Two Out of Three Competitive Horses Suffer From Stomach Ulcers
Merial
With two out of three competitive horses suffering from equine stomach ulcers,1 horse owners need access to important information about:
- Understanding how ulcers occur
- Recognizing the clinical signs of ulcers
- Preventing and treating ulcers
- Knowing which products are effective
Now, this information is available in a new series of three easy-to-understand videos:
1. Why Equine Stomach Ulcers Happen
A horse’s stomach can produce up to 16 gallons of acid each day.2 A high roughage diet, found in natural grazing environments, results in a decreased level of acid due to a buffering effect of the grass and the horse’s own saliva. However, many horses are stalled with limited turnout and fed fewer, larger meals, including grain. These situations can cause acid levels to rise in a horse’s stomach. This video also addresses other causes and risk factors that horse owners should know.
2. Preventing and Treating Equine Stomach Ulcers
Stomach ulcers have been identified in horses of all breeds, disciplines and ages.3 They can be prevented with the use of ULCERGARD® (omeprazole), the only proven and FDA-approved product for the prevention of equine stomach ulcers.4 ULCERGARD works by blocking the production of excess acid. For the treatment of equine stomach ulcers, the only proven and FDA-approved product is GASTROGARD® (omeprazole)5. Horse owners can learn more about prevention and treatment in this video.
3. Why Most Equine “Ulcer” Products Aren’t Worth the Gamble
There are dozens of products claiming to prevent and/or treat equine stomach ulcers. These products are often falsely advertised as “generic” or “just as good as” ULCERGARD or GASTROGARD. However, there are no generic versions of either drug. In one study, five such products were tested and found to have formulations as low as just 63 percent of the labeled active ingredient (omeprazole).4 This segment will help horse owners learn about the types of products available and about the importance of choosing those that are FDA-approved.
“Owners have a tremendous emotional and financial investment in their horses, and want what’s best for them,” says Megan Green, DVM, manager, equine and large animal veterinary services, Merial. “Being educated and understanding equine stomach ulcers is important for the animal’s overall health.”
For more information about ulcers, go to www.ulcergard.com.
About Merial
Merial is a world-leading, innovation-driven animal health company, providing a comprehensive range of products to enhance the health, well-being and performance of a wide range of animals. Merial employs approximately 6,200 people and operates in more than 150 countries worldwide with close to $2 billion of sales in 2013.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Caution: Safety of GASTROGARD in pregnant or lactating mares has not been determined.
ULCERGARD can be used in horses that weigh at least 600 pounds. Safety in pregnant mares has not been determined.
®ULCERGARD is a registered trademark of Merial.©Merial Limited, Duluth, GA. All rights reserved. EQUIUGD1342 (05/14)
1Mitchell RD. Prevalence of gastric ulcers in hunter/jumper and dressage horses evaluated for poor performance. Association for Equine Sports Medicine. September 2001.
2Kitchen DL, Merritt AM, Burrow JA. Histamine-induced gastric acid secretion in horses. Am J Vet Res. 1998;59(10):1303-1306.
3Data on file at Merial.
4ULCERGARD product label.
5GASTROGARD product label.
6Stanley SD, Knych HK. Comparison of Pharmaceutical Equivalence for Commercially Available Preparations of Omeprazole. AAEP Proceedings. 2011;57:63.
