ORIGINALLY POSTED 2/16/15

A few weeks ago, I told you all that Mama Tess had an ulcer and that I was able to help her quickly by using Omega Alpha Gastra-FX and Omega Alpha Biotic-8 – which were far less expensive than the paste cures offered.  (No affiliation)

Well, now I’ve stumbled upon a video by a vet showing 5 external, EASY, physical methods to determine if your horse has an ulcer.

Yay!

I think this is incredible!  Why?  Because I think many horses have ulcers that go undiscovered.  And to incorporate this simple palpation method into your daily grooming would be very easy and very helpful to your horse!

BUT FIRST, THE  UNDISCOVERED  ULCER.

Now that I know MT had an ulcer, the signs seemed so clear.

Hindsight is 20/20.

But, I have to say, I watch this horse like a hawk (literally), and unless you know what you are looking for, you don’t know what you are looking at – if you get my drift.

Tess is chronically foundered (chronic abscesses and complications until the horrible damage heals) therefore, she has many symptoms.  They can all overlap.

You see, I’ve always known that horses will grimace due to pain.  But when MT made that face a few weeks ago, I figured it was a bad abscess.  When she started eating the fence boards at the same time, I figured it was the same bad abscess.

I didn’t connect the dots until I woke bolt upright one morning with the word – ULCER – jumping off of my lips.   Could these same pain indicators also be associated with ulcers?

Of course.

Yup, you just don’t know until you know.  This is why I’m telling you.

Also, duh, MT was on antibiotics that contributed to her gut irritation.  THAT I should have figured out earlier, but I didn’t.  So, anyway, once I did connect the dots and called the vet, he confirmed her pain was indeed, ulcers.

*As an aside, I think anytime a horse is prescribed antibiotics, the vet should tell the owner to LOOK FOR signs of ulcer, since the result of ulcer is very common during and after a cycle of antibiotics – especially sulfur antibiotics.

TYPICAL SIGNS OF ULCER (other than the palpation video which is very informative – below)

–Off feed

–Off work

–Grimace face when laying down (and they lay down more often)

–Biting wood or fence boards, grinding teeth

–Soft manure, diarrhea, gas, mild colic

–Nausea face (If you think about it, you will see it.  They look ‘sick’ and nauseous because they ARE.)

THE VIDEO ON HOW TO PALPATE YOUR HORSE FOR ULCERS!  EASY AND QUICK!

Here is a link to the website where I found the video.

Here is the You Tube link to the how to find an ulcer video.

WE ARE ALMOST THERE!!  WE ONLY NEED $200 MORE TO SAVE THE LAST 2 HORSES!