Changes in Management Lead to Improvement and Healing of Equine Squamous Gastric Disease

Equine squamous gastric disease (ESGD) is common in horses and poses a serious welfare problem. Several risk factors have been identified and ESGD is routinely treated with omeprazole. Fourteen mares, previously used as embryo recipients and diagnosed with ESGD, were selected. Horses were confined t...

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Main Authors: Lieuwke C. Kranenburg, Simone Henriëtte van der Poel, Tim Sebastiaan Warmelink, David Anthonie van Doorn, Robin van den Boom
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-04-01
Series:Animals
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/9/1498
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author Lieuwke C. Kranenburg
Simone Henriëtte van der Poel
Tim Sebastiaan Warmelink
David Anthonie van Doorn
Robin van den Boom
author_facet Lieuwke C. Kranenburg
Simone Henriëtte van der Poel
Tim Sebastiaan Warmelink
David Anthonie van Doorn
Robin van den Boom
author_sort Lieuwke C. Kranenburg
collection DOAJ
description Equine squamous gastric disease (ESGD) is common in horses and poses a serious welfare problem. Several risk factors have been identified and ESGD is routinely treated with omeprazole. Fourteen mares, previously used as embryo recipients and diagnosed with ESGD, were selected. Horses were confined to individual stalls, exercised once daily, and fed ad libitum hay, 1 kg of a low starch compound complementary feed and a mineral supplement. Half of the horses received a compound containing hydrolysed collagen (supplement) and the other half did not (control). At the start of the study, ESGD scores were 3.57 and 3.36 for the supplement and control group, respectively. After 4 weeks, the ESGD grades were significantly reduced in both groups (1.89 and 1.43, respectively, <i>p</i> < 0.01), and healing (ESGD < 2) occurred in 7 out of 14 horses. No treatment effect was observed (<i>p</i> = 0.75), and it was concluded that the change in husbandry overshadowed any potential effect of the compound. Severe ESGD can improve, and even heal, with the provision of a diet of ad libitum forage and a small amount of a compound complementary feed, without the use of omeprazole. A predictable daily routine, with a limited number of dedicated caretakers, may have contributed to the improvement of gastric health.
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spelling doaj.art-66a83383b96c4781b6375bb55052b5e42023-11-17T22:29:56ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152023-04-01139149810.3390/ani13091498Changes in Management Lead to Improvement and Healing of Equine Squamous Gastric DiseaseLieuwke C. Kranenburg0Simone Henriëtte van der Poel1Tim Sebastiaan Warmelink2David Anthonie van Doorn3Robin van den Boom4Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 112, 3584 CM Utrecht, The NetherlandsDepartment of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 112, 3584 CM Utrecht, The NetherlandsDepartment of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 112, 3584 CM Utrecht, The NetherlandsDepartment of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 112, 3584 CM Utrecht, The NetherlandsDepartment of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 112, 3584 CM Utrecht, The NetherlandsEquine squamous gastric disease (ESGD) is common in horses and poses a serious welfare problem. Several risk factors have been identified and ESGD is routinely treated with omeprazole. Fourteen mares, previously used as embryo recipients and diagnosed with ESGD, were selected. Horses were confined to individual stalls, exercised once daily, and fed ad libitum hay, 1 kg of a low starch compound complementary feed and a mineral supplement. Half of the horses received a compound containing hydrolysed collagen (supplement) and the other half did not (control). At the start of the study, ESGD scores were 3.57 and 3.36 for the supplement and control group, respectively. After 4 weeks, the ESGD grades were significantly reduced in both groups (1.89 and 1.43, respectively, <i>p</i> < 0.01), and healing (ESGD < 2) occurred in 7 out of 14 horses. No treatment effect was observed (<i>p</i> = 0.75), and it was concluded that the change in husbandry overshadowed any potential effect of the compound. Severe ESGD can improve, and even heal, with the provision of a diet of ad libitum forage and a small amount of a compound complementary feed, without the use of omeprazole. A predictable daily routine, with a limited number of dedicated caretakers, may have contributed to the improvement of gastric health.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/9/1498equinehorsestomachulcersgastric ulcersequine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS)
spellingShingle Lieuwke C. Kranenburg
Simone Henriëtte van der Poel
Tim Sebastiaan Warmelink
David Anthonie van Doorn
Robin van den Boom
Changes in Management Lead to Improvement and Healing of Equine Squamous Gastric Disease
Animals
equine
horse
stomach
ulcers
gastric ulcers
equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS)
title Changes in Management Lead to Improvement and Healing of Equine Squamous Gastric Disease
title_full Changes in Management Lead to Improvement and Healing of Equine Squamous Gastric Disease
title_fullStr Changes in Management Lead to Improvement and Healing of Equine Squamous Gastric Disease
title_full_unstemmed Changes in Management Lead to Improvement and Healing of Equine Squamous Gastric Disease
title_short Changes in Management Lead to Improvement and Healing of Equine Squamous Gastric Disease
title_sort changes in management lead to improvement and healing of equine squamous gastric disease
topic equine
horse
stomach
ulcers
gastric ulcers
equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS)
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/9/1498
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AT timsebastiaanwarmelink changesinmanagementleadtoimprovementandhealingofequinesquamousgastricdisease
AT davidanthonievandoorn changesinmanagementleadtoimprovementandhealingofequinesquamousgastricdisease
AT robinvandenboom changesinmanagementleadtoimprovementandhealingofequinesquamousgastricdisease