1st cause of death Colic is a major concern for horse owners and riding schools alike. Colic is one of the most frequent and serious disorders affecting equines. It is the leading cause of emergency calls to the veterinary surgeon and the leading cause of mortality cause of death. In this article, we explain what colic is, how to avoid it and what to do when faced with a colicky horse.

1. What is colic?

Well known to the general public to define diarrhea in humans, horse colic has only the name in common!

Equine colic refers to abdominal pain in horses. in horses. It is therefore referred to as colic syndrome, not disease. It can occur in the event of anxiety, rapid feed intake or parasitism. A change in diet or an excess of legumes can also cause colic. can also be the cause of colic.

Despite its robustness, the horse has a complex complex and fragile digestive system. This is due to the presence of numerous nerve endings in the intestines, which react to the slightest abnormality. The digestive system is all the more fragile because the horse's stomach is very small.stomach is very small and the small intestine is very longhence the importance of to divide the horse's rations into several meals a day.

The reason why colic syndrome is so dangerous is that, unlike humans, horses are unable to vomit to evacuate excess food (when his stomach is too full or his digestion is blocked).

There are different stages of the syndrome. However, most colic resolves within 24 hours of the first symptoms. Hence the interest of sdetect them in time and act effectively !

2. How to detect it?

Colic in horses manifests itself in different ways:

• it looks at each other's sides
• it keeps getting up and going down like something's bothering him
• it scrape the floor wantonly
• it rolls up
• he has urination difficulties
• it excessive or inappropriate sweating
• it rquick breath and its nostrils are dilated

What about the heart rate in all this?

If your horse suffers from colic his heart rate will increase. Knowing your horse's resting heart rate is therefore an essential prognostic element in monitoring the evolution of the pathology. In the case of colic, a heart rate in excess of 100 beats per minute indicates a high degree of severity.

A horse that does not have a temperature but has a very high heart rate while resting should be seen quickly by a veterinarian. This information will indeed be very useful for him to have an idea of the state of emergency.

Each animal reacts in its own way and it is rare for a horse to show all of these symptoms. At the first sign of discomfort or pain, you should call the vet. This is often benignThis is often the case, but it can get out of hand and should be taken seriously.

3. How to (re)act?

First of all, it is important toassess the condition of the horse. If he seems mildly downcast but begins to lie down long enough or to look at his flanks, you can go run around him and your horse cut off access to all food.

If someone is empowered, they can inject a simple painkiller such as intravenous noramidopyrine (Calmagine).

In case of doubt about the seriousness of his colic, or if the condition of your horse remains worrying, it is important toto urgently call the veterinarian to avoid any aggravation or pain!

First equine veterinary emergency 🚨, colic may be due to a cork that has formed and is having trouble evacuating. The horse may also suffer from torsion of the large colon or other reasons that only a veterinarian can treat. In some of the most serious cases, a csurgery may be necessary.

The return of dung is often a sign of the beginning of the recovery of transit, but it still requires keep watch.

4. Prevention rather than cure!

Here are a few tips:

• A continuous access to water is necessary for the well-being of the equine animal. In addition, dehydration of the horse increases the risk of colic.
• In the stable, if the horse is prone to colic, it is advisable to regulate your food intakefor example in replacing straw (responsible for many colic) by a woodchip litter box.
• In the meadow, when the grass is greasy and the new shoots are rich in nitrogen, if the horse eats too much, the nitrogen is lost.use of a basket for a few hours of the day reduces the risk of gassy colic. There are even baskets like the Greenguard basket used for overly gluttonous horses 😉 which is worn continuously and limits excessive grass intake. Attention ⚠️ these colics are mostly present in old horsesThese are more sensitive and should therefore be monitored with great care.

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Team Seaver

Sources :

(1) https://equipedia.ifce.fr/sante-et-bien-etre-animal/maladies/systeme-digestif-et-parasitisme/origines-des-coliques.html

(2) Doctoral thesis 2006 Laure WALTER (Veterinarian of Maisons-Alfort)

(3) Veterinary doctoral thesis 2008 Anne SAVOIE (Lyon Veterinary School)