Equine Colic Information

Colic and the Equine Digestive System

• The main part of the body associated with equine colic is the intestines. The entire equine digestive system plays a part in the development of colic symptoms depending on the type or cause of colic. The most common type of colic according to the Animal Herb Company is spasmodic colic, which is similar to cramps in humans. Sand colic is another common type and is associated with eating food off of sandy ground.

Causes

• Along with eating soil off the ground with a high sand content, there are many other causes of colic. For example, a rapid change in air temperature can cause a form of colic known as winter colic. Sudden changes in food types can cause digestive upset and bring on bouts of spasmodic colic. Cribbing and wind sucking, both nervous habits of horses who are bored or stressed can cause gas, which could lead to bouts with colic. Moldy feed or wet spring grass that is higher in sugar levels than later season grass can cause upset stomachs and bring on cramps. Eating before a strenuous workout, or eating or drinking large amounts of cold water when still hot from a workout are also large contributors to colic episodes.

Signs of Colic

• A horse shows many signs if it is suffering from colic. A horse will paw at the ground and appear generally uncomfortable. In the early states of colic, a horse will pace and fidget. As symptoms progress, a horse will look at its sides and start to bite and kick at its sides. Final stages are accompanied by sweating, stomping, wide eyes, high or even abnormally low temperature, heavy breathing, sitting like a dog, then laying down and getting up repeatedly. Rolling to relieve the pain is common at the most severe stages of colic. Use of a stethoscope and listen to the horse's gut. If there is colic, there will be no gut sounds in the horses belly. Horse owners should listen to their horse's gut along their sides just in front of the stifles, the point where the hip meets the belly area, to get used to a healthy gut sound. However, it does take some experience to know what a healthy equine gut sounds like.

Treatment

• When horse owners notice colic symptoms, the first step is to call a veterinarian. While waiting for the vet to arrive, hook a lead rope to the horse's halter and walk it around. Try to avoid stopping because often the horse will immediately drop to the ground to try and roll. Rolling is dangerous, and a severely distressed horse may be almost impossible to get back up. The more you walk the horse, the better chance the gastric distress will dissipate or completely disappear. When the veterinarian arrives, she will usually "tube the horse" by passing a large rubber tube down the esophagus into the stomach. Then, she will run warm water and mineral oil into the horse's stomach to help flush its system and get the gut moving. Extreme colic that can't be relieved by fluids and walking may require surgical intervention. This is usually the case with impactions or torsion (twisted colons). In cases this severe, time is of the utmost importance. Fatality occurs quickly when there is a total impaction or a torsion. The horse will need to be transferred to the nearest equine surgery hospital. During the surgery the impaction is removed and, if necessary, the intestines untwisted.

Prevention

• Avoid feeding foods high in sugar or too high in protein. Keep horses off early spring pastures, and make sure the hay and grain feeds are free of mold. Don't feed a horse right before a workout, and make sure to cool the horse down completely before providing water or food. Horse owners who live in an area with high sand content in the soil should avoid feeding a horse off the ground. Instead, put the food in a bucket, feed trough or ground feeder to keep dirt out of the food. Horses pastured on sandy soils should wear a grazing muzzle to prevent them from eating grass from the ground and accidentally ingesting large amounts of sand.