Knowing what types of medications that are best for your horse is crucial. To do that, you will need to assess and be aware of the horse medications bought from equine pharmaceuticals.
Below are some essential factors that you need to mull over:
Causes of equine gastric ulcers:
No Proper Diet. There is constant secretion of acid within the horse’s stomach. When the horse is not properly fed regularly, the stomach acids will lead to ulceration.
Stress from Training and Exercise. When there is an increased pressure in the abdomen during training and exercise, the acid will be pushed up to the sensitive portion of the stomach causing ulceration. Although the flow of blood to the stomach helps in removing acid, there are many cases which prove that training and exercise also causes gastric ulcers.
Some Medications. There are some medications that inhibit substances which help protect the horse’s stomach, thus, causing undesirable gastric effects.
Signs and symptoms of equine gastric ulcers:
Loss of Appetite
Loss of Weight
Poor Performance
Dull or Rough Hair Coat
Changes in Behavior
Mild or Recurrent Colic
Treatment of equine gastric ulcers:
There are many equine pharmaceuticals offering treatments for gastric ulcer, some of which may affect your horse’s digestion. The most effective treatment for equine gastric ulcer is Omeprazole. This treatment allows the horse to resume his training, allowing for quicker healing process. Some equine pharmaceuticals offer horse medications which contain Omeprazole granules, such as Abprazole 700™, Abprazole Plus™ and AbActive™ which contains enteric coated granules of Omeprazole. These products are not only cost effective and easy to administer, but they also help prevent recurrences of gastric ulcer.
There are many equine pharmaceuticals offering other medications for gastric ulcer, however, some may be expensive. It is also recommended to find other cost effective ways to prevent gastric ulcers, though in some cases, medication will need to be implemented to ensure that your horse has good health and performing at its best.