Omeprazole is an FDA-approved drug that is sold under the tradenames GastroGard® and UlcerGard. Omeprazole is used to prevent or treat equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS).
Gastric ulceration is a painful condition with an extremely high prevalence in horses. Up to 90% of performance horses are affected by EGUS. High rates of pleasure horses are affected as well.
Ulcers are sores or lesions that develop in the gastric and intestinal lining of the horse. They can cause your horse to become girthy, resistant to training, agitated and generally crabby. Ulcers can also cause more severe health problems such as diarrhea, gastric bleeding, colic episodes and ill thrift.
Omeprazole treats ulcers by suppressing the production of stomach acid. It is a proton pump inhibitor medication, meaning it blocks the enzyme responsible for pumping hydrogen ions into the stomach.
Treatment for gastric ulcers can be a long and expensive commitment. Unfortunately, following treatment, there is a risk of ulcer recurrence, known as rebound ulcers. Changes in your horse’s management and feeding program can help reduce this risk.
Horse owners should be aware of how omeprazole works to prevent and heal ulcers, as well as any complications that could occur with treatment, such as rebound acid hypersecretion (RAH).
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