Gastric ulcers in horses also known as the equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) is described as the erosion of the horse’s stomach lining due to prolonged exposure to acid produced by the stomach. Gastric ulcers can affect horses of any breed, age or size.

When suffering damage from excessive exposure to acid, a horse’s stomach lining starts by being mildly inflamed. If it keeps suffering damage, eventually there will be bleeding into the stomach and in extreme circumstances, perforation of the stomach can occur.

Clinical signs of EGUS include subtle behavioural changes, poor appetite, loss in condition (e.g. poor coat), weight loss, poor performance and mild recurrent colic. Gastric ulcers can be difficult to recognise because adult horses will often show very subtle signs. In foals, clinical signs are usually more obvious: teeth grinding, excess salivation and excessive lying down as well as infrequent nursing and diarrhoea.

If you notice your horse is acting a little bit out of character, call the vet, as ulcers can be the cause for this change in behaviour. The treatment for gastric ulcers is usually simple and very effective.

Although all the risk factors for equine gastric ulcers have yet to be determined, there are a few circumstances that seem to contribute to this disease:

• Diet – when horses are denied free access to feed or fail to eat; the excessive use of high carbohydrate diets is also a relevant risk factor;
• Excessive and intense exercise;
• Illness – gastric ulcers can occur in response to physiological stress;
• Stress – such as the one caused by stable confinement and equine transportation.

In the wild horses are constantly feeding. For this reason acid is continually secreted into the stomach, which means that prolonged periods without food to neutralise that acid can lead to ulceration. Dividing your horse’s feed into smaller portions in order to feed it more frequently or allowing it to have free-choice access to grass or hay, may help to buffer the acid level in the stomach. Making sure your horse has access to fresh water at all times and cutting down on the use of concentrated feeds may also be very helpful.

Allowing access in the stable or visibility to horses that they normally socialise with may also help reduce the risk for gastric ulcers. Owners can resort to a mirror in order to achieve this.

Consult your veterinary surgeon about the use of adequate medication to help reduce the risk of gastric ulcers before a known period of stress and to help prevent the recurrence of ulcers following treatment.

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Respiratory diseases are very common in horses and ponies.  These can limit a horse’s performance and if left untreated can be life-threatening. Respiratory problems in horses can be caused by viral, bacterial and parasitic infections, by allergies and they can also be associated with anatomical problems of the respiratory tract.

Bacterial respiratory infections are usually secondary to viral disease, mainly because viruses will debilitate and even destroy respiratory defence mechanisms. Equine influenza (viral) and Strangles (bacterial) are the two of the most serious and common infectious diseases that can affect horses. These diseases are highly contagious which means they can quickly spread between horses.

Lungworms spend part of their lifecycle in the lungs and respiratory tract of horses and ponies causing chronic coughing. Horses become infected by ingesting the worm larvae from the pasture. These larvae will then migrate to the lungs where they will become adults. It is estimated that about 70% of donkeys in the UK are infected with lungworm. For this reason horses and ponies that graze with donkeys are at particular risk of catching this parasite.

Respiratory allergies develop when a horse’s immune system overreacts to certain particles that may be inhaled: pollens, moulds, mites or dust. Affected animals often have a genetic predisposition to allergic airway disease.

Anatomical problems in the structures of the respiratory tract can lead to partial obstruction of the animal’s airways which can result in breathing difficulties.

Signs of respiratory problems in horses include: abnormal respiratory noises, nasal discharge, coughing, reduced exercise tolerance and an increased respiratory rate. In more severe and advanced cases horses can show flaring nostrils, an increased heart rate, sweating, a high temperature and a noticeable abdominal effort when breathing (‘heaves’).

The best way to prevent these diseases is to keep your horse in the best possible condition. Please make sure all vaccinations and worming programs are up to date and if you notice any of the signs mentioned above, please do not hesitate to contact your vet.

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