How are ulcers diagnosed?
Due to the relatively non-specific and vague nature of most of the clinical signs of ulcers, only a presumptive diagnosis can be made based on the clinical signs. For a definitive diagnosis endoscopic examination or positive response to ulcer therapy is required. The correlation of the number and severity of ulcers found during endoscopic examination does not always coincide with the severity of the clinical signs (Hinchcliff et al, 2004). A positive response to therapy with H2 Antagonist, or Proton Pump Inhibitors is often used to diagnose the presence of ulcers in horses presenting vague clinical signs such as decreased appetite, intermittent diarrhea, and poor performance that are experiencing environmental stressors.
