SmartPak had another educational webinar today. The gist of it was that 90% of race horses and 60% of the overall horse population have ulcers. Many of those are easily prevented through proper management:
- Grazing
- Moving
- Socializing
- Low carb diet
- Less stress
Well, aside from the grazing, that sounds like what most people should have, too!
A few things I found interesting:
- Loud music in the barn stresses horses (more so when there are talk shows or lots of ads) and there is research that shows that this stress can lead to ulcers
- When the horse is on a NSAIDs (i.e. Bute or Banamine), Ulcergard or a supplement should be given as preventive measure
- Alfalfa hay buffers acid and is a really good natural preventative. If weight is an issue, then grass hay should be given frequently, with several flakes of Alfalfa added in
- Gastrogard is FDA approved (RX only) and is a treatment for ulcers
- Ulcergard is OTC and given to prevent ulcers
So, I guess I need more Alfalfa in my diet!
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