U-Gard Ulcer Care Supplement

[MrsCountryChick]

This is an ulcer care supplement... is that a good treatment to have on hand for alpacas? I recently read how many alpaca owners keep a number of key treatments on hand for ailments for their animals for when they arrise for immediate need. I assume as prescribed for the horse dose or doubled the horse dose.

I also read on AlpacaNation how some keep Tagament tablets on hand & give one crushed to their animal if needed day & night. From reading on Ulcers it seems tablet form is less effective due to it not making it to their C3 Chamber.... so why -crush- the tablet?---it seems giving it whole would be better. JMO While others wait 'until' they Really need help from their vet, keeping nothing on hand. I understand quick attention is needed when things like an ulcer occurs.

 

[ksalvagno]

I'm guessing U-Gard is a form of Gastroguard. It has actually been found that that doesn't work on ulcers. However, I have found that it works on a regular stomach ache so I do keep it on hand. I buy the form that doesn't need a vet prescription.

I keep Sulcrafate tablets on hand for ulcers. It does work for ulcers. What it does is basically put a bandaid over the ulcer so the ulcer can heal itself. You give 1 tablet per 50 lbs twice a day for 14 days.

 

[sayyadina]

We've had good luck with gastroguard once a day and sucralfate twice a day for 30 days.

It looks like U-gard is a supplement for horses, which have different digestive anatomy than alpacas.

The generic name for gastroguard is omeprazole.

Two other medications which work for ulcers are pantoprazole and esomeprazole, though I think these are given by injection.

Until you know what an alpaca with ulcers acts like, you really should rely on your vet for determining what medications to give. All medications have side effects and can cause harm if given in the wrong circumstances.

The only 2 medications you really should have on hand are banamine and epinephrine. If you're breeding, you should also have oxytocin available.

All medications expire, so it doesn't make much sense to have something on hand that you haven't needed to use before.

Our experience has been that they can get ulcers after
experiencing some other illness or abnormality. One male got very sick and almost died after he was gelded, and then we also had to treat him for ulcers. Then we had a little cria who needed bottle feeding. He stopped taking his bottle once he discovered grain. Then he got sick, was treated, and then got ulcers.

 

[ksalvagno]

I would also keep some type of antibiotic on hand as well. Too many times you need meds when the stores are closed and the vet isn't available.

I do keep a lot of meds on hand but I also birth alpacas for other people and I go through a lot of meds and see a lot more problems than most alpaca breeders do. It really depends on what you are doing with your alpacas. If you just have a couple geldings, then you don't need the meds on hand that you would want to have with breeding females.