Confirmation of colic is a situation that concerns any horse owner. So what is equine colic? What symptoms should you keep an eye out for?
Colic in horses is in reference to pain originating in the abdomen. Normally horses will not hide abdominal pain very well. So in the event of any abnormality in gut functioning they will usually display signs of discomfort.
Visible signs of mild discomfort might be stretching, a stance as if to urinate, and pawing the ground. If the pain is greater the horse will get up and down, and try rolling to get more comfortable.
It will start to sweat. More serious cases it will get up and down and continuously roll.
What Should You Do?
Should you believe your horse has colic, it’s best to call an experienced equine vet immediately. He or she will be in a position to provide rapid pain relief and decide whether further treatment is necessary.
What can you do while you wait for the vet? Leading your horse for a walk often helps. It may encourage his guts to start working normally and surpress the pain. It could also stop your horse lying down to roll. However if he is lying on the floor peacefully then you should let him stay there.
It used to be thought that horses could twist its gut by rolling. That is probably incorrect. But it is preferred to restrict him rolling around if possible. That way you can stop him injuring himself by striking itself on the stable walls. Of course take care that you don’t cause injury to yourself. Horses often forget all their manners when they are in pain.
There are many different reasons for horses to get colic. Often the signs look the same regardless of the cause.
So how will the vet look into the problem? He or she will have a listen to the abdomen using a stethoscope which will show them whether there is more or less activity in the intestines than there should be.
Monitoring the heart rate helps give a good indication of the severity of the discomfort and the severity of the problem. Usually a horse with a normal heart beat doen’t have a sever case. Whereas higher heart rates are not such a promising sign.
A very useful part of the examination will be the rectal examination. By physically feeling the intestines, the vet may be able to find the cause of the issue. It goes without saying that this is a incredibly skilled examination, that hasthe potential to be hazardous for both parties. However for an experienced vet the information it provides is incredibly useful in deciding the nature of the issue. It may reveal a blockage, or a swollen loop of intestines as a result of a twist or another intestinal issue.
It’s likely that in all but the most straightforward cases the vet may inset a tube through the horses’ nose into the stomach. It sounds unpleasant but can make the horse comfortable by releasing the built up pressure in the stomach. Doing this can also give the vet useful feedback as to whether the stomach is emptying properly.
Sometimes the horse is in so much distress that it isn’t possible for the vet to examine him properly without first giving a quantity of pain killer.
Only by collecting all of the signs revealed by a detailed examination is the vet able to make a tentative diagnosis. Though it might not be possible to tell exactly what the problem is.
It might be the case that, after the initial examination, the horse requires surgery. Though more usually the vet will decide to treat the horse with a fast-acting painkiller and monitor his condition after a few hours. Most cases show a quick improvement. Although others will show no response to the treatment, or they will respond at first, then start showing signs of discomfort again later on.
In preference to having to call the vet to your horse several times, it is usually better to transport these cases to a specialist practice where they can be monitored closely and surgery can be performed if necessary.
Conclusion
Luckily the vast majority of cases respond to medical treatment. Although if surgery is needed – it is important to operate as soon as possible. The chance of a successful outcome is far greater if the surgery is performed before too much damage has taken place.
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