Gastroscope

Gastric ulcers are a common medical condition in horses and foals. Numerous publications have identified that up to 60% of show horses and up to 90% of race horses may develop gastric ulcers.

There are many triggers for stomach ulcer development, and stress is one of the most important factors. Horses may experience stress in day to day routines, such as training, travel, competition, events, or changes in routine like layup and stall rest.

Clinical signs associated with gastric ulcers are numerous and often vague. Typical symptoms include poor performance, poor hair and coat, picky eating, and even colic. The gold standard of diagnosis is gastroscopy, which is a visualization of the stomach with a three-meter (3m) endoscope.