Many (if not most) equestrians live with the fear of equine colic lurking in the back of their mind. When it strikes, it can be extremely costly and in some cases result in the loss of the horse.
But what exactly is equine colic and how does it happen? What are some things equestrians can do to prevent colic from happening in the first place?
We use the term “colic” as a broad term to describe gastrointestinal (stomach) pain in a horse. Colic affects anywhere from 4 to 10 percent of all horses.
Equine colic is complicated because different horses react to pain differently and treatment can be simple or require surgery. It all depends on the individual circumstances.
Equine Colic Symptoms
Horses that suffer from equine colic display a wide range of symptoms in varying degrees:
- Kicking or biting at the belly
- Stretching or parking out (inability to urinate)
- Sweating (increases heart rate and respiratory rate)
- Pale gums (think pale pink or white — we want to see bubblegum color)
- Rolling frequently or refuses to stand
- Decrease in gut sounds (want one every 2-5 seconds and do not want total silence)
Check out our previous post, “Optimizing Horse Health: How to Give an Equine Physical Exam” for more info on what is normal for your horse.
If a horse is suspected of colic, call your vet immediately. They will most likely advise you to pull the horse’s feed and sometimes pull their water. Always follow your vet’s instructions and never try to treat on your own — it could cost your horse their life.
In this post, I will run through the three major colic types, their causes, and typical treatment options.
Gas/Spasmodic Colic
First, we’ll discuss gas/spasmodic colic. This type of equine colic is the most common and is also known as tympanic colic. Gas/spasmodic colic is caused by an excessive buildup of gas in the intestines OR by a decrease in peristaltic contractions. We see this colic most often following a change in the horse’s routine.
A few factors can cause gas/spasmodic colic:
- Change in the horse’s diet without sufficient time for adjustment (several days to weeks)
- Insufficient fiber in the diet (lack of forage/grain heavy diet)
- Overload of intestinal parasites (typically tapeworms)
Although this type of colic can self-correct, treatment typically consists of the administration of antispasmodic drugs and a pain reliever. Typically, NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory, Drugs), such as Phenylbutazone (bute) or Flunixin meglamine (Banamine), are all that is needed to help resolve this type of colic.
NOTE: It is very important to contact your vet before administering any pain relievers to your horse. These medications mask symptoms and can cause you to miss symptoms of a bigger problem. Always contact your vet and follow their instructions.
Prevention of gas/spasmodic colic includes making diet changes slowly, feeding a forage-first diet, and deworming or maintaining an accurate fecal egg count schedule.
Impaction Colic
There are three common types of impaction colic: pelvic flexure impaction, ileal impaction, and sand colic. Each type affects different areas and has different treatment options.
Pelvic Flexure Impaction
In the equine large intestine, there is an area that is comprised of a 180 degree turn along with some narrowing. During pelvic flexure impaction, a build -up of digesta becomes stuck in this part of the intestine.
This type of colic is typically seen in fall/winter (although it can happen at any time) and is caused by a decrease in water consumption by the horse. Treatment for this kind of impaction includes administration of fluids, NSAIDs, and manual manipulation. Surgery is rarely needed in these cases.
Prevention includes ensuring your horse is consuming plenty of water in both their ration and on their own. Always have fresh water available and consider adding some moisture to your horse’s ration if they are not frequent drinkers.
Ileal Impaction
The equine small intestine has three sections: duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. Ileal impaction occurs in that last section, the ileum. Over 80 percent of ileal impactions are caused by tapeworms that stick to the area between the ileum and the cecum.
This area, the ileocecal junction, narrows before entering the cecum. When the tapeworms cluster here, feed can become stuck and cause an impaction.
Treatment includes administration of fluids and rectal massage to try and work the digesta out. Like pelvic flexure impaction, surgery is rarely needed.
Prevention, like gas/spasmodic colic, is to keep up a deworming and fecal egg count schedule to prevent tapeworm infestation.
Sand Colic
Next, this type of equine colic is caused by the ingestion of sand, dirt, or small pebbles. These particles build up in the small intestine and/or cecum and cause irritation (not blockage).
Symptoms of sand colic include diarrhea which can cause dehydration and then in turn impaction. It is important to note that it is not the sand itself that causes the impaction but rather the irritation the sand causes.
Luckily, the most common treatment for sand colic is to simply feed the horse psyllium. Psyllium is a plant derivative that once ingested forms a sticky gel that helps remove the sand from the digestive system. Horses that live in dry, sandy areas should be fed psyllium once a month as a preventative as they are often fed on the sandy ground.
Displacement Colic
Finally, displacement colic occurs when part of the equine intestine is not in the correct location. There are two different types of displacement colic: left dorsal displacement and right dorsal displacement.
Left Dorsal Displacement
This type occurs when the left dorsal colon becomes trapped between the spleen and kidney. Since this type of displacement is not as tight and has more “give”, the colon can often be freed via hand walking or by manually freeing it via the rectum.
Right Dorsal Displacement
This type occurs when the right dorsal colon becomes trapped between the cecum and abdominal wall. Unfortunately, since this is a more serious situation, surgery is needed to fix this issue. Oftentimes, during surgery, the veterinarian will attach the cecum to the body wall to prevent any movement or give in the future.
Luckily, both of these kinds of equine colic are fairly rare, comprising of less than 10 percent of cases.
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