Companion Animals

Horse Gastric Ulcer Monitoring and Welfare

Equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) is extremely prevalent in performance horses and causes significant pain and welfare problems that are often unrecognised.

Key Facts

Up to 90% of racehorses and 60% of leisure horses may have gastric ulcers
Intermittent or absent forage access is the primary cause
Signs include poor appetite, girthiness, poor performance, and weight loss
Diagnosis requires gastroscopy
Omeprazole is the treatment of choice; management changes are essential for prevention

Welfare Considerations

Gastric ulcers cause significant chronic pain in horses, yet signs are often subtle and attributed to behaviour or performance problems rather than pain. Management changes including continuous forage access, reduced grain feeding, and reduced stress are essential alongside medication.

What You Can Do

Provide continuous forage access to buffer gastric acid production
Avoid periods of fasting longer than 4-6 hours wherever possible
Investigate poor performance or girthiness as possible pain signs
Request gastroscopy if gastric ulcers are suspected
Work with your vet to combine treatment with management change