EQUINE COLIC by Mercedes Montejo MRCVS
T
he term “colic” refers to abdominal pain, rather than a specific disorder. We tend to think of colic as a single condition with a
single cause, but it is actually a collection of clinical signs that suggest something is causing pain in the horse’s abdomen. The most common source of pain is the digestive tract, but pain can come from other areas and present as colic symptoms.
The causes of colic are numerous, but most commonly related to the anatomy and the microflora of the horse´s gastrointestinal tract.
Most common causes of colic:
-High grain-based diets/low forage -Moldy/tainted feed -Abrupt change in feed -Dental problems -Parasite infestation -Lack of water consumption/dehydration -Sand ingestion -Stress
The easily recognized symptoms of colic:
- Lip curling - Flank watching - Restlessness - Spending more time lying down - Being a bit quieter than usual - Loss of interest in food and water - Pawing - Frequent posturing to urinate - Lying down and getting up - Sweating - Rolling - Rapid breathing
It is not easy to tell how bad a colic is simply from the visible signs, and even a serious colic can start with a bit of gentle flank watching.
Types of colic:
Spasmodic colic: Painful condition which results from intestinal cramps or spasms. These can be caused by many things, such as sudden diet change, grass type or stress. Impaction colic: These occur where partially digested food (typically roughage but can be anything a horse feels like eating) builds up in the large intestine of the horse and results in a blockage. Sand colic: These ones occur more oſten in sandy areas, when horses are fed from sandy ground. Fine sand particles can build up in the large intestine. Some horses might develop diarrhoea as primary sign before they colic. Twisted gut/Torsion: When a portion of the intestine twists on itself (torsion), or where a portion of intestine inverts into itself (intussusception) blocks the movement of food and cuts off the blood supply to the rest of the gut.
10 September/October 2020 For the latest news visit
www.centralhorsenews.co.uk
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