Horse Colic Surgery

Colic is one of the most common horse health problems. Colic--which simply refers to a stomach ache--can be caused by several factors. Cases can be mild to severe. Mild cases often resolve on their own or with minor medical intervention such as drugs and food management. Some cases can only be resolved with surgery.

  1. Exploratory Surgery

    • Horses with mild but constant colic symptoms (for example, painful belly or unenthusiastic about food) of unknown origin may benefit from exploratory surgery. The veterinarian will search for a cause such as a developing intestinal blockage from stones caused by mineral build-up (called "enteroliths") or from fatty tumors ("lipomas"). The veterinarian will usually also fix the problem if possible during the exploratory surgery.

    Emergency Surgery

    • Horses showing signs of severe discomfort need immediate emergency surgery. Severe symptoms include uncontrollable rolling, heavy sweating, rapid heart rate, a red line along the gums and violent thrashing around a stall. The horse should be given painkillers per veterinary instruction and transported to the nearest large animal veterinary hospital.

    Cost

    • Although procedures and outcomes have steadily improved, equine colic surgery is major surgery at significant cost. Since colic is so common, backyard horse owners should have some predetermined criteria about colic surgery for their horses so they do not have to make the entire decision in an emergency. Horses in competition are often covered by major medical insurance.

    Colic Surgery

    • For colic surgery, the horse is put under general anesthesia. It is positioned on a surgical table designed especially for the size and weight of a horse. If a likely cause has been determined via diagnostic procedures such as radiography or ultrasound, an incision is made in a specific place. Horses have approximately 80 feet of intestines which often are removed from the abdominal cavity for access during surgery and put back in place before closure. The weight of a horse lying down can cause muscle tissue damage so all surgical procedures are done as quickly as possible.

    Recovery

    • Recovery is in terms of months, although advancement of colic surgery techniques have also improved recovery time and success. The first few days are the most critical. The horse will need constant monitoring as well as small, frequent meals increased gradually. A gradual increase in exercise is also important.