Ulcers In Three Days
Recent studies have shown that within just three days of a stress condition, a horse can develop gastric ulcers. Frank Andrews, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM, formerly of the University of Tennessee and now the director of the Equine Health Studies Program at Louisiana State University’s School of Veterinary Medicine, has been at the forefront of gastric ulcer research.

“For gastric ulcers to develop there needs to be exposure to hydrochloric acid (digestive juices of the stomach) and to volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and organic and bile acids,” says Andrews. (VFAs are fermentation byproducts of sugar sources found in hay or grain, while bile acids reflux from the small intestine.)

“With just three to four hours of exposure to these substances, tissue resistance dramatically decreases. If acid exposure continues, tissue begins to slough away, with severe damage within 12 hours.”

Scott McClure, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVS, assistant professor in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences at Iowa State University, examined the impact of stress conditions on development of ulcers. His study reproduced conditions involved with attending a horse show– the horses were hauled for four hours, stabled in a box stall for three days, exercised on a longe line twice daily, then transported home.

The horse’s stomach, as seen by endoscopy, showing extensive lesions with deep ulceration and bleeding in the stomach lining

Create a free account with TheHorse.com to view this content.

TheHorse.com is home to thousands of free articles about horse health care. In order to access some of our exclusive free content, you must be signed into TheHorse.com.

Start your free account today!

SIGN UP

Already have an account?
Login and continue reading.