EFFECT OF SUCRALFATE ON HEALING OF SUBCLINICAL GASTRIC-ULCERS IN FOALS

The effect of sucralfate on healing of subclinical gastric ulcers and gastric inflammation was investigated in twelve 6- to 7-month-old foal s. Foals with endoscopically evident gastric lesions on day 0 were ass igned to 1 of 2 groups, on the basis of mucosal inflammation and numbe r and severity of ulcers, to create groups of foals with approximately equal severity of lesions. None of these foals had clinical signs of gastroduodenal ulcer disease. Groups were assigned to receive sucralfa te (22.0 mg/kg of body weight) or corn syrup for 14 days, PO, every 8 hours. On day 15, gastroscopic examinations revealed that sucralfate d id not promote greater healing than did the corn syrup.