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Sydney, Australia,
8th of November 1999. The proven drug for treating ulcers in people is now
available
for racing stables. The National Registration Authority has approved for
sale the ulcer drug ranitidine to treat stomach ulcers in horses while
they remain in training.
How common is
EGUS?
The team at the Randwick Equine Centre found an alarmingly high rate of
ulcers in the stomach of horses in work at Randwick. 89% of horses
ranging from two to eight weeks in work had some degree of ulceration.
Many of these had deep bleeding ulcers within eight weeks of beginning
their preparation.
The Equine Stomach – Why Do Horses get Ulcers?
In simple terms, equine gastric ulcers are caused because gastric acid
(hydrochloric acid secreted by parts of the stomach lining), and, to a
lesser degree, the digestive enzyme pepsin, irritate the lining of the
stomach, causing ulceration.
EGUS –
(Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome) is common in adult horses and foals.
With all of the information available to horse owners regarding gastric
ulcers, it is worth taking a step back to establish what it is that actually
causes gastric ulcers. The only way a horse owner can effectively prevent or
treat gastric ulcers is when they have enough reliable information about
what causes them in the first place.
Ranvet
together with renowned equine veterinarian Dr Percy Sykes and his team
at the Randwick Equine Centre in Sydney made the breakthrough after two
years of clinical trials of the new product developed by the
Sydney-based supplements and pharmaceuticals company.
The use of human tablets such as Zantac® or Tagamet® has been
widespread especially in foals where ulcers can been seen with a 1.5
metre endoscope. "It is no wonder there was a lack of awareness
amongst trainers because we weren't able to confirm the extent of the
problem" Dr Sykes claims. "We needed a 3-metre 'scope to reach
the stomach of a mature horse and there wasn't one in the country so we
had one custom made in the USA."
"All the cases with clinical signs have shown dramatic improvement
within 24-48 hours of starting treatment", Dr Sykes said
"although less than half the 150 horses in the trial that were
found to have ulcers when checked with the 3-metre gastroscope showed
any obvious clinical signs. Many horses in the trial were not recognized
as inappetant or off their feed. "But there are degrees of illness
for everything," Dr Sykes quickly adds. "Is a horse eating a
full feed? Maybe if he had a full appetite he'd be licking out his feed
bin!"
Given three times a day by syringe into the mouth Ranvet's Ulcer
treatment might overcome obvious signs of ulcers within days but
treatment for three weeks is required to heal ulcers. The background
acid secretion in the stomach in the absence of feed is the main
aggressive factor that causes ulcers. This treatment inhibits acid
secretion from the glandular region of the stomach allowing ulcers to
heal. The treatment is also useful to prevent ulcers but if treatment is
discontinued ulcers are likely to flare-up, Ranvet warned.
Fillies have had a reputation for being picky eaters. And it has been
almost accepted that horses will fall away in condition the longer they
stay in work. It is not surprising, therefore, that there has been a lot
of myth surrounding training. Vets and trainers have had to battle with
an insidious disease that has been hidden out of sight.
This disease is now in their control. Owners have been spending
thousands to keep horses in training with performance draining ulcers,
Ranvet said. Now for a fraction of that cost they can be sure that
horses are free of ulcers and are more likely to race to their
potential.
Ranvet's Ulcer
treatment, formulated with ranitidine HCI inhibits gastric acid
secretion from the gastric cells in the stomach allowing the ulcers to
heal.
Active constituents: Ranitidine hydrochloride, chemical name:
N-[2-[[[-5-[(Dimethylamino)methyl]-2-furanyl]methyl]thio]ethyl]-N'-methyl-2-nitro-1,
1-ethendiamine; Empirical formulaC13H22N4O3S.
Composition: Each ml contains 220mg ranitidine HCl. A 15ml dose
provides 3.3g ranitidine HCl or 6.6mg/kgBW for a 500kg horse.
Actions: Ranvet's Ulcer treatment resolves gastric ulcers in
foals and in adult horses in training. The active constituent is,
ranitidine hydrochloride, is a competitive, reversible inhibitor of the
action of histamine at the receptor sites on the gastric cells and
inhibits basal acid secretions in the stomach thereby creating an
environment in the stomach for ulcers to heal.
Indications: In a Randwick Equine Centre (REC) study of 150
horses in training, 89 percent had ulcers in the squamous mucosa of the
stomach confirmed by gastro endoscopy although less than half the horses
confirmed with ulcers had recognizable clinical signs such as
inappetence and loss of condition, a dull coat, general discomfort or
poor temperament in training.
In a blinded clinical trial using Ranvet's Ulcer treatment for three
weeks provided a highly significant reduction (P<0.0005) in both the
severity and area of lesions.
Directions For
Use: Give orally via syringe. Adult horses 15ml/500kg BW three times
daily for an initial treatment period of 3 weeks for horses in work.
Foals 2-3ml/100kg bodyweight three times daily or as directed by the
prescribing veterinarian.
What do I do now, if I've just finished a 21 day treatment?
Give 15ml three times a day, three times a week and 15ml after a
race/competition, simple remember 3x3 3 times a day 3 times a week. The
15ml after a race or competition will help in settling the stomach down
and assists in getting the horse to eat up
Precautions - Racing - If used on performance
horses, regulations of relevant authorities regarding medication should
be observed.
Presentation:
Packed in 500ml tub.
Group One Seal
of Quality
Ranvet Ulcerguard puts your horses on the cutting edge of high
performance feeding. Products that carry the Group One Seal of Quality
are formulated to meet the requirements of racing at Group One level -
the highest level of competition - by Ranvet; the name you can trust for
quality.
Where to get it
Contact your veterinary surgeon or for your nearest stockist call the
Ranvet Technical Information Hotline 1800 727 217.
More reading here
and here Ranvet
Pty Ltd
Technical Information Hotline: 1800 727 217
Tel: 02 9666 1744 Fax: 02 9666 1755
Tel :International + 61 2 9666 1744 Fax :International + 61 2 9666 1755
10-12 Green Street, Botany, NSW, 2019, Australia
Copyright © 2003 Ranvet
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