Equine Colic – Useful Information

A horse with colic is a situation that worries any horse lover. So what exactly is colic in horses? What signs should you keep an eye out for?

Colic in horses refers to pain originating in the abdomen. Generally horses will not handle abdominal pain very well. So in the event of any disturbance of gut functioning they will usually display signs of discomfort.

Signs of irritation could be stretching, a stance as if to urinate, and hoofing the ground. If the pain is greater the horse will stand up and lie down, and try rolling to get more comfortable.

The horse will start to sweat. In more severe cases it will get up and down and roll constantly.

What Should You Do?
Should you believe your horse is suffering from colic, you should call an equine vet immediately. The vet will be in a position to supply rapid pain relief and make a decision whether additional action is appropriate.

What should you do while you wait for the vet to arrive? Leading your horse for a walk sometimes helps. It may encourage his guts to work normally and surpress any pain. It could also prevent your horse lying down to roll. If he is lying on the floor quietly then you should let him stay lying down.

It was thought that horses could cause a twisted gut by rolling. That has been proven to be probably not true. Though it is best to prevent him rolling around if you can. That way you can prevent your horse harming himself by banging itself on the stable walls. Of course take care that you don’t get injured yourself. Horses often lose all their manners if in pain.

There are several differing reasons as to why horses get colic. But often the signs look the same regardless of the cause.

What will the vet do to look into the issue? He or she will have a listen to the abdomen with a stethoscope which will show them whether there is more or less activity in the gut than normal.

Monitoring the heart rate provides a good idea of the seriousness of the discomfort and the seriousness of the problem. Usually a horse with a regular heart rate does not have a sever problem. However higher heart rates are not such a promising sign.

A really useful area of the examination is the examination of the rectum. By physically feeling the gut, the vet may be able to find the cause of the problem. Of course this is a highly skilled procedure, that is potentially dangerous for both parties. But for an experienced equine vet the feedback it gives is invaluable in concluding the nature of the issue. It may reveal an obstruction, or a swollen gut loop as a result of a twist or other intestinal issue.

It’s likely that in all but the simple cases the vet may inset a tube through the nose into the stomach. This may sound unpleasant but often may make your horse comfortable by releasing the built up pressure from the stomach. This process can also give the vet detailed feedback as to whether the stomach is emptying correctly.

On occasion the horse is in so much pain that it is impossible for the vet to examine him fully without first applying a dose of pain killer.

Only by collecting all of the information provided by a detailed examination is the vet able to make a tentative diagnosis. Even then it may not be possible to tell exactly what is going on.

Sometimes, after the first inspection, the horse needs surgery. Though more usually the vet will choose to treat the horse with a fast-acting painkiller and review his condition after a couple of hours. Most examples show a quick improvement. But others will show no response to the treatment, or they will respond initially, then start displaying signs of discomfort again later.

Rather than having to bring the vet out multiple times, it is usually better to move these cases to a specialist equine practice so they can be monitored closely and surgery can be performed if necessary.

Conclusion
Fortunately the vast majority of cases respond quickly to medical treatment. However if surgery is necessary – it is vital to operate as soon as possible. The chance of a successful outcome is far greater if the operation is performed before too much damage has occurred.

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Tagged with: advice • colic • equine • horses • information • vets

Filed under: horse • horse health • horses

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