In it’s simplest terms colic in horses or equines refers to pain originating in the abdomen. So, if there is any disturbance of gut function your horse will tend to show signs of pain.  The two usual causes of colic are either impaction or a build-up of gas in the large intestine. In the case of a minor form of either of these forms of colic and the pain it causes may, with appropriate care, pass quite quickly. Should it be severe your horse will need to have immediate veterinary treatment.

My first experience of colic in horses.

Unfortunately I came to learn about horse colic with a much-loved horse of my own. It was my early morning routine to unchain my three dogs and check out the 26 acre property. This included the fencing, my few cattle, and my horse. I found my horse standing in a  far corner of his paddock, his head hanging down and covered in sweat. I was extremely concerned and returned to the house to phone the vet. I was lucky in that my vet was one of my immediate neighbours although some ten minutes drive away.  I described my horse’s condition as best I could and then heard those dreaded words, “it sounds like your horse has colic.”  Eileen, the vet said “I was just going out on an urgent call, but I’ll call in on the way”.

True to her word Eileen was at my property extremely promptly. My horse was apparently not showing the usual signs of colic, but was definitely de-hydrated. She told me to try to get a little water into him and promised to return in a few hours and see how he was doing.  Eileen was back about three hours later. My horse was no better and she did a thorough examination. As quite often  happens with horse colic, my horse’s gut had just ceased functioning and surgery was indicated if he was to possibly recover. My horse was well into his 20′s and Eileen told me that I had to make the choice, take the chance with surgery or have him put down. To cut this story short, with great regret I decided on the latter and went through what to me was the shatterering experience of having him put to sleep.

Prevention is better than cure!

In many cases colic is preventable if you keep your horse’s digestive system working as it should. Following are some the things you should do to achieve this.

Water. Be sure that your horse always has ready access to good, clean fresh water. If you can, it’s a good idea to not just top up the water supply, but to change it daily, alway being sure that any drinking containers are also kept clean.

Feed fibre.  Be sure to feed your horse good quality hay. Don’t skimp on quality and ensure that the hay doesn’t contain any extraneous materials such as excessive grass seed, dirt or sand. As with humans, an adequate fibrous intake is one of the best ways to stimulate the gut.

Feed your horse frequently.  Keeping your horse’s system working with fibrous foods will assist in avoiding colic.  Try for two to three feeds each day.  Bear in mind that in the wild, horses eat slowly for most of the day and night. Food is moving through them almost constantly. Frequent feeding assists in replicating this. A horse’s digestive system is well adapted to dealing with tough fibrous material such as hay, pasture and chaff.

Try to exercise your horse every day, even if it’s just for half an hour. Quite apart from assisting in avoiding colic, exercise is a very important part of horse ownership. And the exercise will do you a lot of good, too!

Teeth. Have you horse’s teeth checked regularly. Defective teeth can affect your horse in many way, quite apart from the colic prevention routine.

Symptoms of colic.

 
The first signs of mild discomfort may be stretching, standing as if to urinate, or pawing the ground. If your horse is in severe pain he may keep getting up and down.  He may roll in an effort to get more comfortable. He may start sweating (as was the case with my horse). In more  serious cases your horse may get up and down and roll constantly.

Other symptoms to watch out for include:  *  standing with his legs stretched out   *  biting at his flanks or abdomen    *   kicking at his belly   *   pacing   *   straining.   Should you think  suspect that your horse has colic it’s important that you should call an experienced equine vet straight away. He or she will be able to provide emergency pain relief and decide whether further treatment is necessary.

What can you do while you wait for the vet to arrive?  Taking your horse for a walk often helps (but ask your vet first whilst you’re  on the phone to him). It may encourage your horse’s gut to work normally and soothe the pain. It may also prevent him lying down to roll. If he is lying down quietly then let him stay there.

It was once thought that a horse could cause a twisted gut by rolling. That is probably not true. However, it is best to prevent him rolling if you can.  But be careful that you don’t get injured yourself in the process. Horses often forget all their normal manners when they are in pain.

What action should your vet take.

What will your vet do to investigate the problem when he arrives?  He will listen to the abdomen with a stethoscope to tell whether there is more or less activity in the gut than normal. It may be that he finds there is no activity and in this case prompt remedial action is essential. 

The heart rate gives a good indication of the severity of the pain and the seriousness of the problem. A horse with a normal heart rate probably does not have a serious problem. Whereas a high heart rate is not such a good sign and indicate colic.

A very useful part of the examination is the rectal examination. By feeling the intestines, your vet may be able to identify the cause of the problem. It goes without saying that this is a very skilled procedure, that is potentially hazardous for both your vet and your horse. But for an experienced equine vet the information it gives is invaluable in deciding the nature of the problem. It may reveal a blockage, or a swollen loop of intestines as a result of a twist or other intestinal catastrophe.

In all but the most straightforward cases your vet may pass a tube through your horse’s nose into the stomach . It sounds unpleasant but often may make your horse more comfortable by releasing the pressure in the stomach. It can also give your vet useful information about whether the stomach is emptying properly.

Sometimes the horse is in so much pain that it is impossible for the vet to examine him properly without first giving a dose of sedative or pain killer.

Only by considering all of the signs revealed by a careful examination is your vet able to make a tentative diagnosis. Even then it may not be possible to tell exactly what is going on within your horse’s digestive system..

Sometimes, after the first examination, it will be apparent that your horse needs emergency surgery. But more usually your vet will decide to treat the horse with a short-acting pain-killer and review his condition after a couple of hours. Fortunately many cases show a rapid improvement. However some will either not respond to the treatment, or they will improve at first, only to start showing signs of pain again some time later.

Rather than having to call your vet out several times, it is usually better to transport serious cases to a specialist equine practice where they can be monitored closely and surgery can be performed if necessary.

Fortunately the vast majority of cases respond to medical treatment. But if surgery is needed – it is important to operate early. The chance of a successful outcome is much better if the operation is carried out before too much damage has occurred.

Having been through the experience of having a horse put down due to colic, I sincerely suggest that you take very prompt action if you detect even the slightest indication that your horse may have colic. I should emphasise here that I have had no veterinery training and this post is written based only my own actual experiences. If you have even the slightest doubt about your horse’s condition, please call your your vet for assistance. Colic in horses can be fatal!

Related posts:

1. How to find a vet for your horse.
2. Equine Influenza ~ The Facts As I Understand them!
3. Plants Poisonous to Horses.

 

But very quickly my local Saddle Club made me aware of the many problems that could happen with a horse without the proper care, and that I’d need to find a vet for help if ever the need arose.  So I did some research and learned of the many health problems that could occur without the proper care.

A few of the things I learned I’ve listed below.

Warning signs of potential health problems.

The symptom of the majority of  horse ailments appears to be inflammation.  The signs to look out for are heat, pain and swelling in any part of your horse. A sudden change in your horse’s normal behaviour should also set your alarm bells ringing.   Rather than trying to learn the symptoms of each type of illness, try to be more aware of the fact that your horse is showing indications of good health and the joy of life.

When to find a vet and ask for help.

As already indicated, if you see real signs if pain, swelling or inflammation, don’t depend on your own judgement, call a vet. I’ve been taught that Rule No:1 is to never to leave a horse in even slight pain for more than 24 hours without having the cause identified and having it dealt with.

Realise that calling in a vet is not an admission of failure on your part.  Unfortunate things just do happen, often for no apparent reason. Your vet is part of your team and hopefully,  apart from treating your horse, will teach you some first-aid treatments for you to use while you’re waiting for him or her to arrive.

Finally, realise that vets can be expensive, but alway base your decision on when to call a vet on need rather the what it may cost.

So just how to you find a vet?

Number One:  The primary thing is to ensure that you choose a vet who had extensive experience with horses. Check them out as best you can by talking to other horse owners and by asking direct questions of the vet. You’ll find that many vets don’t, or won’t treat large animals like horses and cattle.  Some have experience only with small animals and specialise only in treating pets like dogs and cats. Horses are big and strong and you need to be confident that the vet you choose is going to be easily able to handle your horse. The last thing you want is for either the vet or your horse to get injured.

Number Two:  You also want to be sure that the vet you choose has overall experience. Your vet should know a lot about the general life and the care of horses along with similar knowledge about other animals.  In other words, he should have a good general knowledge about animals right across the board. You want to choose a vet who is good at what he does, and who really knows what he’s doing.

Number Three:  Finally, you want to choose a vet with whom you can feel comfortable and at ease  This is very important as over the years to come, whether you like it or not, you’re going to be seeing a lot of him and her. If the vet becomes a personal friend, this can only be to your advantage. I was very fortunate as I had an excellent lady vet as one of my immediate neighbours who helped  me extremely quickly on many occasions with my horse, as well as my four dogs, cat, and cattle. And who knows, if your country is similar to here in Australia, you may even be offered “mate’s rates” which can save you quite a bit of money!

Recommended reading:  Complete Horse Care Manual by Colin Vogel
 

Related posts:

1. Colic in horses ~ how to understand and cope with it.
2. Navicular Disease (or more accurately, Navicular Syndrome) and your Horse
3. Learn about Horse Anatomy