Colic in Horses

Horses can get 'colic' or abdominal pain due to various reasons. Some of the factors that can cause colic can be quite minor, while others can be serious and require immediate medical intervention. Colic can be caused by a number of gastrointestinal problems, and is considered as one of the most common horse health problems. There can be several types of equine colic, out of which some common types are, impaction colic, spasmodic colic, ileal impaction colic, displacement or torsion colic, enterolith, sand impaction colic, gastric distention and colic caused by parasites like, tapeworms, large roundworms and Cyathostomes.

What Causes Colic in Horses?

Equine colic can be caused by a number of factors. Sometimes, a hard mass of food can impact the large intestine at one of the flexures, where the intestines turn and then narrow. Even accumulation of gas in the intestine, especially in the large intestine can increase the peristaltic contraction of the gastrointestinal tract, which can result in abdominal pain or colic.

Formation of benign fatty tumors such as lipomas in the intestinal tract, ingestion of sand or dirt along with pastures, build up of mineral deposits in the intestine and presence of large roundworms and tapeworms can also cause blockage or obstruction in the intestinal tract, which in turn can result in colic. Apart from these, displacement of the dorsal colon, torsion, i.e. twitching of the parts of the gastrointestinal tract, formation of ulcer in the stomach, consumption of moldy or rotten food, and inflammation of the small, as well as large intestine can cause equine colic.

Colic Symptoms

A number of symptoms can be observed in a horse suffering from colic. The abdominal pain caused by this condition often compels the affected horse to kick the belly or the abdomen and nip at the sides. The affected horse can show no interest to eat or drink, and may lie down more than usual, or get up and lie down repeatedly. Sometimes, it can get up and start walking in circles and then lie down again. The other signs of colic can include, pawing the ground, frequent attempts to urinate and defecate with no success, turning the head towards the flank, diarrhea, biting the sides, curling the upper lip, groaning, stretching, restlessness, stamping of feet, slightly higher body temperature than normal, increased pulse rate and sweating.

Colic Treatment

The treatment depends solely on the severity of the condition and the underlying diseases. Sometimes, immediate surgical intervention can be required for treating this condition. So, if your horse is exhibiting the serious signs of pain or colic and violent behavior, then call your veterinarian as soon as possible. In the meantime, you can make your horse walk a little to distract its mind from the pain. However, be sure to not feed your horse or administer any kind of medications without the approval of the veterinarian. A veterinarian can carry out several tests and examinations to find out the severity of the condition and then treat it accordingly.

The incidence of colic can be reduced to some extent by feeding horses with high quality fiber (hay or pasture), providing clean feed free of molds and dirt, and preventing the ingestion of sand and dirt. A regular feeding schedule and avoidance of feed changes too can help to reduce the risk of colic. Also important is to provide clean water to your horse, feed hay and water before grain, allow turnout as much as possible, maintain a regular and consistent exercise program, opt for regular deworming and avoid feeding horses immediately after exercising and exercising them immediately after eating, in order to prevent equine colic. You can talk to a veterinarian, if you have any doubts regarding what do horses eat and what they should not eat.

Horse owners should know the symptoms of colic, in order to detect it early and seek medical treatment. In certain instances, equine colic can turn out to be a life-threatening condition. So, if you have any horse health questions related to colic, or if you want to know more about the precautionary measures that can be taken for preventing this condition, talk to a veterinarian.