Every horse owner has dealt with or knows someone who has dealt with colic. Colic is an all-encompassing term that refers to abdominal pain in horses. Colic affects horses of all ages and breeds. 80% of colic can be medically treated in the field. Prompt examination and diagnosis of the cause of colic improves potential outcome.

Common colic signs include flank watching, pawing, kicking at abdomen, decreased manure output, change in appetite, attempting to lay down or thrashing rolling. Some types of colic include the following.

Impaction colic- feed material builds up in the gut, potentially due to poor quality of feed, dehydration, poor motility, or a physical block in the digestive tract. Horses with an impaction present as mildly uncomfortable for a prolonged period and may be disinterested in feed. IV fluids admin to a hospitalized colic at AEH

Gas colic- gas may build up in the colon due to microbes producing excess gas, this can be caused by a change in feed or lush grass. This causes mild to moderate pain and is most commonly resolved with medical treatment. The gas build up can lead to displacement of the colon.

Colon displacement- the anatomy of a horses colon lends it to be able to move out of position in a variety of ways. The shift of the colon may lead to gas build up, impactions, or a total twist that cuts off blood flow and oxygen supply. This can cause severe pain and if the colon is fully twisted, emergency surgery is needed to correct the problem.

Strangulating lesion of the small intestine- most commonly a problem of older horses with fatty tumors in their gut, these tumors can be on long stalks and wrap around sections of the small intestine cutting off blood supply. Younger horses can also have strangulating lesions that may be caused by small intestine slipping through a small defect in the mesentery causing similar loss of the blood supply. This type of colic can be mildly to severely painful and requires emergency surgery to correct the problem.

Due to the variety of causes of abdominal pain in horses, it’s important for prompt examination and diagnostics to be performed. Some diagnostics your veterinarian may perform include the following.

Rectal palpation- your horse will be sedated, and an examination will be performed per rectum. We may feel irregularities in the position of the intestines, gas distention, or the presence of an impaction. It’s important to note that the horse’s abdomen is large and the palpation is limited by the length of our arm and the size of the horse.

Nasogastric intubation- a long tube is passed through the nostril into the esophagus and into the stomach, this allows us to smell and visualize the stomach contents. We can also note is there is reflux and allow the horse to “throw up” in a sense if the stomach is full. We can also deliver fluids, electrolytes, or other medications directly to the stomach.

Nasogastric intubation with Dr Stalnaker

Ultrasound- an ultrasound can be used to evaluate the intestines, we can look at thickness of the intestinal walls, position of the intestines, size and movement of the intestines. As with the rectal exam, we are limited by the size of the horse’s abdomen. We can see up to 15-20cm deep, but we cannot see through gas. Despite the limitations, ultrasound can give us very valuable information on the cause of the colic.

Abdominocentesis- depending on the results of the above diagnostics, an abdominocentesis may be performed to evaluate the abdominal fluid surrounding the intestines. A small incision is made through the skin, and a device is introduced into the abdominal cavity to collect a sample. Numerous tests can be performed on this sample, most commonly a lactate will be taken and compared to a blood sample. This can give us a gauge on whether the intestines have been deprived of oxygen. A belly tap fluid sample supporting the need for surgery

Further bloodwork can also be done in hospital for further information.

With the above diagnostics we can decide if medical treatment at the farm will suffice, hospitalization may be warranted, or immediate referral to a surgical center for emergency surgery is necessary.