Special Addition: Colic

Due to some recent problems a friend of mine has had, I thought that it would be a good idea to give some general information about colic.  I am going to cover what colic is, why it happens and what to do when it happens.  Additionally, I am going to go over some best practices for preventing colic and colic reoccurrence.





What is it

The word “colic” simply refers to abdominal pain. It covers a multitude of abdominal and intestinal problems, ranging from simple excess gas in the intestines to severe torsion or twisting of the intestines. It can also include stomach ulcers, uterine pain in pregnant or post-foaling mares and pain associated with disease in organs of the abdomen.

It is critical for horse owners to recognize the early signs of colic, because the sooner the horse is seen and treated, the greater his chances of recovery. All colic's begin with mild pain and subtle symptoms. If the horse is lucky, it will be a mild colic and resolve on its own or with moderate treatment from a veterinarian.

However, the first clinical signs might be an early stage of a life-threatening colic that will eventually require extensive treatment or surgery. Unfortunately, no one can tell at the beginning.



What does it look like?

Signs of colic include:

• Pawing
• Rolling
• Bloating
• Sweating
• Distress
• Uneasiness
• Loss of interest in food and water
• Peculiar postures (sitting, stretching)
• Absence of gut sounds

Why does it happen?

• High grain based diets/Low forage diets
• Moldy/Tainted feed
• Abrupt change in feed
• Parasite infestation
• Lack of water consumption leading to impaction colics
• Sand ingestion
• Long term use of NSAIDS
• Stress
• Dental problems
• Cribbing

Impaction: a blockage formed by something the horse has ingested


NSAID: non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug


Parasites, such as strongyles can be a common cause of colic. It is important
to practice a deworming routine to prevent parasites in equines.



Antibiotics may lead to colic because they alter the microbial population in the gut, which in turn affects starch digestion. Dental problems may cause colic if the horse is unable to chew its food sufficiently. Older horses fed coarse hay are at greater risk of impaction colic.  Horses who crib are sucking in air the excess air in the intestines can cause them to twist.




 What can be done?

To give the proper treatment for colic, it is important to determine the cause, so that it can be corrected. The severity of the signs of colic is not necessarily indicative of the severity of the colic, and sometimes it is difficult to determine the exact cause and therefore the correct treatment. For these reasons make sure to have a veterinarian evaluate your horse as soon as possible. Many cases of colic can be treated successfully with medication, while others involving severe impactions or twists may require immediate surgery.

While you are waiting for your veterinarian, you should:

• Observe your horse and monitor vital signs as well as passing of any feces. Remove access to feed. If there is a blockage, any feed intake will only intensify the problem.
• Let the horse rest as much as possible. It is not necessary to walk the horse unless the horse is rolling and endangering himself or people.
• Do not administer any medication without the direction of the attending veterinarian. Pain medication may mask the colic symptoms and complicate diagnosis and treatment. In addition, banamine if administered in the muscle can cause a clostridial abscess that can be fatal. Banamine should always be administered intravenously or orally.
• Upon arrival, the veterinarian will listen for gut sounds, monitor vital signs, pass a nasogastric tube and perform a rectal exam. Most colic cases can be treated on the farm with medication and the use of a nasogastric (stomach) tube to alleviate gas and administer medications. However, if the veterinarian suspects a displacement or an impaction that can't be successfully treated on site, they will refer you to an equine surgical hospital.

What can I do to keep it from happening?

Once you figure out the cause and have treated the colic, some of the preventative measures are self-explanatory. For example, if an abrupt change in diet caused a problem, make sure to make dietary changes gradually in the future. Some other preventative measures include:

• Feed your horse on a regular schedule even on the weekends.
• Do not make sudden changes to the horse's diet.
• A clean fresh water supply should always be available.
• Horses need to drink 5-10 gallons daily
• Water is key to keeping your horse healthy
• Water is the most essential nutrient 
• Water needs to be made available 24hrs a day
• Keep feed boxes and hay racks as well as the feedstuffs clean and free of mold and dust.
• Check teeth frequently for dental problems that may cause chewing issues.
• Provide adequate exercise.
• Feed the appropriate amount of forage (at least 50% of the total diet).
• Like water forage is essential to keeping the guts working right
• Keep feed off the ground to avoid sand ingestion.
• Practice an effective parasite control program that fits your farms needs.
• If you notice your horse is not drinking enough add electrolytes to their diet.
• Electrolytes encourage fluid consumption and keep horses better hydrated
• Winter is one of the most common times for dehydration due to the cold temperatures.
• Additionally, adding salt can help improve fluid consumption.

I good strategy to prevent colic is to provide horses with 24hr access to hay and water.  When their guts stay full, it is hard for them to become twisted and its keeps everything moving at a consistent pace.



Colic is a scary and life threatening situation, as horse owners the best policy we can have is to focus on prevention.  Treatment is expensive and not always successful.  Once a horse has coliced their chances of colicing again go up.  However, those chances are largely controlled by the animals management.  If the horse coliced and nothing was done to prevent it from happening again it most likely will happen again.  Colic happens for a reason, thus to prevent it from happening in the future you must determined why it happened in the first place.

As always I hope this post is helpful and educational!