Equine Colic – Advice and Information

A horse with colic is a situation that worrries any horse lover. So what is colic in horses? What indicators should you be aware of?

Equine colic is in reference to pain which stems from the abdomen. Normally horses will not tolerate pain of the abdomen very well. So if there is any disturbance of gut function they tend to show signs of pain.

Signs of mild discomfort might be stretching, a stance as if to urinate, and pawing the ground. If in great discomfort the horse will get up and down, and roll to try to get more comfortable.

It will start sweating. More serious cases it will stand up and down and continuously roll.

What Can You Do?
If you believe your horse is suffering from colic, it's best to call an equine vet immediately. He or she will be able to supply rapid pain relief and decide whether further action is necessary.

Is there anything you can do while waiting for the vet? Taking your horse for a walk often helps. It may encourage his guts to work ina normal manner and surpress the pain. It could also prevent the horse lying down and rolling. However if he is lying down peacefully then you should let him stay lying down.

It used to be thought that horses could twist its gut by rolling. That is probably incorrect. Though it is best to stop him rolling around if you can. This way you can stop him harming himself by banging itself on any walls. Of course be careful that you don't cause injury to yourself. Horses often lose all their normal manners when they are in pain.

There are several differing reasons for horses to get colic. But often the signs look similar regardless of the cause.

How does the vet investigate the problem? They will listen to the abdomen with a stethoscope which will show them if there is any more activity in the gut than normal.

Listening to the heart rate provides a good indication of the seriousness of the pain and the severity of the colic. Normally a horse with a regular heart rate does not have a serious problem. However fast heart rates are not such a promising sign.

A very helpful area of the examination is the examination of the rectum. By feeling the intestines, your vet could be able to find the cause of the issue. Without doubt this is a very skilled examination, that could be dangerous for both the horse and vet. But for an experienced vet the information it gives is incredibly useful in deciding the nature of the problem. Revealing a blockage, or a swollen area of gut as a result of a loop or other problem with the intestines.

In all but the most straightforward cases vets may pass a tube through the horses' nose into the stomach. This may sound unpleasant but helps make the horse more comfortable by lowering the built up pressure in the stomach. This process can also give the vet useful information about whether the stomach is functioning properly.

On occasion a horse might be so much distress that it is impossible for the vet to diagnose properly without first applying a dose of sedative.

Only by considering all of the information provided by a careful examination is the vet able to make a tentative diagnosis. Even then it might not be possible to tell exactly what the problem is.

Sometimes, after the first examination, your horse needs surgery. Though more usually your vet will choose to treat the horse with a short-acting painkiller and review his progress after a couple of hours. Most examples display a rapid improvement. However others will show no response to the treatment, or they might respond at first, only to start displaying signs of pain again later.

In preference to having to bring the vet out several times, it is normally better to transport these cases to a specialist equine practice so they can be closely monitored and surgery can be performed if appropriate.

In Conclusion
Thankfully the vast majority of colic cases respond to medical intervention. However if surgery is necessary - it is important to operate early. The likelyhood of a successful outcome is far greater if the operation is carried out before too much damage has occurred.

For more information, horses for sale and more, please visit the Horse and Pony Directory.

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