health

Question
Hi, I noticed today that my horse has, what looks like to be a small ulcer on either side of his back teeth, his gums up front are a little red as well, could this be caused from to much molass? He is a 7 yr old x-racer thoughbred, I have had him around 6 months
thanks Linda

Answer
Im not sure what this looks like, but molasses does not cause ulcers. More likely it is maybe something that the horse has eaten that has lacerated the gingiva of the mouth. Just watch them and make sure he is eating soft and palatable forage in the stall and in the field. On more rare occsions, some medications can cause ulcers, but these do not empirically sound like the types of ulcers seen with that. If you are concerned, you need to have these physically evaluated by a vet. My impression is that they are not a major concern, but they should be examined if they do not go away within a few weeks or if they affect his ability or desire to eat. good luck.