06/18/2026
Lauren Garrett, our lead licensed vet tech, walked me through something that comes up more than you'd think: why proper fasting matters so much before a gastroscope.
The whole point is to evaluate both the upper and lower parts of the stomach for ulceration. If there's a big mat of food sitting in there, we can't get down to the pylorus, which is one of the most common spots for ulcers. Sometimes we can work around a small amount of food, rinsing as we go, but a full stomach means we simply can't tell you if your horse has ulcers or not.
The guideline is 14 to 16 hours of fasting. If we see the same patient not emptying properly after that time frame more than once, it raises other questions about motility or GI issues farther back.
Has your horse had a gastroscope before here at McKinlay & Peters? How did the prep go?
If you need to schedule a gastroscope, please call us and schedule that appointment! 509-928-6734