Efficacy of a Paste Formulation of Omeprazole for the Treatment of Naturally Occurring Gastric Ulcers in Training Standardbred Racehorses in Canada

The efficacy of a paste formulation of the H+, K+, -ATPase inhibitor omeprazole was evaluated in standardbred racehorses for the treatment and prevention of gastric ulcers. Twenty standardbred racehorses in training, aged 2 to 9 years, were enrolled from 2 training centres in this field trial. Endoscopic examinations confirmed the presence of gastric ulcers in all horses, prior to allocation and treatment and on day 0. Lesions were scored on a scale of 0 to 3 (intact epithelium to extensive ulceration). Replicates were formed, based on training level and location. Within replicates, 1 horse was assigned to group 1 and 3 horses were assigned to group 2, randomly. Horses in group 1 were sham-dosed controls. Horses in group 2 were given omeprazole paste orally at 4 mg/kg bodyweight (BW)/day from day 0 to day 27 and 2 mg/kg BW/day of omeprazole paste orally from day 28 to day 57. Follow-up endoscopies were conducted on post treatment days 28 and 58 or 59. Physical examinations, including BWs, were conducted on all horses prior to treatment and on days 13 or 14, 28, 42 or 43, and 58 or 59. Horses treated with omeprazole had significantly (P < 0.01) more improvement in gastric lesion scores than did controls at day 28 and at study termination on days 58 or 59. All of the omeprazole-treated horses were improved relative to baseline ulcer score at both examinations, and 73.3% were healed (lesion score of 0) at both examinations. None of the controls improved at any point during the study. When the dose was reduced to 2 mg/kg BW, 80% of the horses showed no recurrences or worsening in gastric ulcers. It was concluded that omeprazole paste at 4 mg/kg BW orally, once daily is highly effective in healing gastric ulcers in standardbred racehorses in training and that a dose of 2 mg/kg BW orally, once daily, effectively prevents the recurrence of gastric ulcers in most horses.