redzip
Junior Member
Posts: 1,701 
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Post by redzip on Jun 29, 2014 20:53:21 GMT
I just saw where a friend of mine (old friend from HT) as well, a FB friend, lost her horse to colic  I hate to even mention the word, but felt that, maybe, we could have a discussion thread about prevention, protocol (if/when it should happen), experiences, etc. I have personally dealt with it 2x, both times with Red, and had the vet come out both times. We tubed with mineral oil, used banamine for pain, walked, and it resolved itself. The vet thought that, with his age, over time, he had picked up enough sand to irritate his stomach that winter. Plus it was a bad year for good hay. I spare no expense buying the best hay I can find now. I could never get him to eat Sand Clear, but always monitor water intake, poops, and try to feed good quality hay and plenty of it.Also, I incorporate alfalfa into the diet either in soaked cube form, and try get several bales to feed with my grass hay during winter months. I also always make any feed changes over at least a 2 week time period. Just wondered about others experiences, and treatment, as well, preventative management practices  |
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redzip
Junior Member
Posts: 1,701
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Post by redzip on Jun 29, 2014 20:56:17 GMT
I will add that, the first time it happened with Red, what I noticed first was the lack of poops in his stall, probably for 2 days prior. Next time, LUCKILY, Hubby noticed him getting up and down a lot in the field and called me. Best hubby!!  |
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Lipizzan
Junior Member
Europe, Croatia
Posts: 2,572
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Post by Lipizzan on Jun 29, 2014 21:22:37 GMT
My stallion had it more than few times. We always have launge the horse before the vet show up and did not let the horse lay down. Now we have injektions for colics. If the colics are bad we give a horse injektion that helps immediately, because here vets are slow , so if the colics are bad, the horse does not stand a chance. And if it is small colics, we launge the horse until he poops.
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mistersmom
Junior Member
Abita Springs, LA
Posts: 3,749
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Post by mistersmom on Jun 29, 2014 23:32:56 GMT
I have dealt with colic too much in my life. The horse I had in college had to have surgery (luckily I had insurance on him which paid for almost 100% of the charges). Luckily (knock on wood), Mister has only colicked once (and that was just a few months ago) in the 10 years I've had him. However, my paly, Cowboy, was a chronic colicker and that is eventually what took his life. I do have some banamine on hand but I always call the vet for colic. I will treat with the banamine before the vet gets here but ONLY under the advisement of my vet. One vet in my clinic who treated one of Cowboy's episode told me that if possible, take the colicking horse on a trailer ride. Apparently studies have shown that the movements of the trailer can get the bowels moving again. Of course we all know that a horse physically can not ride in a trailer without pooping in it, right?  The main key to prevention is to make sure your horse is getting enough water. Of course there are other causes of colic but this certainly will help prevent a lot of colic. It is my opinion that a vet should be called for every colic episode. Colic can very quickly turn from mild to severe. |
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Post by horselady on Jun 30, 2014 0:32:19 GMT
I hate colic, but there are so many types.
i find with the horses that are here most of them are older, when they colic it is because of age related.
I have had impaction colic that was so bad surgery was not an option, and large growths in the colon so the idea of surgery is not viable.
my theory is that we have to change our feeding in the summer. if a horse is not getting exercise and it is hot than i cut back on their grain and up the hay especially for the stalled horses. the ones on pasture just help themselves with the salad bar.
when feeding grain add oil so it works its way out and also provide that salt block.
if i do have a colic episode i contact the vet and give banamine asap. and walk. but not walk them until they are exhausted.
yes lunging is a great idea to keep them up and moving.
hubby gives them seagrams whiskey to help calm them down and relax so the bubbles work out.
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Terry
Junior Member
Central Illinois, USA
Posts: 1,466
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Post by Terry on Jun 30, 2014 4:22:04 GMT
I've had more than my fair share of dealings with colic. Zena has colicked twice in the almost 8 years that we've owned her. The first time was years ago, and the most recent time was just earlier this month. Both times I called the vet out immediately when I saw her nipping and kicking at her gut and just acting "off". This last time she also kept going down and rolling, and not a happy roll, but an "I'm in pain" roll. I always keep a tube of oral banamine on hand, so this most recent time I gave her a dose immediately and hand-walked her until the vet arrived. She ended up being tubed both times and she eventually came out of it, although this most recent time she gave me more of a scare since it took her longer to get back to normal.
My TB mare, Roxy, was a chronic colicker, and I eventually lost her to colic (she was only 8 years old). Her colics were so frequent that I quickly learned how to gauge the severity of them with her. Many times I was able to give her banamine and the problem would resolve itself in fairly short order without a vet visit. Other times I could tell that the colic was more severe, so those times the vet was called immediately and she was tubed in addition to getting the banamine.
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mingiz
Junior Member
Los Lunas, NM
Posts: 3,320
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Post by mingiz on Jun 30, 2014 13:09:07 GMT
Well I can say I have never had any of the horses that I have owned colic. Lucky I guess. I try to let them be as natural as can be. I do supplements or feed high test hay. They get a 8% grain and good grass hay and pasture.
Now I have taken care of horses that have colic. The last one was the stud, He had had colic surgery once, He would colic if the weather changed. The last colic he had he was going to be put down. He was impacted. I got the impaction broken up and 1/2 hr before the vet got there. He came around and with in a day was back to himself. I also carry banamine with me when I do horse camping. just encase. But have never needed it.
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Post by horselover4life on Jul 1, 2014 10:37:43 GMT
I've been blessed that my own have never given me a try at how fast I am to respond... But... In my past jobs I have dealt with many cases of it. Some were mild, some needed surgery and a few didn't make it to surgery or were put down while I held and comforted them. Now, I try to do as little feed/grain and provide as much grass or hay instead. I have also learned that sometimes a "gut clean-out" for the barn makes me much work, but helps the horses... I used to mix bran mash for 60 horses at a time... trust me that is a lot of mash to stir {& no it DOES NOT all fit in one huge wheelbarrow at once!} When they returned from a hot, hard day of competition a cool mash awaited them and the rest of the barn! I felt like it worked, and the horses enjoyed it by how they all sounded slurping. |
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