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Gastroscopy and Ulcers

Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) is an increasingly common condition seen in our equine partners, with estimates upwards of 60-90% of horses being affected by stomach, or gastric ulcers.

Key Points:

  • Gastric ulcers are a common condition, especially in performance horses
  • Gastroscopy is used to diagnose gastric ulcers and other abnormalities in the horse’s stomach
  • Gastroscopy can be performed stall-side and is minimally invasive

There are a variety of reasons for gastric ulcers, including diet, feeding style and frequency, and delayed gastric motility and emptying, among others. Horses can develop ulcers in several locations in their stomach, either in the non-glandular portion, or the glandular portion where stomach acid is secreted.

Gastric ulcers can lead to a variety of clinical problems including recurrent colic-like episodes, decreased performance, irritable behavior, poor appetite, weight loss, poor hair coat, and poor condition.

Gastric ulcers can only be definitively diagnosed via gastroscope. In this procedure, a long scope with a small camera on the end is passed up the horse’s nose, to the back of the throat, down the esophagus and into the stomach. This allows your veterinarian to visualize the various structures of your horse’s stomach and the presence of current active or recently healed ulcers. In some horses, the pylorus (the exit of the stomach into the small intestine) may be able to be visualized and assessed for ulceration as well.

When diagnosed, gastric ulcers found in the non-glandular portion of the stomach are graded on a scale from 1-4:

Grade 1 – The mucosa is intact, but there are areas of hyperkeratosis
Grade 2 – Small, single or multifocal lesions
Grade 3 – Large single or extensive superficial lesions
Grade 4 – Extensive lesions with areas of apparent deep ulceration

Gastric ulcers are treated with Omeprazole (Gastrogard), and treatment is aided with dietary and management changes where appropriate.

Gastroscopy is a procedure that can be done on the farm, stall-side. It is completed under standing sedation with the horse fasted starting the evening before.