How can you tell whether your horse is suffering from colic when it displays vague, mild, or serious signs? Answering this question could save your horse’s life.
Colic or not colic?
That is what makes colic so frustrating: you have no idea what you are dealing with.
Sometimes it is pretty obvious there is something terribly wrong and a veterinarian should be contacted. In other cases, mild signs could accurately reflect mild colic and get sorted out quickly with minimal treatment, without the horse ever seeing a veterinarian. Additionally, there are times when subtle clinical signs do not indicate the severity of problems that could have deadly consequences if left untreated.
If your horse seems to be suffering from vague, mild, or severe symptoms of colic, what should you do, and what should you not do? What do you do in this situation? How should you proceed with your horse’s recovery plan? What can be done to minimize the risk of colic in the first place?
So what is colic?
The term “colic” refers to a symptom of abdominal (belly) pain in horses, which is usually caused by problems in the gastrointestinal tract.
Colic symptoms can range from mild to severe (life-threatening) depending on the type of intestinal issue involved.
A horse’s death from colic is a common cause, though the prognosis today is much better than it was in years past. We can attribute this largely to better ways to diagnose and treat colic, better anaesthetic drugs and better monitoring techniques, and more precise surgery.
A horse’s best chance of survival following colic surgery depends on early diagnosis and surgical treatment of more serious cases of colic.
What causes colic pain in horses?
Horses are generally sensitive to anything that causes pain in their intestines, just like humans are.
The cause may be intestinal spasms (cramp), gas or feed stretching the gut, the blood supply to the intestine or gut turning off or becoming stuck (entrapped) in an abnormal place.
Sometimes conditions other than intestinal problems, such as laminitis or bladder stones, present themselves as colic symptoms. It is called ‘false colic’, but it is still very dangerous.
What are the symptoms of colic in horses?
Horses might display some or all of the following:-
In mild cases:
- Lip curling.
- Flank watching.
- Restlessness.
- Pawing the ground.
In moderate cases:
- Posturing to urinate frequently.
- Lying down and getting back up.
- Lying on their side for long periods.
In severe cases:
- Violent rolling.
- Sweating.
- Rapid breathing.
- Rolling and thrashing around causing injuries to body and face.
What should you do if you suspect colic?
When a horse is exhibiting intermediate or severe symptoms, he will need to be referred for immediate veterinary treatment.
If your horse displays mild symptoms of colic, try walking it for no more than ten minutes (do not canter or trot). If the symptoms persist or become more severe, you should contact your veterinarian immediately.
In all cases rather be safe than sorry and a veterinary surgeon should be contacted if you suspect that your horse is showing signs of colic.
