Horse Sense Catching Colic
Respond to Signs of Colic in Horses
By Laura Meier, DVM, Valley Vet Supply Technical Service Veterinarian
As a horse owner, understanding and recognizing the signs of colic in your horse is crucial. Colic, a common and often serious condition, can manifest in various ways and knowing your horse ' s normal behaviors can make all the difference.
Before diving into the signs of colic, let’ s detail what colic is and how it impacts your horse. Caused by any number of factors, colic can be categorized by impaction colic, when feed materials build up in the gut of the horse, and gas colic, when the microbes in the colon excessively produce amounts of gas. A shift in the colon can cause the intestines to flip or twist, leading to impactions and gas buildup. When the colon twists, emergency surgery is immediately required. Ulcers, poor motility and blood supply also contribute to the all-too-common condition.
Early Detection Is Key
The key to early colic detection is to know your horse. Sometimes, the signs of colic are subtle. Owners have called me saying their horse didn ' t eat one night but wasn ' t showing any other distressing signs like rolling. In these cases, understanding your horse ' s regular eating habits is critical. If they usually rush to eat and suddenly don ' t, this is a red flag.
Some horses, like in this example, can be quite stoic and won ' t display signs of pain as easily. A more stoic horse might just go off of feed, stand stiffly, shift their weight occasionally and give subtle signs like a small kick to their belly or bite at their sides. Others might be more distressed and roll, sweat excessively and kick at their belly when in pain. Recognizing these nuances can
34 AcreageLife December 2024 AcreageLife. com