Nixon Equine Gastroscopy
Gastric ulcers are caused by an imbalance between aggressive and protective factors within the stomach. They result from the (mis)management of horses usually under intensive management. Horses have evolved as ‘trickle feeders’, to have a constant flow of food through their digestive tract. They continually secrete hydrochloric acid into their stomachs, even in the absence of food. Food deprivation leaves the acid in the stomach un-buffered, and therefore able to attack the stomach lining. This can be exacerbated by transport, intense exercise and other forms of stress which can increase acid secretion yet further.
The incidence of gastric ulcers varies from about 37% in non-competition horses, to 60% in sports horses, to over 90% in young Thoroughbred race horses in training. They are also commonly found in sick foals, where the stress of illness acts to increase acid secretion. Clinical signs of gastric ulceration include poor appetite or a failure to eat up concentrate feed, low grade colic, under performance, loss of body condition and a dull coat. Clinical signs can help suggest the presence of gastric ulcers but currently the only definitive means of diagnosis is by endoscopic examination (gastroscopy), of the oesophagus, stomach and proximal duodenum using a long (3m) endoscope. Ulcers are graded on a scale of 0 to 3:
Nixon Equine Vets Practice has had the equipment to facilitate gastroscopic examinations since November 2003. This enables us to accurately diagnose and grade ulcers in horses, enabling treatment for this condition to be paid for by insurance companies. The images we receive can be stored on CD allowing us to keep an archive of each case and its response to treatment. CD images can be sent to owners or referring veterinarians and insurance companies.
