Colic Treatment

There are a number of signs that can indicate colic in horses. If you see your horse exhibiting any of the following signs, contact our veterinarians right away.

• Frequently looking at their side
• Biting or kicking their flank or belly
• Lying down and/or rolling
• Little or no passing of manure
• Passing dry or mucus (slime)-covered manure
• Poor eating behavior, may not eat all their grain or hay
• Change in drinking behavior
• Heart rate over 45 to 50 beats per minute
• Tacky gums
• Long capillary refill time
• Off-colored mucous membranes

There are five types of digestive colic that horses can experience:

• Spasmodic colic is the mildest and most common form of the condition. It is typically caused by over-excitement or sudden feed changes. It often responds well to modest medical treatment.
• Impaction colic is caused by food or foreign material becoming stuck in the intestines. It may be caused by increased coarseness of forage, decreased intestinal fluid, or interference with normal intestinal movement. If the blockage prevents the passage of gas as well as food for an extended amount of time, surgical intervention may be necessary.
• Incarceration colic is caused by a loop of the intestine that can become trapped within the abdominal cavity. A common example is a strangulating lipoma. This situation may require surgery if the blood supply to the intestine is cut off.
• Displacement colic occurs when a portion of the intestine becomes twisted or caught in an abnormal position. The displacement may or may not be strangulating, but surgery usually is required in these situations.
• Fermentation colic occurs when the stomach’s contents ferment more rapidly than they can be eliminated. This usually is caused by eating too much grain. Surgery rarely helps, and medical treatment can be challenging in these cases. This situation also can cause rapid chemical changes in the blood that lead to abnormal blood flow to the hooves leading to laminitis.

Every case of colic is unique, so this can be a difficult question to answer. But generally, here are a number of things you can do to prevent the likelihood of colic:

• Make sure that your horse has around-the-clock access to fresh, clean water. In colder weather opt for warm water if possible to encourage drinking.
• Limit changes in feed. Make all changes as gradually as possible, including from one batch of hay to the next.
• Provide your horse with quality forage and avoid round bales.
• Feed a daily prebiotic containing saccharomyces, especially during times of feed change.
• Avoid feeding hay on the ground in sandy areas.
• Learn to recognize the first signs of colic. You can find some common signs of colic outlined under 'What are the signs of colic in horses?'.
• Have your horse's teeth floated every six months to a year.
• Make sure your horse is on a proper parasite control regimen.
• Keep a watchful eye on broodmares who have just given birth and horses who have coliced in the past.

All of these preventive measures should help reduce the risk of colic in your horse, but be mindful that some cases of colic are neither preventable nor predictable.

Horses can colic for any number of reasons and can vary based on your horse's age and lifestyle. For example, a geriatric horse is more likely to colic due to a mass causing strangulation of the intestines, which leads to a blockage of the gastrointestinal tract. Young horses are more likely to colic due to an impaction from worms if they have not been dewormed appropriately.

Here is a list of some of the common reasons that horses colic:

• Changes in diet (grain or hay)
• Changes in routine or exercise
• Weather changes
• Geriatric horses
• Young horses
• High parasite infestation
• Sand ingestion 
• Overweight 
• High grain diets/low forage
• Long periods between forage/feeding
• Decrease in water intake
• Dental issues
• Long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications
• Stress

The first thing you're going to do is check their stall to see if the amount of manure is normal or reduced. immediately after this, you are going to need to take your horse's temperature and check their heart rate. If these are elevated, it can indicate a problem. No matter what, if your horse is showing signs of distress, call your veterinarian right away and report their symptoms.

You will need to remove all food and forage from your horse and closely monitor them until the vet arrives. Don't leave them alone because their clinical signs can worsen in a very short period of time. Light hand-walking (10-15 minutes at a time) may help alleviate some discomfort that your horse might be feeling. Do not keep walking to the point of fatigue.

Please do not administer any medication unless advised by a veterinarian. Some medications may be harmful or mask the condition, making it more challenging for your veterinarian to make a diagnosis.

Non-surgical colic refers to any type of colic that can be treated with medication and other minimally invasive techniques. Many cases will be initially treated medically in the hope that surgery can be prevented.

Cases of non-surgical colic can be treated in a variety of ways depending on the type or source of colic. Medical treatment for colic may include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication such as banamine (flunixine meglumine) to alleviate pain and inflammation. The administration of fluids, electrolytes, or mineral oil with a nasogastric tube in the horse's stomach may also help. If the horse does not improve with medications or treatments given on the farm, then hospitalization or surgical care may be required for treatment.

In cases of surgical colic, the veterinary team will conduct a procedure known as an exploratory laparotomy, during which the horse is put under general anesthesia. The surgical specialist opens the patient’s abdomen and thoroughly assesses all structures found in the abdominal cavity to determine what’s causing the pain. If possible, the surgeon will resolve the cause of colic—the type of surgical treatment depends on the type of colic. Once the incision is closed, the horse can then recover from the general anesthesia.

Post-surgical treatments vary case by case, but usually involve gradually reintroducing feed while providing supportive care.

NOTE: Equine Surgery & Medicine does not perform colic surgery at this time. If we determine that your horse's colic needs surgical intervention to reverse the condition, we will refer you to the nearest equine surgeon.