Confirmation of colic is a situation that strikes fear into any horse owner. So what is colic? What indicators should you keep an eye out for?
Equine colic is in reference to pain originating in the abdomen. Generally horses will not handle abdominal pain well. So if there is any abnormality in gut function they tend to show signs of distress.
Signs of discomfort could be stretching, a stance as if to urinate, and pawing the ground. If in great discomfort the horse will stand up and lie down, and try rolling to get more comfortable.
The horse will start to sweat. More serious cases it will get up and down and continuously roll.
What Should You Do?
If you think your horse is suffering from colic, you should call an experienced equine vet straight away. They will be able to supply emergency pain relief and make a decision whether additional treatment is appropriate.
What should you do while waiting for the vet to arrive? Taking your horse for a walk can help. It may encourage his intestines to work normally and help soothe the discomfort. It may also prevent the horse lying down to roll. However if he is currently lying down quietly then you should let him stay lying down.
It was thought that horses could cause a twisted gut by rolling around. That has been proven to be probably not true. However it is preferred to restrict him rolling if you can. That way you will stop him causing injury himself by striking itself on the stable walls. But be careful that you don’t hurt yourself. It’s likely horses will forget all their manners when in pain.
There are many different reasons as to why horses get colic. Often the signs look similar regardless of what caused it.
What will the vet do to investigate the issue? He or she will listen to your horses abdomen with a stethoscope to tell if there is more or less activity in the gut than normal.
Listening to the heart rate provides a good idea of the severity of the discomfort and the severity of the problem. A horse with a regular heart rate doen’t have a sever problem. Whereas higher heart rates are not such a promising sign.
A really useful part of the examination will be the examination of the rectum. By physically feeling the gut, your vet may be able to identify the root of the problem. Without doubt this is a incredibly complicated examination, that is potentially dangerous for both parties. However for an experienced equine vet the information it provides is incredibly useful in concluding the nature of the issue. Helping to discover an obstruction, or a swollen gut loop as a result of a loop or another problem with the intestines.
It’s likely that in all but the most straightforward scenarios the vet may inset a tube through the nose into the stomach. Though it sounds unpleasant but can make the horse more comfortable by lowering any pressure from the stomach. This process can also give the vet useful feedback as to whether the stomach is emptying correctly.
On occasion the horse is in so much pain that it is impossible for the vet to examine him fully without first giving a quantity of pain killer.
Only by collecting all of the signs provided by a careful examination is the vet able to make an initial diagnosis. Though it might not be possible to diagnose exactly what is going on.
Occasionally, after the first examination, your horse needs surgery. But more usually the vet will choose to treat the horse with a short-acting painkiller and review his progress after a few hours. The majority of examples display a quick improvement. But others will show no response to the treatment, or they will respond at first, only to start displaying signs of pain again later on.
In preference to having to bring the vet out multiple times, it is normally better to move these cases to a specialist equine practice where they can be closely monitored and operations can be performed if necessary.
Conclusion
Thankfully most colic cases respond well to medical treatment. But if surgery is needed – it is vital to operate early. The chance of a successful outcome is far greater if the surgery is carried out before too much damage has taken place.
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