Horse Colic

Colic is the word used to describe abdominal pain in a horse.

Loss of appetite in a polo pony is usually one of the first symptoms of a health disorder. If a polo pony is in pain, it will be restless and paw or scratch the ground with its front feet. It will frequently lie down, attempt to roll over, and then jump up. These are signs of pain somewhere in its body, usually in its digestive system.

Failure to recognize that polo ponies have a requirement for long stemmed forage and consistent exercise probably results in more cases of colic than anything else.

Symptoms

A horse turning to look at or kick their belly is a common symptom of colic. Other symptoms may include restlessness, pawing, lying down, rolling violently, and sweating.

Colic usually involves the impaction or obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract. Poor quality hay and inadequate water intake contribute to the formation of intestinal compactions. Intestinal obstructions may be worsened by the accumulation of intestinal gas and a loss of smooth muscular contractions.

Causes

The nutritional causes of colic may include changing diet too abruptly, consumption of moldy grain or hay, overfeeding at a single feeding, large infrequent feedings, or ground feeding of grain.

The ingestion of sand, parasite infestation, and poor dental practices may cause severe cases of colic. These are particularly dangerous because they have the potential to damage the digestive tract.

Stabling conditions that may precipitate colic include a sudden change from an open area to a small confined area, shipping between destinations, inconsistent exercise, and groups of horses stabled in a small area.

A diet of grains or concentrates passes rapidly through the gastrointestinal tract of a horse. This results in higher concentrations of rapidly fermenting carbohydrates in the large intestine. Fermentation of carbohydrates by hindgut bacteria produces large quantities of lactic acid. This in turn, decreases the pH of the large intestine which results in the death of the bacteria normally present in the hindgut. This bacterial death results in the release of toxins which may cause colic.

Treatment

Colic can deteriorate from an apparently mild attack to a life threatening one in a short amount of time. A veterinarian can assess the severity of colic by listening to intestinal sounds, checking pulse, evaluating membrane color, passing a stomach tube, and performing a rectal exam.

Mild cases of colic may be treated with pain medication or ingestion of mineral oil to lubricate the intestines. In severe cases, intravenous fluids and surgical correction are necessary.