Ridecamp: [RC] Gastric Ulcers

Just some ramblings before bedtime:

1) Gastroguard literature actually said:  "Exertion has 
been associated with ulcer development in both horses 
and humans.  Presumptive gastrointestinal bleeding 
resulting in fecal blood loss has been observed 
postexercise in 90% of human marathon runners.  This has 
not been reported for the horse."  The researcher at the 
ride actually stated that horses do not show fecal 
occult blood, but I heard of one horse case that blood 
did show up in fecal sample.

2) The package insert had the sentence "Horses enrolled 
in this study were healthy animals conformed to have 
gastric ulcers by gastrocopy." in both the Dose 
Confirmation and Clinical Field Trials.  Note the 
word "healthy"....ironic.

3) After I pulled for thumps at Wine Country, I was all 
hot and heavy to take Beau in a pen off of alfalfa and 
enter him in the Oakland Hills 60 in a few weeks.  I 
came to my senses and will not remove him from the 
pasture until I get a handle on the ulcer situation.  
The thumps problem could wait. The "no drug" rule is 
finally sinking into my brain and I will not compete 
with him while he's on Gastroguard.

4)  Ouch.  Gastroguard is extremely expensive. $54 a 
tube from the local vet - enough for a little over one 
dose when the protocal is for one dose a day for 30 
days, and 1/2 dose for a month or two after.  OUCH, 
OUCH, OUCH.  Gotta go shopping now - not going to pay 
that much.  They gave me enough Gastroguard for 2 more 
days.

5) Beau is bright eyed, happy and in "healthy".  I got 
him out of the pasture tonight to dose him, he pigged 
out big time on some Complete Advantage, and he galloped 
up the hill to his buddies after he gave me a smooch as 
I turned him back out.  He looks on surface like he 
could do a multiday just fine.  

6) When people start talking about numbers - this is a 
reminder that they were still scoping during the banquet 
and they had offered to scope Sunday a.m. also.  They 
have plans to scope a lot more horses in the future.  
Whatever numbers that I quote now will probably be 
erroneous by the time the study gets published.  Also, 
the severity of the ulcers varied quite a bit.  Let's 
just say that Beau's case is probably one of the more 
severe ones, but already I see an improvement in his 
mood and appetite.  Darn those drug companies.  They 
know how to market.

7) Some other so-called ulcer remedies have high amounts 
of calcium.  When I start addressing the thumps issue, 
this will require a lot of attention to ingredient 
labels.  I have a tub of U-Gard in my garage that I 
considered giving to Beau with his electrolytes.  It is 
really meant to be top fed on grain for ulcer issues but 
I won't do it because of it's high calcium content.

8) I'm glad they found Ollie!  Thanks for posting that 
Jessica.  Great ride, too.  I spent some time at the 
barn tonight just raving about how much fun the trail 
was and one of my friends in particular will really 
enjoy those switchbacks.

9) Despite the diagnosis, I am so glad I participated in 
the ulcer study.  At least I am no longer wondering if 
he has an ulcer, and am actually relieved that there is 
a diagnosis so I don't worry myself silly over 
enteroliths, sand colic, parasite load, etc. etc. etc.  
That's not to say that he can't also have those issues, 
but at least I am taking care of a major issue that's 
defined.  All this for the price of a ride entry. 
Someone told me that a scope costs around $300.  And 
they gave me 4 tubes of Gastroguard.  Wow.  Thank you UC 
DAVIS!!!!  Take advantage of this study if it rolls 
around to a ride in your area.  It will only improve the 
quality of the data gathered, and it may improve the 
quality of your horses life. 

10) Pasture:  I guess the researchers will have to 
revisit definition of pasture.  Pasture in the San Jose 
area means green grass for a few months of year and bare 
ground with some noxious weeds, scrubby dry vegetation 
or mud for the rest of the year.  During the summer 
months, feed is doled out twice a day, just as it's 
doled out to stalled horses.  They must be talking about 
Kentucky racehorses on year round bluegrass.

11)  100% of horses scoped that raced within one month 
had ulcers, and 90% of racehorses in training had ulcers!
Wow.

Bed time now folks.  Keep talking.

K.




=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
 Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net.
 Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=