Horse Gastric Ulcer Monitoring and Welfare

How to recognize gastric ulcer signs in horses and monitor treatment effectiveness for this extremely common welfare problem.

Key Facts

Equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) affects an estimated 60-90% of racehorses and 40-60% of other performance horses
Definitive diagnosis requires gastroscopy under sedation - clinical signs alone are insufficient for diagnosis
Behavioral signs associated with EGUS include reluctance to work, girthing sensitivity, cribbing, and poor body condition
Omeprazole at licensed doses is effective for squamous ulcers - treatment of 28 days is typically required for healing
Glandular ulcers are less responsive to omeprazole alone and may require sucralfate or misoprostol in combination
Recurrence after treatment is common without concurrent management changes to reduce acid exposure
Regular monitoring using validated assessment tools between gastroscopy allows tracking of welfare indicators over time

Welfare Considerations

Gastric ulcer monitoring and management is a welfare priority that requires veterinary investigation rather than assumption or trial treatment. The high prevalence of EGUS in managed horses means that welfare-conscious horse management should include regular consideration of gastric health as part of routine care. The challenge of diagnosing EGUS by clinical signs alone means that some horses with significant ulceration are misdiagnosed as behavioral problems and subjected to training pressure rather than medical treatment. Building veterinary gastric health assessment into routine performance horse care, rather than only investigating when performance declines, would identify and treat EGUS earlier and reduce the duration of associated welfare compromise.

What You Can Do

Discuss gastric ulcer risk with your veterinarian if your horse shows any clinical indicators
Arrange gastroscopy for definitive diagnosis rather than trial treatment when EGUS is suspected
Implement management changes alongside medical treatment to reduce ulcer recurrence
Provide ad libitum hay access as the most important preventive management measure for gastric health
Monitor horses returning to training after ulcer treatment for recurrence indicators