What Type of Horse Colic is Your Horse Suffering From?

Posted by Janet Trevor on November 3, 2010 · 1 Comment 

First off, what is horse colic?

It is the general term used to describe all cases of abdominal pain not only specific for pain in the gastrointestinal tract.

Why is it important to know the types of colic?

Of course, as horse owners and lovers, we all want our horses to be healthy and colic-free. Knowing the type of horse colic can help us determine what kind of horse medicine we should administer, and also on the management tactics we need to change to help our horses heal. Just a reminder though, even if you already know the types of colic, it doesn’t mean that you are already an expert on the case so that you can go ahead and diagnose your horse… NO! That’s definitely not a good idea. This post is just meant to make all horse owners, young and old, aware of the types of colic.

Okay, we get it, so what are the types of horse colic?

• Impaction Colic – usually caused by an impaction of food (Grain, Grass or Hay) at some part of the large intestine. In common cases, this is caused when the horse eats up a large quantity of feed; thus, the horse won’t be able to chew properly.
• Spasmodic Colic – caused by the buildup of gas in the digestive tract. This is usually mild and can be treated with spasmolytic and analgesic equine medication.
• Colic caused by parasites – roundworms, tapeworms and cyathostomes are the most common parasitic worms that causes colic. These worms are found in the intestine. A good deworming program can help prevent this type of colic.
• Dorsal displacement – this is the case where the colon or a part of the large bowel gets trapped by the spleen or the nephrosplenic ligament. In cases like these, surgery is the only answer.
• Torsion – caused by twists and distortion of the gastrointestinal tract. This causes the blockage of blood supply so it becomes very painful for the horse. Emergency surgery is needed in this case.
• Gastric Ulcer – caused by infrequent feedings, stress, and even some drugs (mostly non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). Most horse colic cases caused by gastric ulcer are treatable by acid inhibitors.

Now, what should we do if our horse has colic?

Call your veterinarian! Horse colic isn’t just some random cold – colic can be very deadly especially in cases like displacement and distortion. In mild cases of horse colic, like gastric ulcer, medications are generally safe to administer – but only AFTER your veterinarian has diagnosed that your horse is now safe for taking in equine medication. But always remember, prevention is still the best answer!

Filed under Horse colic, Horse Colic types · Tagged with equine medication, horse, Horse colic