria. I'd be trying that one first :) |
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Location: my piece of paradise | Go for the low starch if you have to choose one. The current one you are on is basically a bunch of filler and corn made into a pellet. What is concerning is that none of them even the low starch list the starch percentage, sugar etc. Im from Georgia as well and familiar with the midsouth feeds. Not my favorite but better than some. Any chance you could supply your own feed? If that is an option I would look into Triple crown senior or the Seminole Dynasport. I would also try to get some alfalfa in his diet even if its in cube form. Alfalfa has been one of the biggest benefits to my horses with ulcers. |
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The One
Posts: 7997
Location: South Georgia | inittowinit - 2018-09-07 8:56 AM Go for the low starch if you have to choose one. The current one you are on is basically a bunch of filler and corn made into a pellet. What is concerning is that none of them even the low starch list the starch percentage, sugar etc. Im from Georgia as well and familiar with the midsouth feeds. Not my favorite but better than some. Any chance you could supply your own feed? If that is an option I would look into Triple crown senior or the Seminole Dynasport. I would also try to get some alfalfa in his diet even if its in cube form. Alfalfa has been one of the biggest benefits to my horses with ulcers. If I were to supply my own feed, my board would not be adjusted, so then I'd be paying board+MVP supplements+feed and that adds up fast.
Edited by horsegirl 2018-09-07 8:04 AM
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The One
Posts: 7997
Location: South Georgia | And I know the importance of alfalfa, but it is $30/bale in South Georgia and that's not feasible to feed in a pasture setting with other horses, so I'm grasping for straws here. If I could pick between these two MidSouth feeds, they can be provided by the boarding barn without an increase in board. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 477
Location: Lost in the swamps | If you only have theses two choices I would go with the 12-12.
The ingredients are listed in the form of what's in it most to least
I like seeing alfalfa meal as the first ingredient. Also after omeprezole treatment did your vet discuss prevention measures? Such as hay as a buffer, maintenance medication and/or supplements to reduce the reoccurance of ulcers? I use to work at a clinic and I also take omeprezole myself and doctors have always told me to wean off of it because stopping omeprezole abruptly can cause another flare up. |
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The One
Posts: 7997
Location: South Georgia | imturnin3 - 2018-09-07 9:25 AM If you only have theses two choices I would go with the 12-12. The ingredients are listed in the form of what's in it most to least I like seeing alfalfa meal as the first ingredient. Also after omeprezole treatment did your vet discuss prevention measures? Such as hay as a buffer, maintenance medication and/or supplements to reduce the reoccurance of ulcers? I use to work at a clinic and I also take omeprezole myself and doctors have always told me to wean off of it because stopping omeprezole abruptly can cause another flare up.
Well, I thought I did it right. I gave a full dose for 3/4 of the treatment time and then I gave smaller and smaller units the last week. I guess it wasn't slow enough. I ordered another set of Abgard to do a full treatment again. I'll try to wean off even more slowly this time. He was on MVP 6way and Gastroplex during the initial treatment (and he is still on them), and I just ordered Forco so I will add that in also. He is on pasture all day and there is also a roundbale of grass hay out there. He only comes in to his stall to eat his grain. Even in this stall, however, I have a big pile of grass hay, so he's never without the option of forage. I'm suspecting the rebound acid issue is the culpret, or I suppose he may not have been fully healed. The problem is, he is a VERY sensitive horse, and when he feels ulcery it resembles painful colic. I feel so bad for him. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | I feed Bluebonnet pelleted and Triple Crown Lite, but since you dont have a choice I would go with the 12/10 and add Forco to his feeding.
I think the feed he is getting now has corn and that to me is not good for a ulcery horse and the 12/12 looks strange/oily to me so I would go with the 12/10 with Forco for about 3 months and see if that helps, but start him slowly on the new feed so his tummy can adjust. |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | horsegirl - 2018-09-07 8:23 AM And I know the importance of alfalfa, but it is $30/bale in South Georgia and that's not feasible to feed in a pasture setting with other horses, so I'm grasping for straws here. If I could pick between these two MidSouth feeds, they can be provided by the boarding barn without an increase in board.
How much is the increase in board if you did provide feed? |
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 A Barrel Of Monkeys
Posts: 12972
Location: Texas | Can you get Purina Outlast and just add that to the feed? |
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 It Goes On
Posts: 2262
Location: Muskogee, OK | Can you get BlueBonnet in your area? I highly recommend BlueBonnet Intensify Omega Force for Ulcer prone horses, have had GREAT results. |
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The One
Posts: 7997
Location: South Georgia | Southtxponygirl - 2018-09-07 10:14 AM horsegirl - 2018-09-07 8:23 AM And I know the importance of alfalfa, but it is $30/bale in South Georgia and that's not feasible to feed in a pasture setting with other horses, so I'm grasping for straws here. If I could pick between these two MidSouth feeds, they can be provided by the boarding barn without an increase in board. How much is the increase in board if you did provide feed?
I'd have to buy the feed on top of my board. So, instead of 350 with feed included (now), it would be 350 and I would have to buy my own feed on top of that. |
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The One
Posts: 7997
Location: South Georgia | barrelracingchick16 - 2018-09-07 10:52 AM Can you get BlueBonnet in your area? I highly recommend BlueBonnet Intensify Omega Force for Ulcer prone horses, have had GREAT results.
Unfortunately, no. And if I do anything besides MidSouth, it will not be included in my board rate. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1515
Location: Illinois | I feel your pain, I get $25 off my board to supply my own grain & I spend around $50 per horse on grain. One of the things I hate about boarding. Seems silly for them to not at least give you something off. If those are your only 2 options I would go with the 12-12. Hard to fully tell without them giving the actual starch and sugar content, but based on what they give I would go 12-12. It's got a lot more fat and fiber, so you should be able to feed much less in quantity than you are now. A smaller ration will help a lot, I would say it's going to cut your amount close to half. The one I talked to you about was eating 5lbs of a 6% fat feed, then I switched to a 12% fat feed and ended up needing 1lb a day. Even with some molasses, you should need a lesser amount which can still equal out to lower NSC than what you're on currently. If you add the Forco & you've got the MVP going your daily nutritional needs should still be met with the smaller amount. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 589
| Between the two, I would do the 12-10 low starch... The "treatment" of ulcers with omeprazole is great as long as they stay on it... it changes the pH in the their stomach and as soon as they stop taking it, they will flare back up... the MVP 6 way has the slippery elm bark and pre/probiotics to help with their digestion, but nothing to really stay on top of an ulcer prone horse. If you wanted to change the feed and then continue your feeding program, I would go to WalMart and get aloe vera juice to add to your feed. It will help with the ulcers.
**GastroPLUS was the ONLY ulcer supplement to fix the ulcer issues I have had. |
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Expert
Posts: 1515
Location: Illinois | panamasgold - 2018-09-07 11:16 AM
Between the two, I would do the 12-10 low starch... The "treatment" of ulcers with omeprazole is great as long as they stay on it... it changes the pH in the their stomach and as soon as they stop taking it, they will flare back up... the MVP 6 way has the slippery elm bark and pre/probiotics to help with their digestion, but nothing to really stay on top of an ulcer prone horse. If you wanted to change the feed and then continue your feeding program, I would go to WalMart and get aloe vera juice to add to your feed. It will help with the ulcers.
**GastroPLUS was the ONLY ulcer supplement to fix the ulcer issues I have had.
Gastro-Plex actually has a lot more than just that to prevent ulcers and also has hind-gut protection now as well, added just recently. Aloe Vera is in Gastro-Plex as well. It has proven to have great results on ulcer prone horses, mine included. Omeprazole is not recommended for an everyday use, it's easy to take them off of it when you have a preventative given at the start of treatment or before. Gastro-Plex improves the digestive function and like a lot of others keep that buildup at bay once the omeprazole is stopped. It's just a matter of finding what works for each particular horse and their feed regimen. There is no one single be all/end magic cure that's going to work for every given horse. I've been through them all, took me close to 5 years to find one that worked. |
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The One
Posts: 7997
Location: South Georgia | Thank you all for your help, seriously. I felt like I was drowning in the stuff I was reading online and I will be drowning financially also after 2 courses of omeprazole on top of supplements! LOL I texted the barn owner and she actually has multiple bags of the 12/10 low starch at the barn now, so we will switch him over gradually and give it a shot! |
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Sock Snob
Posts: 3021
| how about alfalfa cubes and no grain, i am doing a test now on mine they love them. |
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The One
Posts: 7997
Location: South Georgia | daisycake123 - 2018-09-07 12:46 PM how about alfalfa cubes and no grain, i am doing a test now on mine they love them.
I'd just have to pay extra to supply them. I have thought about it though. I'll give this 12/10 a shot and see if it helps. He was doing SO GOOD during the omeprazole treatment and the next couple weeks, then all of a sudden his behavior changed again. Poor guy hurts. Hoping this helps. |
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 Famous for Not Complaining
Posts: 8848
Location: Broxton, Ga |
Where are you located?
I feed the ADM low starch high fiber feed and have really good results with it?
I am in south Ga as well? |
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