Colic is one of the most common emergencies faced by veterinarians. Most horseowners will, sometime or other, be exposed to the condition and must be ready to deal with it.

Colic means abdominal pain, and must always be considered serious regardless of the cause (etiology). Since there are many causes of colic, our discussion here will be limited to causes, diagnosis, treatment and prevention in adult non-breeding horses.

If any of the signs of colic (listed below) are seen there is reason for alarm and your veterinarian should be consulted.

• Rolling, either gently or violently
• Getting up or lying down repeatedly
• Looking back at sides
• Groaning
• Kicking at abdomen
• Stretching
• Sweating and restlessness
• Constipation or very scanty passage of feces

In general, the more violent the signs, the more serious the nature of the colic may be.

Your veterinarian will evaluate the severity of the colic and attempt to determine the cause. Evaluation will include:

Physical exam, especially mucus membrane color, heart rate, and auscultation (listening) to abdominal sounds.
History: Especially feeding procedures, exercise and housing. Severity of pain and response to treatment for pain (it is very important NOT to give any pain relieving drugs before consulting with your veterinarian due to the danger of masking signs and hampering proper evaluation.)
If the pain is severe and the procedure specifically indicates, your veterinary will do a rectal exam. This is not done in every case due to the risk of tearing the rectal wall.
An Abdominocentesis: Abdominal fluid collection from a small incision in the belly may be done if specifically indicated.

All of these procedures will provide information needed to determine cause and appropriate therapy. Bear in mind, a horse's gastrointestinal anatomy is different from ours. Horses have a small intestine like ours, but also a large colon and a small colon. Insults causing colic can be anywhere along these structures but the most common area affected is the pelvic flexure (a bottleneck at the large colon), while small intestinal colics tend to be more serious. Although the list of causes is very long, a short list of the more common causes may be helpful in understanding the process taking place.

Obstructions: Feed impactions are often due to changes in feed (new hay) or feeding habits, time of day or being turned out in spring or severe weather changes can cause a horse's drinking and eating habits to change.
Sand Colic: Usually due to long term accumulation of gravel (in large colon).
Various twist, folding, or intussusception, (telescoping together): Pedunculated lypoms (older horses with a "tumor at the end of string" that wraps and strangulates the small intestine).
Enteroliths: Magnesium ammonium phosphate stones (much like boulders) formed in the colon.

Historically migrating stages of parasites (large strongyles) was a common cause of colic, but since the advent of Ivermectine containing parasiticides, the incidence has deminished.

Spasmodic colics due to cognitive or inflammatory causes are less serious and results in spasmodic pain but responds to therapy very well.

Treatment of colic will consist of three main elements:
1. Pain relief
2. Support
3. Specific treatment for the resolution of the cause.

Regardless of the cause, the intestines will be spasmatic (clamping down hard) which causes pain and inflammation. Anti-inflammatory and more direct pain relievers may be given to relieve pain and relax the bowel. In causes of extreme pain the horse may be heavily tranquilized (specific drugs to avoid depressing the blood pressure).

Support: If the horse is going into shock, fluid therapy and shock drugs, and also antitoxic drugs may be given. Specific Treatment: When your veterinarian arrives he/she will more than likely inquire as to your inclination to pursue surgical treatment if it becomes necessary. There are treatments that may be tried only if surgery is not an option (often the case due to extreme cost and sometimes poor prognosis especially in older animals).

Your veterinarian may give laxatives (oil, detergents, Epsom salts, etc.) through a nasogastric tube, (a process your horse won't mind as much as you will). If a twist is suspected, the horse may be anesthetized and rolled over on his back (in a way that untwist the bowel).

Although there are many treatments that can be attempted on site, in certain instances surgical intervention is the only answer and must be performed for a positive outcome.

I have successfully treated many severe colics and consequently am very reluctant to euthanize a colicy horse unless I know absolutely for sure there will be response. I have been in pain at times in my life but never did I want to be put to sleep. Pain control and continuous treatment is preferable if surgery is not advisable or an option.

Colic prevention is mostly good management. No abrupt changes in feed or feeding procedures. Regular deworming (Ivermectin included in program). Regular exercise. Available shelter (so weather won't affect eating habits). I recommend a 5-6 lb. wheat bran mash fed once per week to every horse to help remove sand and increase intestinal motility. If your horses eat off the ground (most horses) I would add two tablespoons of psyllium (metamucil) to the bran to help pick up more sand. There is some evidence that * cup of apple cider vinegar on the feed daily may prevent enterolyths in susceptible horses (geographical factors and also ponies seem to be more commonly affected).

The next time one of your horses experiences abdominal discomfort, you will now know what to do and have an understanding of what is taking place.

Colic is not uncommon, is very serious, and in horses is an emergency.

Thomas D. Morrow D.V.M.

©This article was supplied to us by the International Quarter Pony Association and is reprinted here by permission.

NetPets® Main Page

contact information Back to Healthspa

The Horse Center