The Big Bellyache

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COUNTRY VET

PHOTOS BY JON REIS

Dear Andrea:

Recently, my two-year-old registered quarter horse gelding came down with a case of colic. The vet said it wasn't too serious, but I was alarmed by my horse's symptoms and felt helpless while awaiting the doc's arrival. What causes colic, and is there anything I can do to prevent or alleviate it?

Simon Miller
 Carbondale, IL

Dear Simon:

Colic is a general term used to describe any crisis which causes abdominal discomfort in a horse. Most cases of colic are not catastrophic; in fact, a majority pass with little intervention. Some horses suffer colic when their environment or feeding schedule is changed. In fact, any alteration in routine management may cause a horse to colic. Many bacteria and viruses cause colic; horses that travel frequently may encounter sick animals and become ill themselves. One of the most common causes of colic is parasites and their migration throughout the intestines. Sometimes horses may nibble on pieces of rubber fencing, nylon hay netting, their blankets, baling twine, plastic bags, and the like, and wind up swallowing a piece. On rare occasions, this object can become lodged almost anywhere past the stomach and produce severe twisting of the intestines and bloat, both life-threatening emergencies.

Signs of colic vary from extremely mild to severe. Mild signs include an animal that is not eating but is stretching more often (as if to urinate), looking at his flanks, turning around and nipping at them, or lying down frequently. More severe signs include pawing, walking the stall, lying down and getting up frequently, and rolling. An animal in severe colic pain will also sweat and breathe with difficulty.

If your horse is showing some signs of colic, here are some things to consider doing. Take the animal's food away and simply observe him. Do not remove the horse's water. Note his pulse rate and respiratory rate. Take the pulse from the artery that runs on the underside of the jaw bone. Take the respiratory rate by watching the animal's sides move or nostrils flare with each breath. If the signs of colic are mild (i.e., the horse is not lying down, but he is simply not acting himself) it probably won't hurt to wait a half hour and take the pulse and respiratory rate again. If they have both increased or the horse begins showing signs of more severe pain (sweating, rolling, pawing, kicking), it's time to call your veterinarian. From behind the horse, check the profile of the abdomen for swelling. In a severe colic, the flanks often become filled due to gassy intestines and expand the area between the ribs and the hip bones. A swollen abdomen should hasten your call for assistance.

Some owners will medicate an animal prior to calling the veterinarian to see if the horse responds to a pain reliever. One injection, however, can mask a lot of pain and confuse the diagnosis once the vet arrives. Walking the animal is a safe thing to do if he is not in severe pain. Use caution and watch yourself if the horse decides he would like to roll. And never turn a colicky horse out to pasture: Further violent rolling and running will easily worsen an already imminent twisted gut or bloat. Try to anticipate the veterinarian's arrival and have a warm bucket of water, a nasogastric tube (used to empty the stomach), and a sturdy halter available. Don't clean the stall, as the vet will probably want to know how much manure the animal has passed and its consistency since the problem began.

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