Austin, TX – Dec. 12, 2017 – Research indicates that as many as 92 to 93 percent of racehorses, 63 percent of riding horses and 51 percent of foals have gastric ulcers. It is safe to say that a large majority of horses currently have, have had in the past or will have a gastric ulcer at some point in their life, and it is very likely that such an ulcer will cause negative behavioral issues such as teeth grinding and a lack of desire to go forward under saddle, poor coat, lack of thriftiness and possible colic. What’s to be done? Luckily, Enviro Equine has a solution!
To date, the only FDA approved treatment for ulcers is Omeprazole, which is sold as Gastrogard. New research is showing that this treatment alone may be ineffective depending upon where the ulcer is located within the horse’s stomach. Though Omeprazole is widely used to treat and prevent ulcers by blocking acid production, excessive use can lead to prevent stomach acid from completing its other important roles. Further, there is evidence from human research that long term use of Omeprazole impacts calcium absorption, which has been linked to an increased risk of osteoporosis where bones become weak and there is the risk of fracture. This has caused some researchers in equine nutrition to question the long term use of Omeprazole in horses.
So what other options are out there for horse owners that want to avoid or reduce their use of Omeprazole? Enviro Equine offers options that are backed by science and supported by many favorable reports from owners. Firstly, the patented iFEED automatic feeder, which mimics the horse’s natural grazing behavior, automatically delivers feed and supplements in up to 48 small portions over the course of each day and night at pre-scheduled times. By using iFEED, horse owners can insure that their horses are no longer standing around with no access to feed for long periods of time and faced with the deleterious health effects that may result.
Backed by independent research conducted at the University of Colorado, iFEED was shown to significantly reduce the severity and incidence of ulcers after 24 days of use when horses were fed their daily ration in small fractions as opposed to twice per day. Plus, barns that have iFEED installed report a 30 percent reduction in feed costs due to better feed digestibility. Using iFEED allows you to feed in a way that honors more closely the way your horse was designed to be fed.
Having GastoBalance PLUS be part of your horse’s daily nutrition program, either in combination with iFEED or alone, will support your horse’s gastrointestinal health and may reduce the need for reliance on pharmacological methods of support and their possible side effects. The results and feedback from those using the Enviro Equine products speak for themselves.
To read the full post about the use of Omeprazole in horses and the innovative products provided by Enviro Equine & PET, please click here!
