If you keep horses then you’ve probably had one ‘colic’ on you, but what is it, what causes it, what are we all going to do about it?
Colic simply refers to the set of signs we commonly associate with abdominal pain. There are over 70 recognised causes of colic in horses. These range from the mild, such as rapid ingestion of large volume of water, to incurable abdominal cancer. The most common causes of colic seen in practice today include blockage of the digestive tract with dry feed, known as an impaction, or an overactive or inflammed digestive tract.
Horses with colic may paw at the ground, roll, get up and down frequently, kick and bite at their abdomen, or just lay flat out on the ground. They may be excited and agitated, or dull and reluctant to move. If any of these signs persists for more than a few minutes, or come and go over a period of time, call us immediately.
Learning how to take your horse's heart rate and being familiar with the usual colour of the gums will enable you to relay this important information over the phone. The time on onset and duration of the colic signs, age, breed, exact symptoms being exhibited, rectal temperature and any recent medication or management changes should also be mentioned when speaking to the vet.
Being careful handling a horse with colic is important. Our instinct may be to rush in and try to comfort them but a horse in pain can be unpredictable and dangerous. Walking your horse may be useful in calming them prior to our arrival. A well-lit area, ideally with horse stocks, will allow safe and efficient examination of a colicky horse.
Many cases of colic can be managed medically - that is, with appropriate sedation and pain relief. Other veterinary treatments such as electrolyte solutions and/or laxatives given by stomach tubing may be useful in some cases.
The importance of a timely veterinary examination of a horse with colic cannot be emphasised enough.
A ‘wait and see’ approach is strongly discouraged. Speculating as to the cause of your horse’s pain is not useful and may unnecessarily prolong their discomfort. Occasionally colic-like signs may not be originating from the abdomen at all.
Early recognition of surgical causes of colic and prompt referral to a surgical facility is paramount to maximise the chance of a good outcome. Colic surgery in horses is a significant undertaking and can only be performed at certain specialist facilities.
So, if you're worried that your horse might have colic, it's best to give us a call right away to talk it over.
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