Hm. Re-scoped today. Very hangry pony was difficult for my poor trimmer before he went. Poor Lisa!!!

The ulcers have gone, in the stomach. Stomach looks great actually, really good colour no redness. Quite different from how it looked before. As far as vet is concerned that ulcers discounted as the cause of this issue. I didn’t specifically ask her about hind gut ulcers but she very determinedly said ‘no, not ulcers then!’ so I’m guessing she’s in the ‘hind gut ulcers don’t exist camp’. Her suggestion is a two week bute trial to rule about ‘any other pain issues’. I can see the logic and thought she would probably go this route, so we’ll be on Bute for two weeks whilst weaning off the Peptizole. Two bute a day for one week, one bute a day for one week and then I’ll see her for an ordinary appointment at the yard to follow up. She thinks it’s behavioural. I really don’t. But my plan is that when the bute trial makes no difference I’ll get some of the Succeed that other vets prescribe for hind gut issues (but is not a prescription thing!) and try it for a month to see if it helps.

If the bute does make a difference that’s a big rabbit hole of x-rays and bone scans and other diagnostics to work out where the pain is. So I kind of hope it doesn’t change anything! Very stressful all this. 😥

Gosh. Not updated here for ages. Oops…

So. First scope was 24 February. We found some red areas in the lower, glandular, part of the stomach but no ‘classic’ ulcers in the top part where the acidic splash damage can be caused. Since he has been reactive we decided to treat and Wednesday marks the end of five weeks of Peptizole. He’s been very good about the syringes, I think they must taste good as he basically begs for them!! :db: He did feel like he got a bit better at first, at least under saddle. He was moving nicely forward and at first his attitude towards his tummy being touched didn’t really change. But over the course of the treatment I think his movement has dropped back a little (although not much) but he is worse about having is tummy touched. He is wary even when I go to put a rug on now and I can barely get a brush near him, even super gently. Some days worse than others but overall I think it’s got worse. He’s also been super gurgly in the digestive area I think.

He’s being rescoped tomorrow. I’m not sure what I expect/hope to see. In my mind the fact the Peptizole made a difference sees to indicate it *is* a digestive thing and I’m wondering about hind gut ulcers. There seems to be evidence that hind gut ulcers can get worse with Omezprazole treatment as partly digested food ends up in the inflamed bowel but there’s no conclusive evidence and some vets don’t believe they exist. The recommended treatment is actually available without prescription so if I find Sarah is in the ‘no such things’ camp I might just buy some anyway. It’s not cheap but I could get a months’ course for under £100 and you can only really diagnose them by treating and see if it gets better anyway so it might be money well spent.

There was a saddler out to the yard (sorry Why!) who is quite open minded (although claims that Heather doesn’t like him :-\ ) to give his saddle a check over. His overall view was that it was fine, but weirdly the flocking on the right side has become much more compressed than that on the left. I know it was even when it arrived! But now it’s literally half the thickness. So we’ve shimmed it so it’s even but he’s going to reflock it for me as it’s no good with uneven flocking. I didn’t think the pony was that uneven so perhaps I don’t sit right? That wasn’t an issue at June’s though. 8o( Weird.

He did find a small patch of soreness just behind the saddle on the left but didn’t think it was serious. Osteopath has seen him and doesn’t think there’s anything muscular/joint related going on but I suppose a useful next step from Sarah’s point of view might be to rule out any non-digestive issues by xrays to spine/back legs/possible bone scan OR a bute trial of some sort to rule out that sort of pain. Bute (or danilon or whatever) wouldn’t really touch ulcer/digestive pain but should lessen anything else he has going on so we have options I guess! It is a worry though.

He is now on his new ‘proper’ feed: Simple Systems Timothy Chop & Equifeast LamiCORE (and some salt). After a brief ‘that tastes weird and I’m not eating it’ he has now decided the LamiCORE is ok and I find bowls licked clean! :db: So that’s good.