Companion Animals

Horse Gastric Ulcer Monitoring Technology

New non-invasive approaches to gastric ulcer detection are reducing the need for scoping while improving monitoring in working horses.

Key Facts

Gastroscopy remains the gold standard for ulcer diagnosis but requires sedation and fasting
Blood biomarkers including sucrose absorption tests provide non-invasive screening options
SUCCEED Equine Fecal Blood Test detects hindgut ulcers not visible on gastroscopy
Continuous pH monitoring capsules provide real-time gastric acid data in research settings
Behavioral indicators combined with clinical history provide reasonable pre-test probability assessment

Welfare Considerations

Gastric ulcer monitoring welfare is improved by non-invasive approaches that reduce the need for sedation and overnight fasting. The combination of non-invasive screening with selective gastroscopy for positive cases reduces procedural welfare costs while maintaining diagnostic accuracy. Continuous monitoring technology is revealing the dynamic nature of gastric pH in working horses.

What You Can Do

Use non-invasive screening approaches as a first step before proceeding to gastroscopy
Monitor for behavioral ulcer indicators and take history of management risk factors
Implement preventive feeding management for horses with positive screening results
Support research into validated non-invasive gastric ulcer monitoring tools for working horses