New Technology: Equestra Equine Omeprazole Granules*

11 Mar 2022
horse rug meredith flash 16 9.jpg

*Advertorial - Troy Equestra

Convenient and effective treatment for equine gastric ulcers

Equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) has been widely recognised as a significant disease process in the domesticated horse for over twenty years. The disease is now more specifically diagnosed as Equine Squamous Gastric Disease (ESGD) or Equine Glandular Gastric Disease (EGGD) based on the location of the lesions in the stomach.

It is estimated that there are more than 900,000 domestic horses in Australia,  of which 143,000 are categorised as racing or performance horses.1 ESGD has a reported prevalence of 80-100%2,3 among horses participating in high intensity exercise, while EGGD has a wider reported prevalence across a range of horses4 including performance and pleasure horses. Thus there is a large population of horses in Australia in need of ulcer treatment and prevention medication.

Suppression of hydrochloric acid production is the cornerstone of treating and preventing the recurrence of both ESGD and EGGD. Orally-administered omeprazole,a commonly used drug of choice, acts to suppress acid production and facilitates ulcer healing.

Until mid-2021, omeprazole in Australia was only available in paste formulations, either buffered or enteric coated, to help protect the acid-labile active ingredient as it passed  through the stomach. The new technology of Equestra sees a highly palatable5, enteric coated omeprazole product in a granule formulation bringing a new level of convenience to the required daily dosing regimen.

Equestra provides multiple benefits to both the horse and horse owner. Like all equine omeprazole products, a period of starvation is required before administration. At the point of administration, the granules are simply sprinkled from the sachet(s) onto 20g of dry feed for the horse to consume voluntarily. There is no need to catch the horse and administer the product directly into the horse’s mouth.

Due to the rapid absorption of Equestra, a waiting period of just 30 mins5 is all that is required before the horse can then have the rest of the feed. This is in comparison to a waiting period of 60 mins for omeprazole paste products.

Additionally, Equestra has a significantly higher bioavailability of 55%5 compared to the paste products that range in bioavailability from only 15-17%.6,7 According to Dr. Ben Sykes BSc BVMS MS MBA DipACVIM DipECEIM PhD FHEA, Equestra is  “the next generation of oral omeprazole – highly bioavailable and easy to administer in-feed.”

Equestra offers a highly convenient and efficacious method of omeprazole administration to treat both ESGD and EGGD.

References:

  1. Neil Clarke data (2011)
  2. Vatistas NJ, Snyder JR, Carlson G, et al. Cross-Sectional Study of Gastric Ulcers of the Squamous Mucosa in Thoroughbred Racehorses. Equine Vet J 1999;31(Suppl 29):34–39
  3. Murray MJ, Schusser GRF, Pipers FS, Gross SJ. Factors Associated with Gastric Lesions in Thoroughbred Racehorses. Equine Vet J 1996;28:368–374
  4. Sykes B, Hewetson M, Hepburn R, Luthersson N, Tamzali Y. European College of equine Internal Medicine Consensus Statement – Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome in Adult Horses. Journal of Vet. Internal Med 2015;29;1288-1299
  5. Wise, J.C., Hughes, K.J., Edwards, S., Jacobson, G.A., Narkowicz, C.K. and Raidal, S.L. (2021) Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic effects of 2 registered omeprazole preparations and varying dose rates in horses. J. Vet. Intern. Med. 35, 620–631
  6. Sykes, B.W., Underwood, C., Mcgowan, C.M. and Mills, P.C. (2015) The effect of feeding on the pharmacokinetic variables of two commercially available formulations of omeprazole. J. Vet. Pharmacol. Ther. 38, 500–503.
  7. Raidal, S.L., Andrews, F.M., Nielsen, S.G. and Trope, G. (2017) Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic effects of two omeprazole formulations on stomach pH and gastric ulcer scores. Equine Vet. J. 49, 802–809. http://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/evj.12691. Accessed October 18, 2017.