Effects of transportation on gastric pH and gastric ulceration in mares.
Authors: Padalino Barbara, Davis Georgina L, Raidal Sharanne L
Journal: Journal of veterinary internal medicine
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Transportation Effects on Equine Gastric Health Whilst transportation has long been implicated as a risk factor for gastric ulceration in horses, robust evidence has been lacking until now. Padalino and colleagues examined 26 mares across two phases: first measuring gastric pH and ulceration during 12-hour confinement in stocks, then during 12-hour transportation, with continuous nasogastric sampling from a core group of 12 animals at matched timepoints. Confinement alone produced highly acidic gastric fluid (pH 1.70–2.49) without triggering ulcer development, yet transportation significantly elevated gastric pH to 6.82–7.22 and—critically—increased squamous ulcer scores, particularly in horses fasted prior to departure. The researchers propose that alkaline reflux from impaired gastric emptying, mediated by duodenal bile salts and short-chain fatty acids, drives this mucosal injury rather than acid damage alone. For practitioners, these findings suggest pre-transport feeding protocols warrant reconsideration, and horses showing delayed emptying after arrival may benefit from proactive gastroprotection and modified feeding management.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Feeding mares before 12-hour transport may help reduce ulceration risk by promoting gastric emptying, contrary to traditional fasting practices
- •Transportation itself, not simply confinement or fasting, is the primary risk factor for acute gastric ulceration in mares
- •Consider gastric protection protocols (e.g., omeprazole) specifically for transported horses, as pH elevation during transport creates a different mucosal injury mechanism than simple acid exposure
Key Findings
- •Transportation for 12 hours increased gastric pH from 1.70-2.49 to 6.82-7.22 in mares
- •Transportation was associated with increased gastric squamous ulcer scores, particularly in fasted horses
- •Confinement alone without transportation did not increase gastric ulceration despite acidic pH
- •Delayed gastric emptying and alkaline reflux from small intestine appear to mediate mucosal injury during transportation