Efficacy of the Administration of a Natural Feed Supplement in the Management of Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome in 7 Sport Horses: A Field Trial
Authors: S. Luca, Zucca Enrica, S. Alessia, Stancari Giovanni, C. Serena, Conturba Bianca, Ferro Elisabetta, Ferruccio Francesco.
Journal: American Journal of Animal and Veterinary Sciences
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Natural Feed Supplement for Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome Given that EGUS affects over 90% of racehorses in training and significantly compromises performance, identifying effective alternatives to pharmacological management remains clinically valuable. This Italian field trial evaluated whether a natural feed supplement (Gastrocure) could serve as monotherapy for EGUS in seven sport horses with endoscopically confirmed gastric ulceration, administering the supplement daily for 30 days whilst performing gastroscopic examinations at baseline, day 15, and day 30 using the MacAllister scoring system for both lesion number and severity. The supplement produced statistically significant reductions in both the number and severity of gastric lesions by day 30 (p<0.01), suggesting measurable mucosal healing had occurred over the treatment period. Whilst the small sample size limits generalisation, these results indicate that natural feed supplements warrant further investigation as potential adjunctive or, in selected cases, primary interventions for EGUS management—particularly valuable information for practitioners seeking to diversify treatment protocols or support horses whose owners resist proton pump inhibitor use. Replication in larger, controlled trials comparing supplementation against standard pharmacotherapy would strengthen evidence for clinical recommendations.
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Practical Takeaways
- •This natural supplement may offer a non-pharmaceutical option for managing mild to moderate EGUS in sport horses, though the small sample size limits confidence in broader application
- •Gastroscopy at 15 and 30 days can help monitor treatment efficacy, with visible improvement expected within the first 2 weeks
- •Further controlled trials comparing this supplement to standard antacid therapy are needed before recommending as primary treatment over established therapies
Key Findings
- •Natural feed supplement (Gastrocure) significantly reduced both the number and severity of gastric ulcer lesions over 30 days (p<0.01)
- •Improvement in ulcer scores was evident by day 15 and continued through day 30 of treatment
- •All 7 sport horses showed endoscopic evidence of healing of erosive and ulcerative gastric lesions with supplement alone