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 | 14712 Franklin Ave St K. Tustin CA 92780. Phone: 714-665-2211. Fax: 714-665-2212 | |
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Understanding Equine Colic Colic—the Equine Acute Abdomen: Part I of a Four Part Series—When to call the Vet. Colic is a broad term which is used to describe pain in the abdomen. The equine abdomen is a complicated and sensitive place. There are multiple organs which can be affected. The causes of colic can vary depending on a horse’s age, breed, sex, diet, exercise level, and environment. The season and weather can also play a role. It is often difficult to determine the exact cause of a horse’s colic. Horses, like people, are individuals, and can manifest varying levels of pain in a multitude of ways. Some signs that a horse may be colicking include depression, agitation, inappetance, pawing, looking or biting at its sides, sweating, getting up and down, rolling, decreased manure production, diarrhea, stretching out as if to urinate, frequent urination, and abdominal distention. Abrasions over the bony prominences (such as the facial and hip bones), or the horse getting cast can be signs of the horse rolling around in its stall in an attempt to alleviate its discomfort. When to call the vet:
Some information which the owner can gather which will make it easier for the vet to evaluate the severity of the horse’s colic over the phone involves taking the horse’s vital signs. Normal vital signs are a temperature of 99.0-100.8 degrees Fahrenheit; a heart rate of 30-42 beats per minute (count beats for fifteen seconds and multiply by four); and a respiratory rate of 8-16 breaths per minute. Horses should have active gut sounds in all their abdominal quadrants. They should also have pink, moist gums. It is always better for your veterinarian to see a colic sooner rather than later. There are many colics that will resolve with treatment if caught early enough. The longer a horse colics without treatment, the sicker and more compromised it can become. When the vet arrives: Your veterinarian will start with a physical exam. She is essentially gathering information in order to help her decide how severe the colic is and what the course of treatment should be. The veterinarian will also usually perform a rectal examination. A rectal examination can give the veterinarian some additional information in the sense that there are certain structures that she should be able to palpate in a normal horse. Some horses that are colicking have abnormal rectal examinations. She will pass a nasogastric tube. This is a long, flexible rubber tube that is passed through the horse’s nose, down the esophagus, and into the horse’s stomach. This serves two purposes: one is to see if there is anything in the horse’s stomach. The horse’s stomach should be empty. If there is any feed in it, it usually indicates that there is some obstruction further down the intestinal tract that is causing feed to back up into the stomach. The second purpose is to administer fluids and mineral oil. Mineral oil is a laxative and helps to lubricate any possible areas of obstruction. Water is also usually pumped into the stomach because many sick horses will refuse to drink. Oral fluids help to rehydrate a horse that is starting to become dehydrated. Your veterinarian has a choice of a few common drugs to help treat colic. One drug which has only recently been marketed in the U.S. (although it has been used in Europe for years) is buscopan, which is an antispasmodic drug which has no analgesic effects. It is used in many cases where the veterinarian suspects a gas colic. If the horse is extremely painful the veterinarian may elect to sedate the horse. Xylazine is the drug that is normally used for this purpose. It is a fast-acting drug that provides some pain relief but which wears off quickly enough that it won’t mask a serious problem for a long period of time. Flunixin meglumine (banamine) is a powerful anti-inflammatory which can provide pain relief for 6-8 hours. Veterinarians are often reluctant to use this if they feel that the horse could potentially require surgery or referral to an equine hospital. Feed restriction is always recommended (unless the horse has severe diarrhea) because the entire gastrointestinal tract benefits from a decreased volume of feed when a horse is colicky.
Over 80% of colicky horses will respond to a course of therapy like the one described above. If the horse continues to remain uncomfortable despite treatment, there is usually a more serious cause. These are usually lesions that require surgery or hospitalization to correct.
Colic can be a true equine emergency. Call your veterinarian if you suspect your horse is colicking.
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