Gastro 8

Every equine practitioner knows the delicate nature of the equine gut. Problems related to the small and large intestine are well understood and routinely treated but what may be surprising is how often the stomach is affected, specifically gastric ulcers in performance horses. Studies have shown that 75-89% of horses in active training have gastric ulcers.The primary cause of gastric ulcers is prolonged exposure of the squamous mucus to gastric acid. The only protection that the horse's stomach has against gastric acid and pepsin comes from saliva production. Inadequate saliva production occurs from meals of grain or extended periods of fasting. Intense exercise further increases the production of gastric acid which then coats the squamous mucosa during work.Gastric ulcer sy

Feed 30g a day for a minimum of 4-6 weeks.

It is very important for horses sensitive to gastric ulcers to receive a sufficient quantity of crude fiber-hay, beet pulp etc.. Crude fiber stimulates the saliva production which helps to buffer the stomach.