Jessica Jahiel's HORSE-SENSE Newsletter Archives

Foal with ulcer

From: Teresa

Dear Jessica, I have a seven-month-old foal, you would call him a weanling. He was weaned when he was six months old. For his first six months he looked very healthy and beautiful. Now today he looks not so beautiful. He is becoming thin but with a big belly. I have been very careful to maintain a regular deworming programme with him so I know that he should not have a parasite infestation. In the last few weeks he looks poorly and is grinding his teeth, which I have asked my veterinarian why but he does not know the answer. He suggests testing for parasites, also he suggests bring the foal to his clinic for a test for stomach ulcers. I have heard of such ulcers in horses that are raced or in a busy showing season, but never of ulcers in a foal. Have you heard of such? Is it caused of something I have done? What can I do if this is true? It is not so easy for me to take my foal to the clinic, should I do this as the vet suggests? Also, he wants to change some arrangements I have for the exercise and feeding of the foal, even though he does not yet know that the problem is ulcers. He does not give information easily, so I am writing to you for some help. You are very wise and I trust what you will tell me. Thank you very much, Teresa

Hi Teresa! I think that you should follow your veterinarian's suggestion and take your foal to the clinic for tests. This is definitely a matter for a veterinarian. All I can do is explain a little about ulcers, and give you some ideas about what your veterinarian may be thinking, and why. You may want to print this letter and discuss it with him - perhaps it will encourage him to share his thoughts with you.

Yes, foals can have ulcers, and two common symptoms are the big belly and the grinding of teeth, so I can understand why your vet suspects the presence of gastric ulcers in your foal.

Sickness and stress can contribute to the development of ulcers - I doubt very much that the ulcer, if it IS an ulcer, was caused by anything you did. Weaning can be very stressful, and your foal has been weaned for only one month, so stress does seem like a possibility.

I expect your vet wants you to bring the foal to the clinic so that he can use the diagnostic tools that are available there. He will probably use an endoscope - a long tube containing a tiny camera - to look at the inside of your foal's stomach. He may also wish to use other diagnostic tools such as x-rays and ultrasound. He will want to find out whether there are ulcers present, and if so, whether they are in the foal's stomach, the duodenum (where the stomach ends and the small intestine begins). Ulcers can be dangerous to foals, but they are very treatable, so your vet will want to collect as much information as possible and be as precise as possible in his treatment.

Antacids - just like the ones taken by humans - are often used in the treatment of ulcers in horses. You should ask your vet about a medicine called "GastroGard", which is meant for horses, and contains an ulcer medicine commonly used for humans (omeprazole). In both cases, the treatment is administered orally and works by causing the stomach to stop producing acid. With horses, the treatment is given daily, usually for a month (your vet will know more about this).

You say that your vet has already suggested some management changes - do they have anything to do with giving your foal access to more free exercise, more hay and/or grazing, and less grain in its diet? If so, don't worry, those are all routine and sensible precautions that a vet would typically suggest in a case like this, where the possibility of ulcers exists. The changes in management and feeding are aimed at reducing your foal's stress level, and such changes are often suggested by vets even before they arrive at a definitive diagnosis and begin medical treatment. Because the horse will be the better for those changes, it makes sense that your vet would have suggested implementing them as soon as possible.

I know that it can be frustrating to talk to a vet who seems more at ease talking with animals than with humans, but keep trying. When you ask questions, SMILE so that he understands you are not accusing him of anything, you just want more information. Also, when you ask questions, WAIT. Be sure to leave plenty of time for him to answer them. Not everyone is comfortable or fast when answering questions. Some people think more slowly than others, others need to formulate an answer completely before they begin to speak. Give your vet time to answer each question - you can always ask another one later if his answer is incomplete. Remember that both of you want the same thing - for your foal to be healthy, sound, and happy.

Jessica

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