Gastroscopic characterisation and prevalence of gastric ulcer syndrome in working mules in Colombia.
Authors: Calixto-Vega Lady C, Martínez-Aranzales José R
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Gastric Ulceration in Working Mules: A Colombian Perspective Gastric ulcer syndrome has been well characterised in horses, yet mules—despite their widespread use in agricultural work—have remained largely unstudied in this regard. Calixto-Vega and Martínez-Aranzales addressed this gap by performing gastroscopic examinations on 97 clinically healthy Colombian mules engaged in riding, pack and ranch work, scoring ulcer severity from 0–4 and analysing associations with workload, work type, diet, age, sex and body condition score. Prevalence of mule gastric ulcer syndrome (MGUS) reached 42%, with 27% of lesions confined to the squamous mucosa (particularly the margo plicatus) and 20% to the glandular region (fundus and pyloric antrum), whilst six animals presented ulceration in both regions; workload emerged as the only variable showing potential association with MGUS, though statistical significance was not achieved. The findings suggest that risk factors for EGUS in horses—including diet composition, exercise intensity and management factors—may operate differently in mules, warranting caution when extrapolating equine gastric health protocols to this species. Given the high prevalence and the exclusion of animals receiving nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, further prospective, multivariate studies across broader geographic populations are essential to determine whether mules require tailored diagnostic and therapeutic approaches distinct from their equine counterparts.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Nearly half of working mules in this region have gastric ulcers despite clinical health, suggesting subclinical disease is common and warrants consideration in mule management protocols
- •Work load appears to be a potential risk factor for gastric ulcers in mules, though the relationship differs from horses—monitor heavily worked mules more closely and consider preventative strategies
- •Gastroscopic screening may be warranted for working mules given the high prevalence, as ulcers can affect performance and welfare even when animals appear clinically normal
Key Findings
- •Prevalence of MGUS in working mules in Colombia was 42%, with 27% of lesions in squamous region and 20% in glandular region
- •Work load was the only variable showing association with MGUS (OR: 1.98; 95% CI: 0.49-0.96) and MSGD (OR: 1.78; 95% CI: 0.36-0.67), though results were not statistically significant
- •Most squamous lesions occurred at margo plicatus; glandular lesions primarily in fundus and pyloric antrum, with 6 animals showing lesions in both regions
- •Sex, age, body condition score, work type, and diet were not significantly associated with MGUS in this population