Abstract
Mortality from gastric ulceration and total mortality in 16, 701 foals from 1997 to 1999 were compared. Clinical signs and gastric-ulcer sites and severity were examined in 40 foals. Mortality from gastric ulcers was 13.6% in 1997, 16.2% in 1998, and 7.1% in 1999. Mean age at initial examination was 61.9±27.5 days in the live group and 78.3%±37.7 days in the dead group. Medical treatment lasted for less than 10 days in the greater number of animals (P<0.01). Clinical signs were diarrhea (65.0%), depression (82.5%), intermittent nursing (82.5%), colic (37.5%), bruxism (10.0%), and ptyalism (7.5%). Ulcerous lesions in the stomach were observed along the greater curvature in the Margo plicatus (87.5%), along the lesser curvature of the Margo plicatus (82.5%), in the squamous fundus (92.5%), and in the glandular fundus (60.0%). Severity was greater in gastric ulcers occurring along the greater and lesser curvatures of the Margo plicatus.
