Displacement: This occurs when a portion of intestine moves from its normal location to somewhere it shouldn’t be and gets stuck. This can cause food to stop moving and the blood supply to be cut off from a portion of the gut. This is called an entrapment and usually needs quick surgical correction. Colitis: Inflammation of the large bowel (caecum and colon) can cause colic symptoms. Diarrhoea is the most common sign, although there may be other signs, such as fever or weight loss. Enteritis: Inflammatory condition of the small intestine which causes depression, ileus (lack of intestinal movement) and endotoxemia (serious inflammatory response to bacteria that can lead to vital organ and circulatory system failure). Strangulating lipoma: This is a fatty tumor that grows on a stalk in a horse´s abdominal cavity; if it becomes looped over a piece of gut, it can strangulate a portion of intestine, cutting off blood supply and food movement. This kind of colic is more common in older ponies, and needs surgical removal of the tumor.
Diagnosis:
Your veterinary surgeon will ask you a lot of questions about your horse’s management in the run up to the colic symptoms starting, and perform a full clinical examination. They will pay special attention to demeanor, intestinal sounds, temperature, pulse, respiratory rate and mucous membrane color. They will also perform an internal rectal examination if they feel it is indicated and it is safe to do so.
Diagnosing the cause of colic can be challenging, but signs of persistent or recurring pain are always an indicator that further investigation is required, such as abdominal ultrasound, blood tests, nasogastric intubation or abdominocentesis (taking a sample of abdominal fluid for assessment).
Treatment:
As stated before, colic is a symptom rather than a cause, so to treat colic signs it is important to determine the cause, as the treatment for each cause is very different. The severity of signs is not necessarily indicative of the severity of the colic and sometimes it is very difficult to determine the exact cause. For this reason, do make sure you call your vet as soon as you can as, not only can your vet help you manage your horse safely whilst they get to you and offer advice over the phone, but they can prepare you and their team in the event of your horse requiring emergency surgery.
Many causes of colic can be treated successfully on-yard with medication alone, while others will require hospitalization or immediate surgery.
Prevention:
Good general management is the key to the prevention of colic. Your horse should always have a constant supply of fresh water, with small amounts of hard feed given to supplement grazing or good-quality roughage. A horse should consume 2% of their bodyweight in fibre daily. Any changes to the diet should be made gradually, for example, when it’s almost time to start a new bale of hay, start with 20% new bale hay and 80% previous bale hay and switch over gradually. Ensure there are no hidden hazards in the hay and feed, such as baling twine or plastic. Keep your horse in a routine of feeding and exercise and do not over exert them. Regular dental checks – (yearly in young horses, every six months in older horses) by a vet or qualified EDT are
important, as poorly-chewed food increases the risk of a blockage or gas colic. Grazing pasture should be well-maintained and regularly poo-picked, so as to keep worm levels low. Regular worm egg counts also allow you to monitor the worm status of your horse and worm accordingly, not allowing burdens to develop which may cause episodes of colic.
SUMMARY
● Colic is the most common emergency in equine practice. ● Most cases of colic can be successfully treated at the yard. ● Early detection of colic will improve the chances of a successful outcome.
● It is important to have your horse’s teeth checked regularly, and to perform regular worm egg counts.
● Always provide fresh, clean water, ensure your horse has a diet suited to his level of work, and that any dietary changes are made gradually.
About the author:
Mercedes Montejo MRCVS Avonvale Equine Practice, Ratley Lodge, Ratley, Banbury OX15 6DT
www.avonvaleequine.co.uk Tel: 01295 670501
Mercedes graduated from University of Zaragoza, Spain in 2009, prior to completing an internship in Seville. She then worked two foaling seasons in Ireland and Scotland before joining Avonvale. Mercedes has a particular interest in foal medicine, alongside general equine medicine and poor performance investigation.
Please mention Central Horse News What’s On when responding to advertisements September/October 2020 11
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