When animals are pushed by stress, diet changes, or heavy workloads, their digestive systems often take the knock and one of the most painful results is ulcers, which not only hurt but also hold back overall health and performance. More and more owners are looking for natural, long-term answers instead of quick fixes, and that’s where Vermate comes in. This probiotic and micronutrient mineral feed supplement is being trusted across horses, livestock, and pets for its role in both preventing ulcers and helping animals recover from them. It is FEI-compliant and completely safe to use.
It offers a scientifically rational, nature-inspired approach to ulcer prevention and recovery by addressing underlying gut ecology, pH balance, and immune modulation through soil-derived microbes and humates. Because it restores microbial diversity, it helps strengthen intestinal integrity, which is crucial for both the prevention and healing of ulcers.
ADDRESSING UNDERLYING GUT ECOLOGY FOR HEALING
In horses for example, the net effect of high stress, whether physical from exercise and stabling or psychological, is the raising of cortisol levels, weakening mucosal defences. Vermate’s humates play a key role in lowering stress hormones and creating a healthier gastric environment. They also support cellular repair, detoxification, and inflammation control, which together aid the healing of ulcers at the cellular level.
Another major factor that creates ulcers are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID). These are meds commonly used in both humans and animals to reduce inflammation, relieve pain, and lower fever. So for horses you would find these used for joint pain and lameness, colic or general inflammation. For humans and our pets they come in the form of aspirin, ibuprofen and the like. These irritate the stomach lining and reduce protective mucus production, which increases the risk of ulcers if you use them for long periods or at high doses.
Amazingly Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) among horses, especially sport, race, or performance breeds is alarmingly high, with figures ranging between 50% and 90%, and in some cases close to 100% in racehorses. You likely see this from the acid exposure due to stress, stall confinement, high-grain/low-forage diets, and of course any NSAID’s used. All this disrupts the delicate mucosal balance. The most common signs to look out for here are a reluctance to train, poor appetite, weight loss, dullness, and “girthiness”.
This 2023 study relating to EGUS is worth a read, there are some really interesting findings around causes and breed susceptibility:
Treatment Directions and Dosage
For ulcer treatment we advise you administer orally using a syringe a 200ml loading dose of Vermate and then 100ml per day for a week. Give on an empty stomach. Then use 60ml per day in food until symptoms lift. (The normal maintenance dose for a horse is 30ml per day in food). With horses the dose is split across two feeding times when given with food.
Remember you cannot overdose on Vermate. It is FEI-compliant and completely safe to use.
With small animals, aside of NSAID use, ulcers can form because of cancerous growths, liver problems, injuries, or whole-body illnesses that disrupt normal protective mechanisms of the digestive tract.
Look out for vomiting, sometimes with blood, weight loss, black tarry stools (melena), signs of abdominal pain such as guarding the belly or unusual posture, and general lethargy.
Treatment Directions and Dosage
Dosages for pets depends on the type of pet and its size. Anything between 1-5ml and 20ml. For example, your pet mouse or budgie will get 1ml per day in 100ml water or a great Dane would get 20ml in food. The average cat gets 3ml per day with the average medium size dog getting 8ml per day. We are always available to guide you. Our products are sold through a network of agents who use our products and have exposure to multiple cases for chronic usage. So talk to your agent or give us a call.
