The Impact of Two Recommended Withholding Periods for Omeprazole and the Use of a Nutraceutical Supplement on Recurrence of Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome in Thoroughbred Racehorses.

This research investigates how different Recommended Withholding Periods (RWPs) for a drug called omeprazole affect the recurrence of Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) in racehorses. The study also tests if a certain supplement can reduce the risk of EGUS recurrence during an RWP. They found differences in the recurrence of a certain type of EGUS, calling for more exploration on the implications this has for horses’ welfare.

Summary of the Research

This study focuses on two primary areas:

• The influence of different Recommended Withholding Periods (RWPs) for omeprazole (a medication used to treat EGUS) on the recurrence of the disease in Thoroughbred racehorses.
• The potential effect of incorporating a nutraceutical supplement during the RWP on reducing the risk of EGUS recurrence.

The inquiry consisted of a random, controlled, and blinded clinical trial with two main parts.

Part 1: Investigating Recommended Withholding Periods

In the first portion of the study:

• Horses were divided into two groups: those whose dose was withheld on the day of the race (RWP0), and those whose treatment was withheld two days prior to racing (RWP2). After 4 weeks, treatment protocols were switched for each group.
• With the exception of the RWPs at the end of treatment periods, horses were given oral omeprazole daily.
• Gastroscopies were performed before and after the RWPs to diagnose any change in EGUS condition.
• The research found a higher occurrence of Equine Squamous Gastric Disease (ESGD), a certain manifestation of EGUS, in the horses that followed the ‘2-clear-days’ RWP than those in the ‘not on race-day’ group. However, the prevalence of ESGD after the ‘2-clear-days’ RWP was not found to be significantly different from the initial day 0 of the study.

Part 2: Testing a Nutraceutical Supplement

In the second part of the study:

• The horses received omeprazole for 21 days before implementing the ‘2-clear-days’ RWP, during which the horses were given the nutraceutical supplement.
• When testing the prevalence of ESGD after the RWP, it was proved to be lower than at the initiation of the study.

Conclusion and Implications

There was a found difference in the recurrence of ESGD depending on which of the two common RWPs was followed. Moreover, the use of a nutraceutical supplement in the ‘2-clear-days’ RWP reduced the prevalence of ESGD compared to initial testing prior to treatment.

These findings suggest that the effect of RWPs and the addition of supplements on the recurrence of EGUS and its subtypes need further exploration. The implications of these differences on the welfare of Thoroughbred racehorses are also called into question, underlining the need for further discussion in the field.