Horse colic what is it

Other times, colic may necessitate surgery, or unfortunately, euthanasia. If you suspect that your horse is displaying colic symptoms, seek immediate veterinary assistance. Although there are various forms of equine colic, most horses display some combination of the following symptoms:.

There are many causes of colic in horses, so veterinarians will focus on trying to categorize the type of colic a horse has rather than identifying a specific cause. If the horse fails to respond to initial treatment, then a more specific diagnosis will probably be necessary.

Obstruction or impaction - Fecal material becomes hard and difficult to pass due to dehydration , the presence of large numbers of worms, ingestion of sand, etc. Strangulation - The intestines rotate or become entrapped, which prevents the flow of food and feces and blocks blood flow. Inflammatory - Infectious diseases or other conditions can cause gastroenteritis or colitis inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract or peritonitis inflammation of the abdominal cavity.

Ulcers - Erosions of the lining of the gastrointestinal tract can lead to pain and poor gastrointestinal function. Get a stethoscope to keep in your emergency kit so you can listen for gut sounds. Routinely examine your horse when he is healthy so you can more easily identify when something is wrong. Once your veterinarian has arrived, they will perform a variety of diagnostic procedures to confirm colic and further characterize its cause and severity.

First, the veterinarian will check the horse's pulse, temperature, respiratory rate, mucous membrane color and gut sounds as part of a complete physical examination. The vet may give the horse medications to relieve pain and provide sedation. This will make the horse more comfortable and make it safer to perform additional diagnostics.

The amount and quality of feces present in the rectum can also be evaluated. In addition, both the small and large intestine can become displaced in the abdominal cavity causing both pain and restricted blood flow. Displacement colic can be caused by gas build up in the gut that makes the intestines buoyant and subject to movement within the gut. Displacement colic needs immediate surgical treatment. Figure 4. Small intestine.

The small intestine is attached by the mesentery, a thin membrane that allows the small intestine mobility in the abdominal cavity. Impaction colic — the large intestine folds upon itself and has several changes of direction flexures and diameter changes.

These flexures and diameter shifts can be sights for impactions, where a firm mass of feed or foreign material blocks the intestine including the cecum. Impactions can be induced by coarse feed stuff, dehydration or accumulation of foreign material like sand. Figure 5. Large intestine. Impaction colics are commonly located in the cecum and large intestine. Gas colic — all colics are associated with some gas build up.

Gas can accumulate in the stomach as well as the intestines. As gas builds up, the gut distends, causing abdominal pain. Excessive gas can be produced by bacteria in the gut after ingestion of large amounts of grain or moldy feeds. A nasogastric stomach tube inserted by a veterinarian is used to relieve the pressure of the gas and fluid accumulation in the stomach. Spasmodic colic - defined as painful contractions of the smooth muscle in the intestines.

Spasmodic colic has been compared to indigestion in people and is usually easily treated by a veterinarian. Over excitement can trigger spasmodic colic. Provide access to warm water in the winter and cool water in the summer. DO provide regular exercise. This includes regular turnout, as well.

DO maintain an approved parasite control routine. Research suggests strategic parasite control is optimal; owners should contact their vets to design a program based on fecal egg counts and pasture management. Nonstrategic rotational deworming causes parasite resistance to anthelmintic parasite-killing drugs and is no longer recommended.

DO take steps to reduce ingestion of sand. Keep hay off sandy surfaces by placing rations in a manger, cut-down garbage can or rain barrel ensuring there are no sharp edges , or on a cement pad or rubber mat swept clean of sand. If your horse likes to pull his hay out of the container and eat it off the ground, lay mats around the container.

DO check stool samples of horses prone to sand colic. Tap the bag and the sand will settle out in the lower corner. If you get a negative, repeat the test three or four times over a three-day period to make sure.

Keep your horse off sandy areas until the problem clears. DO consider gastric ulcer prevention methods for highly stressed horses or performance horses, per veterinary instructions, says Keenan. DO consider getting major medical not just surgical insurance to cover the costs of advanced medical and surgical care for your horse. It is not as expensive as you might think and can save you the stress of wondering where to come up with a large sum of money to save your horse.

Multiple smaller meals are generally better for the digestive tract than one or two large meals. No doubt about it, colic surgery is expensive. Be sure you discuss costs with veterinarians, even before going to the clinic. You can also inquire about therapy options to keep costs down, she adds, as possible nonsurgical treatments are often available. Editor-in-Chief: Stephanie L. T he changes indicating colic were subtle but nevertheless concerning. Colic Fugaro, VMD, Dipl.

While You Wait for Your Veterinarian. Keenan, DVM. If done incorrectly and the horse aspirates it into the lungs, he could die, warns Weatherly. Here are six feeding tips to reduce digestive upset: Provide an unlimited source of clean water. This might be due to intestinal spasms cramp , the gut wall being stretched by gas or feed material, the blood supply being shut off to part of the gut or intestine becoming stuck entrapped somewhere abnormal.

Occasionally there are non-intestinal conditions, such as laminitis, bladder stones or ovarian problems, that may initially look like symptoms of colic. This is known as 'false colic', but may still be very serious. Colic is a potentially life-threatening disease. If a horse displays moderate or severe symptoms they will need urgent veterinary attention and possibly referral to us, if this is an option.