Scoping Stress: Does checking for ulcers stress out your horse?

Is Scoping for Equine Gastric Ulcers Stressful for horses? Should you still scope?

Here is what the research is telling us.
Ostermeier, S., R. Palme, I. Vervuert, B. Glomm, K. Feige, S. Macho-Maschler, U. König von Borstel, and M. Venner. 2024. Effects of a gastroscopic procedure on salivary cortisol release and fecal cortisol metabolites in young racehorses. Animals (Basel) 14(22):3332.

The key takeaway for horse owners is that even routine procedures like a gastroscopy can be stressful for young horses. However, it’s important to know that the cortisol release might not be directly caused by the gastroscope itself—because the horses were also fasted, muzzled, and sedated for the procedure.

The quick drop in cortisol afterwards suggests that this stress is short-lived. Being aware of this can help owners plan ways to reduce stress around the whole process, such as handling the horse calmly and giving them time to settle down after the procedure. This can help keep your horse more comfortable and support their overall wellbeing.

Don't just reach for a supplement- call your vet and care team to understand what is going on. Omeprazole remains the only prescription treatment for equine gastric ulcers.

It's also a good idea to have myself or a colleague evaluate the diet to be sure it's not only meeting your needs for hitting the nutrition benchmarks but that it "plays well" if you have ulcers and want the best diet.

This science review is copyright Revolution Equine and is my own work. Please give me full credit when sharing this work.
Annie