Ulcers in Young Foals

[griff]

I've been doing some research on ulcer medication and found a statement that up to 90% of the horses in race training have ulcers and 50% to 60% of youg foals have ulcers.

Have not found a lot more on foals and ulcers and wondered if this board has any experience or recommendations.

griff

[hpkingjr]

When we take a mare to be bred we leave the foal at home for the 3 or 4 hours while the mare is being transported and bred. We always give the foal a little squirt of Ulcerguard before we leave as a preventive measure. Can't say it works but it does give some peace of mind and we have not had an ulcer problem in our foals.

[griff]

How do you tell if your foals have ulcers, or do noy have ulcers, short of scoping??


griff

[ireneinwa]

I cant see taking away a foal from it's mother,even for a few hours. That's stressful on the mare and foal. Why don't you transport the foal w/ the mare?

[LB]

I cant see taking away a foal from it's mother,even for a few hours. That's stressful on the mare and foal. Why don't you transport the foal w/ the mare?

Our breedings are handled the same way hpkingjr's are and in the vast majority of cases it isn't stressful for the foal at all. They simply remain at home in familiar surroundings for an hour or two until their dam reappears. I think it would be much harder on the foal (and more dangerous) to accompany the mare to the breeding shed--where it would then have to wait outside for her, in an unfamiliar trailer, while she was being bred.

griff, the times we've diagnosed foals with ulcers, it's been done by observation. The foals we've treated have had a bit of a pot belly and an air of being "just not quite right". In each case they've turned around pretty remarkably after a course of gastroguard.

[hpkingjr]

We always leave an "aunt", (an old barren mare) next to the foal. It has been our experience that bad things happen when you have a foal in the trailer screaming for its mother while she is in the breeding shed. Most of the stud farms we deal with discourage the foal coming along for the ride. For us the danger to the foal is greater if the foal goes as opposed to staying home. That said, we do a good job of taking out all buckets etc from the stall so the little one does not rear up and injure itself. Agree with LB

[magic code]

My filly was diagnosed with ulcers at 3 days old. She had watery, white diarrhea - the milk was literally just running through her. Her IgG and everything else was fine. She went on IV fluids and the vet gave us a tube of Gastroguard which we administered in TINY amounts to her.

[griff]

I had never consider ulcers in young foals as a potentional probelm until I read that 50% to 60% have ulcers and now I'm wondering if some sort of preventive maintence is in order; i.e., I'd prever not to wait until the foal develops a pot belly or shows other symptoms.

I'll talk to the gastragard peopel tomorrow and see if they have any date on this "problem"

griff

[Fair Play]

I had never consider ulcers in young foals as a potentional probelm until I read that 50% to 60% have ulcers and now I'm wondering if some sort of preventive maintence is in order; i.e., I'd prever not to wait until the foal develops a pot belly or shows other symptoms.

I'll talk to the gastragard peopel tomorrow and see if they have any date on this "problem"

griff

Confirm this with a vet, but mine told me some big breeding farms in KY give foals Panacur every day (can't remember dosage) because they discovered it is an effective way to prevent ulcers. It is dirt cheap.

[griff]

Thanks for the tip on Pancur..

Wonder if it will work on horses in training as I like the cheaper than dirt.

griff