# Biting sides?



## mom2pride (May 5, 2009)

It does sound like it could be ulcers. What kind of diet is he on and has it changed recently? Does his pasture-mate pick on him at all, or does he pace, or run the fence at all, by chance? 

I would certainly get a vet out and get him checked out. I'm not sure there's any definitive way to prove ulcers, except ultrasound, if even then, as it depends on how much damage caused, and how large they may be, so you may wind up just having to treat for them.


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## paint gurl 23 (Jan 26, 2009)

Thanks mom2pride. Hes on this alfalfa/grass mix hay. Some of the bales have more grass while some are loaded with alfalfa. Hes not in pasture, hes in a pen with this older mare thats kind of grump. Her owners are friends of mine and they never go out to see her so shes kind of a depressed little thing. Hes coliced on me before at a different facility due to stress of his environment. I caught it just in time (thank god), but similar situation, in with a mare that was depressed because she never seen the outside world and when she did she got to work her butt off and put away. He doesnt pace or anything like that, I am going to asked the barn manager today if hes been laying down more or anything unusual (he may not tell me the truth though because he doesnt want to lose his board with me putting him out for some vacation time) This horse is my baby and for him to be biting at his sides is huge because hes usually pretty happy about life and whatnot and doesnt do stuff like this. It doesnt hurt him to push on his sides or anything (someone told me that if he had ulcers he would get pretty upset touching his sides) Is there anything natural I could get him on to maybe help with anything internal that he may have going on including ulcers until I can find him some pasture? Im so worried about him.


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## luvs2ride1979 (Nov 9, 2007)

I agree, sounds like ulcers. If you can afford it, I'd have a vet scope him and do some blood work.

For "natural" treatments you could try some aloe vera juice (found at most health food stores) and pepto mixed in some beet pulp (the kind without any molasses). Soak shredded beet pulp in a little water until it's softened, 20-45 minutes, then add 1 cup of aloe vera juice and 1/4 cup of pepto.

If you don't mind paying a little more, horsetech.com makes a great supplement for ulcer prone horses. You use it instead of the pepto. It has pink bismuth in it (the active ingredient in pepto) along with other ingredients for soothing the stomach and aiding in digestion. If he's a picky eater, they can add a flavor to it for free. It's called Amiquell.

Does he get any grain or pelleted feed? If so, stop all feed until you have your vet look at him.


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## paint gurl 23 (Jan 26, 2009)

luvs2ride1979, Thanks so much! I am giving him just mineral 95% of the time, i give him like a handful of complete feed (pellets) if hes worked hard for me but otherwise he just gets mineral. Should I stop the mineral too? I had no idea about grain or pelleted feed contributing to ulcers! thank god for this forum! haha..learn something new everyday! What is it about grain or pelleted feed that can cause ulcers?


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## luvs2ride1979 (Nov 9, 2007)

It won't cause ulcers necessarily, but it can agrivate them. It has something to do with the high sugar/starch levels. You might want to remove the mineral for now, at least until you can have the vet out. Make sure he has free access to hay at all times, so his belly is never empty. If you can't provide unlimited hay, then you can use a small mesh hay net to make it take longer for him to eat.


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## Maverick101 (Nov 8, 2009)

Here is a link that I think youll find interesting.

I have 2 horses that have done this, (both from the same mare.)

The Filly (now 4) would bite at hers sides, and kick out w her back feet violently, it seemed to come on suddenly. We chalked it up to hormones.....as it started when she started to come into her first heat)....when it didn't settle, we too thought ulcers....we had her scoped....nothing, came back clean. Then it seemed to subside once she started training. She does do it occasionally still, but not nearly as bad as she used to from a common occurrence, to know only occasionally.

Then my colt started it when he was about 8 months, but he would try and bite his flanks, and would spin so fast in a circle as he tried to reach his flanks, that he would almost fall over. It almost looked like he was chasing his tail. In his stall he couldnt spin, so he would back up in the corner and bite at his sides, just as his sister did.
I went through the same process w him as w my mare, by trial and error ruled out different things we thought it could be. My vet was involved but never really came to any clear answer, and actually was quite useless in the process....in her defense I think she had no clue what the issue was, as with me.
In a last ditch effort, I turned to Google.....and found *Equine Self mutilation*. And the pieces started falling together.

Now both my mare (4) and colt (now 1 1/2) only have to occasional symptom. As I have cut out most concentrates from thier feed, and they both get Chammomille 2/day, and both are on a very regular work schedule. Granted my colt at just under 2 cant be worked, but he challange his brain other ways, such as hand walks over poles and games of that nature.


Equine Self-Mutilation


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## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

My 21 year old TB has ulcers.

I had him on a weeks dosage of Gastro Guard or sometihng like that.....

And I als have him on SmatPak suppliments. Smart Gut and SmartDigest Ultra


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## Gidget (Jan 19, 2010)

My horse has been biting one side and well she is missing some hair there now....I am wondering if she has ulcers....can you get the gastro guard at a equine store? Does your vet need to prescribe it?


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## tealamutt (Aug 21, 2009)

luvs2ride1979 said:


> For "natural" treatments you could try some aloe vera juice (found at most health food stores) and pepto mixed in some beet pulp (the kind without any molasses).



Do NOT, repeat NOT mix pepto in. It contains Salicylate which can be an allergen in horses and can also aggravate ulcers. If you want to try something similar try one of the equine products intended for this use, but not a human medication.

I agree that the best option would be to have him scoped which is the only way to definitively prove that he has ulcers. If he does, your next step is a course of gastroguard (omeprazole) usually for two weeks and then you can try various preventatives. If he does have ulcers though, it is very doubtful he will fully recover without treating them with the omeprazole.

Good luck to you. My old man TB (20 yrs) has a history of ulcers and I have finally gotten them under control. The key is to minimize stress, as well as a carefully controlled diet and preventatives from smart pak!


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## paint gurl 23 (Jan 26, 2009)

Thanks everyone for your input. Its givin me lots to think about and watch for. I honestly have no idea whats going on. It rained here quite heavily last night so I had him blanketed. I didnt see any evidence of him trying to bite his sides on the blanket although the rain could have washed them away. 

Maverik101- I thought about self mutiliation from lack of excercise as well, and that could very well be.


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## bellatink89 (Apr 26, 2010)

is his diet 100% hay? whats his exercise like?


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## paint gurl 23 (Jan 26, 2009)

bellatink89- Hes on a grass mix hay. Some of the bales have alot more alfalfa in them while some are mostly grass. I lunge him every other day just to keep him from going nuts when im not riding him. I dont know if its enough tho?


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## luvs2ride1979 (Nov 9, 2007)

Can you get him a new paddock mate, one that will interact and play with him more? Or can you put him in a larger pasture/turnout? I had a TB at my place recently. His behavior just went downhill. I had to keep him in a small paddock because he fought with my other gedings badly. Once she moved him to a different facility and put him in a big pasture, his attitude did a 180.


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## paint gurl 23 (Jan 26, 2009)

luvs2ride1979- Im working on moving him right now. I am going to look at a different facility tommorow or the next day and see what I can do for him. Im trying to get away from the "drama" (lol) as well from this barn, the one im going to doesnt have many, if any, boarders so it will be great! When I put him back in his pen yesterday he went and bit everyone he could reach across the fence which isnt really like him so I think its time for a change for both of us.


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