Confirmation of equine colic is a situation that strikes fear into any horse owner. So what exactly is colic in horses? What symptoms should you look for?
Colic in horses refers to pain which stems from the abdomen. Normally horses will not tolerate pain of the abdomen well. So in the event of any disturbance of gut function they tend to show signs of pain.
Visible signs of discomfort might be stretching, a stance as if to urinate, and hoofing the floor. If in more pain the horse will stand up and lie down, and try rolling to become more comfortable.
It will likely start sweating. In more severe cases it will get up and lie down and roll constantly.
What Should You Do?
If you think your horse has colic, you should call an equine vet straight away. The vet will be able to provide rapid pain relief and decide whether additional action is appropriate.
What can you do while waiting for the vet to arrive? Taking your horse for a walk sometimes helps. It may encourage his guts to start working ina normal manner and help soothe any discomfort. It may also prevent your horse lying down and rolling. If he is currently lying down quietly then you should let him stay there.
It was thought that horses could twist its gut by rolling. That has been proven to be probably not true. However it is best to prevent him rolling if possible. This way you can prevent your horse harming himself by striking itself on nearby walls. Of course be careful that you don’t hurt yourself. It’s likely horses will lose all their normal manners if in pain.
There are many differing reasons for horses to get colic. Frequently the signs look similar regardless of what caused it.
What will the vet do to investigate the issue? They will have a listen to the abdomen using a stethoscope which will show them whether there is more or less activity in the gut than there should be.
Listening to the heart rate gives a good indication of the seriousness of the discomfort and the severity of the colic. Usually a horse with a regular heart beat doen’t have a sever case. Whereas higher heart rates are not such a promising sign.
A very helpful part of the examination is the rectal examination. By feeling the gut, vets could be able to find the cause of the problem. It goes without saying that this is a incredibly complicated procedure, that is potentially dangerous for both parties. But for an experienced equine vet the information it provides is incredibly useful in concluding the nature of the issue. Helping to discover a blockage, or a swollen gut loop as a result of a loop or other intestinal issue.
In all but the most straightforward cases the vet may pass a tube through the nose an into the stomach. It sounds unpleasant but helps make the horse more comfortable by lowering the built up pressure in the stomach. This process can also give the vet detailed feedback about whether the stomach is emptying properly.
On occasion a horse might be so much pain that it is impossible for the vet to examine him properly without first giving a quantity of pain killer.
Only by collecting all of the information revealed by a detailed examination is the vet able to make an initial diagnosis. Though it may not be possible to tell exactly what is going on.
Occasionally, after the initial inspection, the horse requires emergency surgery. But more usually the vet will choose to treat the horse with a short-acting painkiller and monitor his condition after a couple of hours. Most examples display a rapid improvement. Although others will show no response to the treatment, or they might respond initially, only to start showing signs of discomfort again later.
Rather than having to bring the vet out multiple times, it is normally preferred to transport these cases to a specialist practice so they can be closely monitored and surgery can be performed if necessary.
In Conclusion
Thankfully most cases respond well to medical intervention. However if surgery is necessary – it is important to operate as soon as possible. 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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