Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome: An Update on Current Knowledge

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The term Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome has been used to describe mucosal diseases of the equine stomach since the 1990s. More recently, specific nomenclature has been used to differentiate diseases affecting the squamous and glandular mucosa, as the diseases of these anatomic regions vary widely. Over the past 20 years, a large amount of research has been performed to understand both diseases and their management. Significant progress has been made in their pathophysiology, treatment, and prevention. This review aims to look at previously and recently published literature to define these diseases, as well as their prevalence, diagnosis, and long-term management. ABSTRACT: Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) is a term that has been used since 1999, initially being used to describe all gastric mucosal disease in horses. Since this time, the identification of two distinct main disease entities of the equine gastric mucosa have been described under the umbrella of EGUS; these are Equine Squamous Gastric Disease (ESGD) and Equine Glandular Gastric Disease (EGGD). In 2015 the European College of Equine Internal Medicine (ECEIM) released a consensus statement defining these disease entities. This document highlighted the lack of evidence surrounding EGGD compared to ESGD, and identified knowledge gaps for further research to be directed. Subsequently, many studies on EGGD have been published, especially on pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment. This article updates current knowledge on both ESGD and EGGD as understanding has evolved since the last large-scale review.