Horse World

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Colic is a serious disease that is common in horses and can occur sometimes on a regular basis. Colic may cause your horse to not be able to perform as he should or can lead to more serious problems. 

Colic is characterized by abdominal pain occurring in your horse. It can be sudden in onset, or it can develop over a period of time. If you can catch colic in an early stage, you can prevent it from becoming worse and causing your horse serious illness.  Knowing how to look for different signs of colic in your horse will help you to cure the problem. 

There are several types of colic that occur in a horse, all which cause different symptoms and problems.  The first type is known as strangulating colic. This is where the horse’s intestine twists. This is very serious and can usually only be corrected by surgery.

Colic can also be non-strangulating, this means the intestines are twisted, but the condition can be corrected without surgery.  Laxatives in a lubricant form can be administered to relieve this type of colic. The horse will also be given medication in fluids which help relax the intestines. 

Another type of intestinal colic is gas colic. In this type of colic, the intestines swell and cause abdominal pain in the horse. 

Enteroliths is another intestinal problem and is similar to gallstones in humans.  Stones are collected in the intestine, which results in blocking the digestion and movement of food in the digestive system.

Muscle spasms are another type of colic often found in horses, and horses can also develop colic from their food.  If they eat grass from a sandy area, then any sand that is digested will eventually silt up and cause them problems.

Impaction, another type of colic occurs when the food the horse is trying to digest is too dry and can’t move through the digestive system effectively. 

There are several signs to look for if you suspect your horse has colic.  If you know your horse well, you should notice the signs of colic quite early before they have the chance to become severe or even life threatening.

Check whether your horse looks distressed, he may be blowing or pawing the ground. Look at his abdomen, is it distended, is he pacing or even thrashing around on the ground? His respirations will have increased and he may have a raised temperature.

If you are still not convinced your horse is suffering from colic then check his recent stools. If they are hard or impacted, it is an indicative sign that he is constipated and therefore likely to be suffering from colic.

Colic can be a life threatening condition which is extremely painful for the horse who is suffering. It can escalate with frightening speed. A horse that was healthy a few hours earlier can be dead within a relatively short time from developing this distressing condition.

Even if you are not 100% certain your horse is suffering from colic, it may still be a good idea to call out your vet just to make sure. It may make the difference between your horse living or dying.

Previous Articles By This Author

• Buying Your First Horse
• Equipment for Horses
• Basics of Horse Care
• Grooming your Horse
• The History of Horses