Does My Horse Have Colic?

Colic is a common affliction in horses, and it's also the top cause of natural death in equines. You should know how to recognize the symptoms so you can tell right away if your horse is suffering from colic. Catching it early and getting treatment quickly will boost your horse's chance of survival.

Colic refers to the blockage of a horse's digestive system. Even though the symptoms are the same, causes for the ailment can vary. The first, and most common, is a malfunction in the horse's digestive system. The malfunction can be caused by a variety of factors, such as an overabundance of gas or a fecal impaction. Colic can also result when the intestines' functioning is paralyzed. This occurs when there is an actual disease or physical problem in the intestines. They may have become inflamed or infected as a result of a concrete cause such as a worm infestation. The last cause of colic is a physical trauma that results in an injury such as a tear to the intestines. In this last case, emergency surgery is usually the only option for treatment.

Colic has very distinct symptoms. At first, the horse may appear to be restless and distressed. Its reactions will be dulled, and it will probably refuse to eat or drink. At this point, its temperature may be slightly elevated but it will be breathing normally and its pulse will be at a normal rate. As the colic progresses, the horse will show more obvious signs of pain. It will turn its head toward its belly and may even bite its sides. It will stomp its feet and switch its tail back and forth. It may try to lie down or stretch out its body in an attempt to alleviate the pain. If it manages to lie down, it may roll or thrash on the ground. Although it may strain to pass feces, it will probably not be able to do so.

If your horse exhibits the symptom of lying down and rolling, you must get it back on its feet as soon as possible. When it rolls and thrashes on the ground, it could cause its intestines to twist. This would make the situation even more serious and require surgery to correct. Make your horse stand back up, even if it takes yelling, prodding and smacking. Once it is back on its feet, lead it around slowly to keep its mind off lying back down. If it tries to lie down again, force it to stay up by any means. Its life could depend on it.

If your horse is exhibiting colic symptoms, call your vet immediately so he can come out to perform an exam, assess the seriousness of the situation and provide treatment. Common treatments include medications such as drugs to alleviate the pain, muscle relaxants and laxatives. He may decide to pass a stomach tube down through the horse's nose in order to administer mineral oil. If the vet suspects that there is an urgent physical cause, he may recommend surgery. This will require taking the horse to a veterinary hospital. In extreme cases, the horse may have to be put down.

According to the Ultimate Horse Site, colic is the No. 1 natural cause of death for horses. Fortunately, in 90 percent of cases the horse makes a full recovery. The more quickly the colic resolves itself, the better the horse's chance to recover. If a horse is still in distress for more than 24 hours, its chance of getting better is low. If its colic is caused by a physical problem in the intestines, like a twist, the fatality rate is 100 percent unless surgery is performed promptly.