Colic in Horses

             You walk outside to feed your horses in the afternoon and notice that one is not eating or drinking. Your horse is attempting to roll, pawing at the ground, sweating, getting up and down, and curling his upper lip. What is wrong with your horse? In this article, we will discuss the symptoms, types, treatment, and prevention of colic in horses. It is very important to familiarize yourself with various horse problems and diseases, so in the event of a medical emergency, you will be able to give your veterinarian as much information as possible.

            Your horse may have severe abdominal pain also known as colic. There are many different types of colic including: dry food impaction, gas distention of the large bowel, acute inflammation of the small intestine, parasites that cause a decrease in blood flow to the intestine, or a distended stomach. If you notice any of these symptoms, you should call your veterinarian immediately. Also, if you notice your horse has rapid breathing, violent activity, profuse sweating, or a cold, clammy feeling, your horse may have gone into shock and it is imperative you call your veterinarian.

            When treating colic, veterinarians first try to figure out what type of colic they are trying to treat. Medication will be given to the horse to control the pain. How the horse responds to the treatment determines how severe the condition of colic is affecting the horse. One important thing to remember when treating colic is that it is very important to reduce the pressure in the stomach. Oral medications may be needed to lubricate a mass or to help prevent further gas distention.

            There are many ways to prevent colic, which include: a parasite control program which is especially important for young animals, regular feeding schedule using good quality horse feeds, and avoiding sudden changes to the horse’s diet in amounts of feed or kinds of feed.  Also, another way to prevent colic is to provide clean, fresh water so your horse can access it at all times.  Adding salt or a salt block to the diet is also a good choice.

            While colic is a digestive disease common to horses, it is not the only digestive disease. Other digestive diseases in horses include: choke, Potomac Horse Fever, foal heat diarrhea, laminitis, and blister beetles. It is always recommended that you have a strong patient-client-veterinarian relationship in not only routine check-ups, but in case you have any emergency. If you have any questions about colic or how to prevent / be prepared for colic, or any of the other listed digestive diseases common to horses, please feel free to contact Margaret Bell at the Jones County Cooperative Extension office at (252) 448.9621 or email Margaret_Bell@ncsu.edu.

By: Margaret A. Bell, Livestock – Craven & Jones Counties

Compiled from Equine Science: Second Edition by Rick Parker

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