VetPro Acid Protect

$89.99 NZD
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The Horse’s Stomach

The stomach of the horse produces acid 24/7, unlike a human stomach that only secretes acid when a signal is triggered by enzymes in the mouth indicating food is coming. This makes the horse vulnerable to damage to the stomach wall and the potential for ulcers to develop.

In its natural environment the horse is a grazing animal, regularly taking in grass and legumes throughout the day and night. These stay in the stomach and offset the acid and its negative effects. Humans interfere with this naturally evolved behaviour by using a horse for recreational, work and sporting demands, feeding grain feeds and undertaking intensive exercise such as racing (Lorenzo-Figueras & Merritt, 2002).

These changes from a natural lifestyle can mean the stomach is left empty for periods of time because the grazing time of the horse is restricted, travelling a horse or other times when a horse has to be stabled and hay is not constantly available.

Overweight horses and ponies are also vulnerable due to dietary controls to reduce their weight. So, at times of work demands, high grain feeds or in conditions of grazing restriction, there is a need to neutralise the acid to prevent damage to the mucosa of the stomach.

Acid splash occurs when a horse is exercised on an empty stomach and acid splashes up onto the upper stomach lining which is particularly sensitive. It is common in racehorses and competitive riding horses, but also horses on high grain diets or those being transported over long distances.

How The Horse is Affected by Stomach Acid

The result may be an ulcer, and the pain can affect the attitude of the horse and its performance in any genre of horse sports. They change their attitude, becoming irritable and non-compliant. Sometimes girthing up brings a negative response, teeth grinding, loss of appetite and weight loss, and a poor coat (Vokes et al., 2023).

Generally, horses with a placid, easy-going disposition show fewer signs than more sensitive types. A veterinarian will investigate and use a gastroscope to diagnose an ulcer and prescribe a 28-day course of Omeprazole to resolve the ulcer. It is after the end of the course that support is needed.

The Problems of Extended Application of Omeprazole

The option of continuing with omeprazole is not a good one. It does create negative health issues for the horse including a reduced absorption of calcium (Pagan et al., 2020).

Studies have shown that a rebound of hyperacidity can occur even when a horse is restricted for a few days prior to racing (Shan et al., 2023).

If Omeprazole is continued along with the use of NSAIDs such as phenylbutazone, then disruption to hindgut function is a result. There is also evidence that it becomes less efficient with an extended application (Sykes, 2021).

Safe Long-Term Prevention by Neutralising Stomach Acid

So, if conditions of the environment, use and feeding of the horse are not changed then the problem of ulcers may come again.

Being able to neutralise acid for the period of time that the horse is in work, racing, travelling or on restricted forage intake is an ideal solution.

Vetpro Acid Protect has been internationally developed and scientifically proven to neutralise acid in the stomach to prevent damage to the stomach mucosa (Leleu & Couroucé, 2023).

Vetpro Acid Protect does provide a minimum of 6 hours acid neutralisation which can cover the period of time a horse is vulnerable to acid damage (VSN, 2021). It can be given twice a day to cover a minimum of 12 hours of vulnerable time.

Size: 1kg
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Product information

Where do you deliver?

We do a home delivery run up north every Wednesday afternoon, to Langs Beach, Waipu, Ruakaka, One Tree Point. It is free to have home delivery in this area. 

We also deliver to homes in Mangawhai on request, but we would prefer if you pick up in store at 8/41 Moir Street Mangawhai.

We no longer provide a home delivery service to locations that are west of State Highway 1. However, we do provide a roadside pick up service for Maungaturoto and Paparoa on request. 

If you have a special request, please phone Steve on 027 292 4891 or email kim@bobandben.co.nz.

Do you deliver to rural addresses?

Yes we do! We live rural just like you and we know how frustrating it is when rural addresses are excluded from home delivery.

Can I order petfood if I live outside your delivery area?

Yes you can. We offer roadside pick up in Maungaturoto and Paparoa on request, and we might be able to provide roadside pick up in other locations by mutual agreement. Email kim@bobandben.co.nz or phone Steve 027 292 4891.

We also provide nationwide COURIER for a fixed fee. We can courier any products, except frozen goods.

Who are Bob & Ben?

Bob is a food-obsessed chocolate Labrador who you may meet when he is out and about doing deliveries. Ben is our security attack cat who tries to keep Bob from eating all the petfood in the warehouse!

Who owns the shop?

The business is owned by Kaipara locals, Steve and Kim Pinkerton. We live on a rural property with a collection of well-fed animals, near Kaiwaka.

Email us at: steve@bobandben.co.nz or kim@bobandben.co.nz
Phone us at: Steve 027 292 4891 or Kim 027 292 8252.

Delivery Options

Home Delivery: Every Wednesday afternoon, we do a weekly home delivery run, from our Mangwhai shop up to Waipu, Langs Beach, Ruakara and One Tree Point. There is a $5 delivery fee for this area.

Roadside Pick Up: Every Thursday afternoon, we do a weekly roadside pick up service in Maungaturoto (midday) and Paparoa (1pm). There is $5 delivery fee for this area.

Home Delivery: Other locations on request. We regularly deliver to Wellsford / Tomarata / Kaiwaka / Oneriri / Oruawharo.

Do you deliver to rural addresses? Yes we do!  We live rural just like you and we know how frustrating it is when rural addresses are excluded from home delivery.

Click & Collect: Order online and select ''pick up'' at our Mangawhai Village store to be sure the goods you want will be waiting for you on arrival.

Courier: We deliver nationwide by courier. Only some areas are suitable for frozen goods delivery - please email or phone us for details.

If you have a question about deliveries, please email steve@bobandben.co.nz or phone Steve on 027 292 4891.

Keep Frozen
Be sure to put your pet’s food straight in the freezer when you get home. Raw food has the potential to spoil, if allowed to thaw or sit at room temperature.

Fresh Bowl
Ensure that a clean bowl is used each time you serve your pet raw pet food. Do not serve raw pet food in a bowl that has not been cleaned.

Serving Sizes
Only serve your pet the amount you expect them to eat, or even a little less. You are better off providing a second helping then having leftovers.

Discard Left-Overs
Once meal time is over, discard what is left in the bowl, and once again, clean the bowl thoroughly. If left out, left-overs can quickly spoil.

Clean Utensils
Make sure that any utensils or tools that you use to serve your pet the raw food is not used to scoop or serve other pet food products. And after you have served your pet the raw pet food, wash those tools or utensils right away to avoid the build-up of pathogens that can occur if the tools is left to sit for a time before cleaning.

Wipe Surfaces
Take extra care to ensure you have a clean home. Wipe down all of your counters and surfaces with soapy water before and especially after you have served your pet it’s raw pet food.

Wash Hands
When handling your pet’s food, wash your hands thoroughly before and after.

 

Raw Bones Feeding Guidelines

Raw meaty bones (RMB’s) are the mainstay of a balanced raw food diet. To ensure you have the best possible experience while feeding a natural diet, follow these important safety guidelines.

Ground bone only when switching – Only feed ground bone, raw bone dust and/or bone meal for the first month of switching your pet to raw. The digestive system needs time to adjust to the new diet and it’s best to give a one month adjustment period. The pH of the GI tract will change as well as enzyme production, liver and kidney function. It’s important to offer easy to digest meals to aid in making the transition as easy and stress-free as possible.

Teach Pets How to Chew – When introducing whole bones to dogs and cats, be sure to purchase bones large enough that they cannot be swallowed whole by your pet. This is especially important for highly enthusiastic pets that are new to bones. Some pets have never had experience eating and chewing raw bones and they need to practice. You may also wish to hold the bone while your pet chews for the first few times until they get the hang of chewing. Carnivores have a natural instinct to chew bones so the learning curve should be quick and easy.

Practice Taking and Trading Bones – To avoid any possibility of developing possessive behavioural issues, practice taking bones from your pet and trading them for a second bone, treat or toy and then giving back the original bone. This ensures that your pet will understand that you will give the bone back if it is taken away or will be traded for something else they will enjoy.

Supervision – Always supervise animals when feeding whole bones.

Feed Fresh – Feed bones within 48 hours of being thawed. Never feed bones that have been left to dry out. Do not let your dog bury bones in the yard to dig up and chew on later.

Feed Raw – Feed bones thawed and straight out of the package. Never cook raw bones.

Vary Bones – Do not get stuck feeding the same bones all the time. Different bones offer different nutrients and should be rotated frequently to maintain a healthy and balanced diet.

Monitor Bone Intake – Be sure that you are not feeding too much bone in one day. You will notice your pet may have harder or crumbly stools if too much is fed. To avoid this, do not offer whole bones on days when you feed meat with ground bone. Instead, offer them on days when red meat (with no bone) is fed.

Consumable Bones vs. Non-Consumable Bones

Consumable bones are any bone that can be fully eaten by your dog or cat. These bones include chicken necks, turkey necks, lamb necks, chicken carcass, chicken wingettes, and turkey wingettes. Knuckle (joint) bones can also be consumed for the most part but sometimes include pieces of femur which should not be ingested. Consumable bones should only be given to animals that are raw fed and have been taught to chew bones. We do not recommend that whole consumable bones be given to animals until they have been on a ground raw diet for 3-4 weeks or longer. Animals that do not eat raw have a different gastro-intestinal environment compared to raw fed animals so it’s best to ease your pet into eating whole bones after a switch to raw. This is one of the best ways to avoid impaction.

Non-consumable bones such as femurs and ribs must be given only as recreation and for short periods. You must monitor your animals closely. These types of bones are not suitable for all pets so please read this whole article before deciding to feed these types of bones.