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  Discussion on Dry mouth/ulcers
Author Message
New Member:
Ponymom4

Posted on Tuesday, May 16, 2006 - 12:10 am:

we have a horse that we had scoped to r/o ulcers;
one thing we noticed (along with many behaviors that sometime show up with ulcers)- was that he had an extremly dry mouth- he drinks well, so dehydration is not a consideration; while working never made any lipstick, and tongue & gums were dry when my daughter would massage his gums to help him relax and get used to having his face & mouth handled; changing bits, using copper bit, rollers, diff. riders didn't make a diff.
However after about 5 days on ulcerguard for ulcer treatment, we noticed he was making normal amts of saliva! mouth was always moist- and the other behaviors that were unexplained, improved;
Had never read/ heard of any corrolations between ulcers & dry mouth- anyone else have this experience? maybe this would be a good indicator to assess how the ulcers are healing, and if re-occuring? Dr O, what are your thoughts on the physiology of this?
Member:
Swainl

Posted on Sunday, Sep 24, 2006 - 6:24 pm:

I've wondered the same thing myself. It kind of makes sense that since saliva helps neutralize the stomach acid that perhaps some horses don't create the right ratio of saliva to acid.
If this proved to be true, then maybe we could treat with drugs that increase saliva rather than drugs that stop production of acid (what Gastroguard does).
I know that my ulcer-prone horse does best when I feed him wet hay and I've often thought it might be because of the increased moisture diluting the acid.....
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Sep 25, 2006 - 6:43 am:

Hello redbarnrat,
You have found a post that looks like it got left behind. Unfortunately I don't have a answer for Karen because I do not know of a relation between saliva production and the proton pump inhibitor, omeprazole. Humans report the following uncommon side effects: diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, headaches, rash and dizziness. Nervousness, abnormal heartbeat, muscle pain, weakness, leg cramps and water retention occur infrequently.

Saliva production is stimulated by chewing, swallowing, and clover that contains salaframine.
DrO
Member:
Swainl

Posted on Monday, Sep 25, 2006 - 6:08 pm:

My curiosity is more toward whether horses with ulcers have a higher ratio of gastric acid:saliva-- either from high acid production or low saliva production. (my ulcer-prone horse does not have a 'wet mouth', either) I wasn't thinking of omeprazole having any place in this research query, other than treating with it and stopping acid production is not something we can do permanently, and it is very expensive. Was just thinking that there might be an alternative treatment path if this hypothesis proved true. Karen's post just got me thinkin'..........
New Member:
Bretta

Posted on Tuesday, Sep 26, 2006 - 12:48 pm:

Recently a horse was being examined for ulcers. The results was colic with impaction. The term now is Ileus? What is this exactly? The horse is being seen by a vet and treatment is being done. I have read so much about "different kinds" of colic, but not the term Ileus.........Thanks Jackie Hannon......
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Sep 26, 2006 - 6:29 pm:

Hello Jacqueline,
Ileus according to the dictionary on this site is just a synonym for intestinal obstruction or impaction (see medical dictionary under references). Usually though it implies, at least to me, that the obstruction may be secondary to a bowel that is not moving properly as you might see following colic surgery or the use of some drugs.
DrO
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