Colic is an abdominal pain rather than specific disorders that commonly cause colic to include gas, impaction, grain overload, sand ingestion, and parasite infection.
let’s know more about colic in horses in this article which includes:
Causes of equine colic.
Signs of equine colic.
Types of colic in horses.
Treatment of colic in horses.
Prevention of equine colic.
Causes of equine colic :
The causes of equine colic are numerous, but generally, they are related to the anatomy and the microflora of the horse's gastrointestinal tract.
Some of the more common causes of colic include:
High grain-based diets/Low forage diets.
Moldy/Tainted feed.
The abrupt change in feed.
Parasite infestation.
Lack of water consumption leading to impaction colics (a blockage formed by something the horse has ingested)
Sand ingestion
Long-term use of NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug).
Antibiotics because they alter the microbial population in the gut.
Stress.
Dental issues.
Intestinal blockage.
An overstretched intestine wall (by gas or fluid).
Twisting of the intestine.
Inflammation in the intestinal wall.
Obstruction in the lumen.
Signs of equine colic :
Many signs appear on horses include:
Rolling, Bloating, and sweating.
Distress and Uneasiness.
Loss of interest in food and water
Peculiar postures (sitting, stretching).
Absence of gut sounds.
Frequently looking at their side.
Biting or kicking their flank or belly.
Little or no passing of manure.
Fecal balls are smaller than usual.
Heart rate over 45 to 50 beats per minute.
Tacky gums.
Long capillary refill time.
Off-colored mucous membranes
Types of Colic in horses:
Colic is related to many different maladies and includes the following:
Stomach distention
The small capacity of the horse’s stomach makes it susceptible to distension when large amounts of grain are ingested in a single meal.
There is the potential for the stomach to rupture which is fatal.
Impaction colic
The large intestine folds upon itself and has several changes of direction (flexures) and diameter changes.
These flexures and diameter shifts can be sights for impactions, where a firm mass of feed or foreign material blocks the intestine (including the cecum).
Pain occurs as the gut wall stretches, and strongly contracts to try to push the feed through the colon.
Impactions can be induced by the following:
Coarse feed (poorly chewed).
Dry feed, poor water intake, and dehydration.
Poor motility.
A block in the digestive tract.
Horses with impactions are often mildly painful and off-feed.
Gas colic
All colics are associated with some gas build-up.
Gas can accumulate in the stomach as well as the intestines.
As gas builds up, the gut distends, causing mild to moderate abdominal pain.
Excessive gas can be produced by bacteria in the gut after ingestion of large amounts of grain or moldy feeds.
Spasmodic colic
It's defined as painful contractions of the smooth muscle in the intestines.
Spasmodic colic has been compared to indigestion in people and is usually easily treated.
This type of colic can also have intestinal hypermotility.
Enteritis
Inflammation of the intestine is possibly due to bacteria, grain overload, or tainted feed.
Horses with enteritis may also have diarrhea. Enteritis is often hard to be diagnosed and may appear similar to displacement or impaction colics.
Strangulation Colic
Strangulation colic is very uncommon but very serious.
It occurs when the blood supply to an area of the intestines is cut off (strangulated).
Cutting off the blood supply results in rapid death of the intestine wall, a serious life-threatening situation.
Older horses may get fatty tumors that can wrap around the small intestine and reduce blood flow.
Parasites may move through the blood vessels and cause direct damage to the vessels and indirect damage to the gut.
Poor motility Colic
It may occur due to poor motility which isn't clear in most cases.
Poor motility may relate to infections in the gut or the abdominal cavity.
These horses often become sick due to toxins coming from the gut.
Displacement (Entrapment) Colic
It occurs when an area of the intestine moves from its normal location in the abdominal cavity to somewhere else, naturally.
It is not a common type of colic.
When the displacements cannot freely move back to their original location, it becomes an entrapment.
Treatment of equine colic :
To give the proper treatment for colic, it is important to determine the cause.
Many cases of colic can be treated successfully with medication.
But others involving severe impactions or twists may require immediate surgery.
Treatment for colic depends on many factors, including:
The age of the horse.
the reason for the colic.
the severity of the colic.
The overall health of the horse,
The equine colic treatment will include:
Medication
Medication will be given in many cases of colic after a thorough examination, such as:
Analgesics work for spasms, intestinal pain, and inflammation.
For more severe cases, sedatives and narcotic analgesics will be prescribed.
Also, phenylbutazone is used in the treatment of colic.
Laxatives and Lubricants
Laxatives and lubricants help manage your horse colic.
Often, the horse gets sand in his stomach area which causes impaction in the large colon.
They help the horse find relief in passing a successful bowel movement, and the gas that comes with the pain of colic.
Laxatives and lubricants are given through a nasogastric tube.
Mineral oil may also be used to coat the inner workings and layers of the intestines. such as liquid paraffin.
Deworming
Strongylus Vulgaris has been known to be responsible for colic in some cases.
These larvae of the bloodworms affect the wall of the cranial mesenteric artery, which develops plaque within the tissues of the artery.
The effects of the bloodworms on the arteries, in turn, lead to a reduced blood flow to the intestines.
This does not allow the nutrients to be absorbed properly.
Surgery
If the normal flow of food being digested is disrupted, surgery is an option.
Surgery usually is necessary if there is a blockage within the intestinal area of the body, especially if the obstruction blocks any supply of blood.
It is also recommended if the horse does not respond to any other treatment method.
Electrolytes (Fluid Therapy)
Dehydrated horses can have electrolytes and fluids administered via a stomach tube or intravenous
Treatment with a nasogastric tube Surgery
Although dreaded by owners, surgical treatment for cases of the twisted gut, strangulation, and displacement (entrapment) is the only option.
It is estimated that there are 2-3 colic surgeries per hour in the USA. Unfortunately, not only are these expensive, the statistics indicate, only 50% of horses operated on for colic survive.
Prevention of equine colic:
Once you figure out the cause and have treated the colic, some of the preventative measures are self-explanatory.
For example, if an abrupt change in diet caused a problem, make sure to make dietary changes gradually in the future.
Some other preventative measures include:
Feed your horse on a regular schedule even on the weekends.
Do not make sudden changes to the horse's diet.
A clean freshwater supply should always be available.
Keep feed boxes and hay racks as well as the feedstuffs clean and free of mold and dust.
Frequent check of teeth for dental problems causing insufficient chewing.
Daily enough exercise.
Feed the appropriate amount of forage (at least 50% of the total diet).
Keep feed off the ground to avoid sand ingestion.
Practice an effective parasite control program.
Finally, equine colic is a serious disease that needs early treatment to avoid its fatal effects.
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