Equine Colic – Advice and Information

A diagnosis of equine colic is a situation that strikes fear into any horse owner. So what exactly is equine colic? What indicators should you look for?

Equine colic is in reference to pain which stems from the abdomen. Normally horses do not tolerate abdominal pain very well. So in the event of any disturbance of gut function they will usually show signs of discomfort.

Signs of irritation might be stretching, a stance as if to urinate, and hoofing the ground. If in more pain the horse will get up and down, and try rolling to get more settled.

It will likely start sweating. More serious cases it will get up and down and roll constantly.

What Can You Do?
Should you believe your horse has colic, you should call an experienced equine vet immediately. He or she will be in a position to provide rapid pain relief and make a decision whether additional treatment is appropriate.

What can you do while waiting for the vet to arrive? Leading your horse for a walk can help. It may encourage his intestines to start working ina normal manner and help soothe the discomfort. It could also further prevent your horse lying down to roll. If however he is already lying on the floor quietly then you should let him stay there.

It was previously thought that a horse could cause a twisted gut by rolling around. That is probably not true. Though it is best to prevent him rolling if you can. That way you can stop your horse injuring himself by banging himself on the stable walls. Of course be careful that you don’t get injured yourself. Horses often lose all their normal manners when they are in pain.

There are several different reasons as to why horses get colic. Often the signs look the same regardless of what caused it.

How does the vet look into the issue? He or she will have a listen to the abdomen using a stethoscope which will show them if there is more or less activity in the gut than there should be.

Listening to the heart rate provides a good idea of the severity of the discomfort and the seriousness of the issue. Normally a horse with a normal heart rate doen’t have a sever problem. However a high heart rate is not such a good sign.

A really useful part of the examination is the examination of the rectum. By physically feeling the intestines, the vet may be able to identify the root of the problem. It goes without saying that this is a highly skilled procedure, that hasthe potential to be hazardous for both the horse and vet. Though for an experienced equine vet the information it provides is invaluable in deciding the nature of the issue. Helping to discover a blockage, or a swollen gut loop as a result of a twist or another problem with the intestines.

It’s likely that in all but the most straightforward scenarios vets may pass a tube through the horses’ nose into the stomach. It sounds uncomfortable but helps make the horse comfortable by releasing the built up pressure in the stomach. This process can also give the vet detailed information as to whether the stomach is emptying correctly.

On occasion a horse is in so much pain that it is impossible for the vet to diagnose fully without first giving a quantity of sedative.

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

It might be the case that, after the initial examination, your horse needs surgery. But more usually your vet will choose to treat the horse with a fast-acting painkiller and monitor his condition after a few hours. The majority of examples display a quick improvement. Although others will either not respond to the treatment, or they will respond at first, only to start displaying signs of discomfort again later on.

In preference to having to bring the vet out several times, it is usually preferred to transport these cases to a specialist practice where they can be monitored closely and surgery can be performed if necessary.

In Conclusion
Thankfully the vast majority of examples respond well to medical treatment. But if surgery is necessary – it is vital to operate early. The likelyhood of a successful outcome is far greater if the surgery is performed before too much damage has taken place.

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