Aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis) is a medicinal plant that is frequently used to soothe skin irritations. The gel of the inner leaf is also commonly fed to reduce or prevent gastric irritations and ulcers in horses.
Aloe vera gel contains several active ingredients with anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and anti-microbial effects. This herbal remedy also stimulates mucous production and influences gastric acid production.
Although commonly fed to horses as an anti-ulcer agent, there has only been one study to examine the effects of aloe vera effects on horses with gastric ulcers. High doses of aloe powder were shown to improve gastric ulcer severity but not to the same extent as the FDA-approved drug GastroGuard (omeprazole).
This podcast reviews the current state of knowledge on the use of aloe vera for gastric ulcers in horses.
Read more: https://madbarn.com/aloe-vera-for-horses-with-ulcers/
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