Equine Colic

Equine Colic The leading killer of horses is colic, unfortunately, because colic is a general term used to refer to pain in the abdomen, proper treatment relies on proper diagnosis of what is happening internally in the horse. Knowing how to spot the symptoms, what to know when the vet arrives, and knowing easy prevention will save horse owners money and heartache. Signs of Colic will vary according to the severity of the particular conditions(Oglesby). In the horse, abdominal pain is usually sudden. Very few horses exhibit all the signs at one time. Signs associated with mild to moderate pain include: pawing the ground, sweating, looking around at the belly, restlessness, lack of appetite, stamping the hind feet, and lying down.
With more severe, unrelenting pain, horses may: paw the ground violently appear drawn up or bloated in the belly, muscle tremors or straining, kick violently, sweat profusely, lie down and get up frequently, roll or lie on their backs, sit on haunches like a dog, have an elevated or below normal ( with shock setting in ) temperature, have an increased respiration rate, have an elevated heart rate, or have few or no gut sounds(Oglesby). A horse showing severe signs of colic should be seen by a veterinarian immediately. If the signs of pain are acute and the cause of the distention is not removed, death often occurs within 12 to 48 hours. Rapid diagnosis and treatment are vital. In cases of mild pain, the veterinarian should be consulted as to the best course of action(“Colic in…”). Be sure to give the vet your horse’s symptoms when you call, put the horse in a comfortable stall and remove his feed and water. Allow the horse to lie down if he appears to be resting. If the horse wants to roll or is behaving violently, attempt to walk him slowly. Don 't try to treat the horse CALL YOUR VET. Be prepared to provide the following information upon the arrival of the veterinarian: temperature, pulse and respiratory rate, color of mucous membranes and capillary refill time (tested by pressing on the gums, releasing, then counting the seconds it takes for color to return), behavioral signs, such as pawing, kicking, rolling, depression, presence or absence of abdominal, digestive sounds or lack of them, bowel movements including color, consistency and frequency, any recent changes in management, feeding or exercise, medical history including deworming and past episodes of abdominal pain, breeding history and pregnancy status if the patient is a mare, and recent breeding history if the patient is a stallion(Scheller). Anatomically, horses have developed a specialized digestive system which allows them not only to survive, but also to thrive on high fiber diets Studies have shown a decreased likelihood of a colic problem if horses are allowed to graze. However lush, high moisture spring pasture can also be a colic risk in horses. Colic problems in horses consuming large amounts of high moisture, low fiber grass virtually disappeared when horses were offered dry hay while grazing these pastures(The Equine Research). Therefore, from a colic management standpoint, it is recommended that horses have access to pasture whenever possible, and be provided with additional dry hay when pastures contain a high moisture and a low fiber content (lush spring pasture).
Since horses are anatomically designed to digest fiber, the addition of grain concentrates to the diet is a potential risk factor for colic(The Equine Research). Normally, grain concentrates contain large amounts of starch that are absorbed in the small intestine. Starch which is not digested in the small intestine spills into the large intestine where it is fermented by bacteria. One of the end products starch fermentation is lactic acid, which irritates the gut lining and decreases intestinal pH(“Colic in….”). The increase in acidity causes other more prevalent bacteria to die and release potentially fatal endotoxins. All of these situations can potentially cause the horse to colic(“Equine Colic”). Using processed grains ( Steam crimping/rolling and grinding or pelleted), limiting the amount of grain provided in a single meal and the use of dietary fat as an energy source to reduce the amount of grain concentrate needed in the diet all will help reduce grain induce colic(The Equine Research).
Horses confined to stalls have an increased likelihood of. First, horses are designed by nature to consume forage in a continuous manner; however, stalled horses are routinely fed their hay and grain in two distinct meals (morning and evening). Second, stalled horses may not be receiving adequate forage to maintain proper gastrointestinal function. This may be especially true for horses being fed alfalfa hay. Alfalfa hay typically contains more calories per pound than grass hay(Oglesby). Therefore, horses fed alfalfa would be provided fewer pounds of hay per day than horses consuming grass hay. Not only are horses fed alfalfa receiving fewer pounds per day, reducing the amount of time spent eating, but alfalfa hay also contains less fermentable fiber than grass hay(Scheller). The quality of fiber fed can also influence colic potential. Moldy hay, hay containing blister beetle contamination and hay with low digestibility can contribute to instances of colic. Since horses seem to have an absolute requirement for forage in the diet to prevent colic, it is recommended that a minimum of one pound of dry forage (hay/pasture) per 100 pounds of body weight per day is provided. For horses confined to stalls, the selection of lower calorie hays (grass type) will provide the horse more pounds of hay and mimic the continuous feeding behavior during grazing.
You can keep incidence of colic to a minimum by following sound management practices such as: supply plenty of fresh, clean drinking water, (The only exception is when a horse is excessively hot. Then it should be given small sips of lukewarm water until it has recover.), set up a regular parasite control program with the help of your equine practitioner(Oglesby). Utilize fecal testing to determine its effectiveness, using processed grains (Steam crimping/rolling and grinding or pelleted), avoid medications unless they are prescribed by your equine practitioner, especially pain-relief drugs (analgesics), which can cause ulcers, limiting the amount of grain provided in a single meal , divide daily concentrate rations into two or more feedings rather than one large one to avoid overloading the horse 's digestive tract. Avoid feeding excessive grain and energy-dense supplements (Scheller). (At least half the horse 's energy requirements should be supplied through hay or forage. A better guide is that twice as much energy should be supplied from a roughage source than from concentrates.) Hay is best fed free-choice. Make dietary and other management changes as gradually as possible avoid sudden changes in diet, reduce stress. Horse 's experiencing changes in environments or workloads are at a high risk of intestinal dysfunction feed at regular times and intervals, feed good quality forages free of mold, weeds and foreign objects, feed a high quality diet comprised primarily of roughage where possible(Scheller). Check hay, bedding, pasture and environment for potentially toxic substances, such as blister beetles, noxious weeds, and other ingestible foreign matter, offer dry hay while grazing high moisture pasture, provide exercise and/or turnout on a daily basis(Oglesby). Change the intensity/duration of an exercise regime gradually, and check the teeth routinely and float file, if necessary, minimize unnecessary stress, and know what is abnormal and normal for your horses.
Colic will probably never be totally eliminated; however, the severity and incidences can be reduced. But now that you know what symptoms, information, and some prevention maybe you can save a life from colic.

Work Cited
“Colic in Horses.” University of Kentucky. U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1914. Web. 15 Mar 2011. “Equine Colic.” Gaited Horses. Beverly J. Whittington. 2001. Web. 15 Mar 2011.
The Equine Research Centre. “The Colic Fact Sheet.” Equusite. Web. 15 Mar 2011.
Oglesby, Robert N. “Recognizing and Treating Colic.” Animal Forum. Animal Forum. 2011. Web. 15 Mar 2011.
Scheller, Stephanie. “Equine Colic Treatment.” eHow. eHow. 2010. Web. 15 Mar 2011.

Cited: “Colic in Horses.” University of Kentucky. U.S. Department of Agriculture. 1914. Web. 15 Mar 2011. “Equine Colic.” Gaited Horses. Beverly J. Whittington. 2001. Web. 15 Mar 2011. The Equine Research Centre. “The Colic Fact Sheet.” Equusite. Web. 15 Mar 2011. Oglesby, Robert N. “Recognizing and Treating Colic.” Animal Forum. Animal Forum. 2011. Web. 15 Mar 2011. Scheller, Stephanie. “Equine Colic Treatment.” eHow. eHow. 2010. Web. 15 Mar 2011.