A common sign of heartburn can cause pain, intense discomfort to an individual. Imagine how your horse is able to survive or perform the daily activities with an ulcer? Well, it brings them severe discomfort too. Are you aware that clinical signs of equine ulcers in horses are nonspecific and subtle which might get reflected in their attitude, a reluctance to train or a decline in performance? Ulcers are primarily common in horses. Studies have shown that 90% of racehorses and 60% of show horses might develop moderate to severe ulcers. Often termed as ‘equine gastric ulcer disease' or ‘equine gastric ulcer syndrome', it is a medical condition which can occur due to several factors.

In order to get an idea why horses develop such painful disease, it is first important to understand or define what an ulcer is. Most likely, in horses as well as in human beings, it is mainly a wound in the lining of the stomach which is usually caused by acid. Horses secrete acid even when they are not eating anything. The top portion of the stomach lining feature less protection and this is the most common place wherein gastric horse ulcers develop. This lining of the stomach is very thin and further does not have any sort of mechanism for acid protection. As the horse's stomach is exposed to acid all the time, the lining of the region gets affected which, in turn, develop ulcers in them.

Teeth grinding
Poor body condition and weight loss
Intermittent colic
Lying down more often
Diarrhea
Attitude change and mental dullness
Decreased performance
Loose feces

If an ulcer is suspected in horses, veterinarians use a combination of clinical signs, medical history, laboratory tests as well as various special examinations to diagnose the problem. The disease can be life-threatening. Alteration in the management practices and medications are the basic cornerstones of the treatment. Here are listed the medications to treat gastric ulcers in horses:
Proton Pump Inhibitors: These are useful in inhibiting the production of acid by the stomach.
H2 Blockers: They are used to block the action of histamine. Histamine is highly responsible for the production of acid in stomach.
Antacids: Antacids can be used to buffer the action of acid in stomach. As acid is produced continuously even when the horse is not eating anything, antacids can prove to be useful for a short time.

So, understand the symptoms of gastric ulcer in horses and treat them effectively and in time.