Most horse owners are familiar with—and dread—this scenario. Your horse suddenly stops eating, becomes restless, scrapes the ground with its hooves, and kicks at its belly. Colic basically refers to any type of abdominal pain in horses. Colic in horses is a very complex issue and should never be taken lightly.
Colic generally indicates a malfunction of the digestive tract. It therefore suggests that there is a problem in the gastrointestinal tract. This can have a wide variety of causes. For this reason, we distinguish between different types of colic.
Horses are resourceful when it comes to getting their food. Help themselves to apples from the tree next to the paddock or even a feed room left open can lead to a horse consuming large amounts of unfamiliar or even unsuitable feed. This results in abnormal fermentation in the horse’s gut, leading to excessive gas production. Normal intestinal function is disrupted, causing painful intestinal cramps. This so-called gas or cramping colic is one of the most common forms of colic.
Stress or sudden changes in weather can also throw a horse’s digestive system out of balance. A long trip in a trailer, an exciting competition day, or new, unfamiliar tasks that affect the horse’s temperament can cause cramping colic.
Another form of colic is impaction colic. It can result from insufficient water intake, too much straw, spoiled feed, or inadequate exercise. An excess of feed and overly dense feed mash hinder proper passage. Bowel activity comes to a standstill. Constipation usually develops slowly, so that in the early stages, horses often show only mild symptoms such as lying down more frequently and looking around at their belly.
In the case of intestinal displacement or volvulus, the passage of food is completely blocked due to the kinking or twisting of certain sections of the intestine. Certain digestive disorders or abnormal fermentation can lead to severe gas accumulation in the intestine or a complete cessation of bowel activity. This can cause sections of the intestine to shift out of place. Even untreated gas or spastic colic can quickly develop into intestinal displacement. Therefore, immediate action is always required in cases of colic.
Early signs may include your horse acting restless and refusing to eat. If the restlessness increases, your horse starts pawing the ground and rolling around, then you should definitely take a very close look. If your horse begins to snort, looks around at its belly, or perhaps even starts kicking at its belly, these are clear symptoms of colic. The term colic does not describe the actual disease, but rather a syndrome. Characteristic symptoms include pain, the causes of which are mostly located in the horse’s digestive tract. To escape this pain and relieve pressure on the intestines, the horse lies down, rolls around, and sometimes remains on its back. Heavy sweating, labored breathing, and severe restlessness can be further signs. The horse develops circulatory problems and urgently needs veterinary care.
These symptoms indicate colic:
It is important to act quickly whenever colic occurs. Every horse expresses pain differently. Therefore, never assume the severity of the colic based solely on your horse’s symptoms. If you suspect your horse is suffering from colic, please call your veterinarian immediately and do not leave your horse unattended in its stall or paddock. Prevent the horse from eating anything and lead it at a walk in the indoor arena or on the outdoor riding arena to prevent injuries in the stall or paddock. The movement stimulates intestinal activity and helps maintain stable circulation.
Special antispasmodic and analgesic medications are used in an attempt to restore relaxation to the abdominal cavity. In many cases, this medication alone is sufficient to restore normal bowel function. The nasogastric tube is an excellent veterinary tool used to assess the contents of the stomach. This involves inserting a long, flexible tube through the nostrils, past the larynx, and down the horse’s esophagus into the stomach. The nasogastric tube allows the veterinarian to assess the stomach’s fill level and, if necessary, remove any reflux (backflow of small intestine contents into the stomach). Stomach overfilling can quickly become life-threatening for a horse, as horses cannot vomit due to the anatomy of their stomach. In the event of obstructive colic, laxatives can also be administered via the nasogastric tube.
In cases of twists, displacements, or complete blockages of the small or large intestine, surgery is almost always required to reposition displaced intestinal segments or manually relieve severe blockages. In cases of severe gas colic, puncture of the distended intestinal area may be necessary to allow gas to escape. It is important for horse owners to closely monitor their horse so they can act quickly at the first sign of colic. If in doubt, always consult your veterinarian.
The best preventive measure is proper nutrition. High-quality, unadulterated feed, clean drinking water, and plenty of exercise should be a given. Your horse should always receive plenty of roughage and only as much concentrated feed as necessary. Always feed the hay or haylage before the concentrated feed. The increased chewing of roughage stimulates saliva production and prepares the stomach for the concentrated feed.
Sensitive horses and those that are sensitive to weather changes, in particular, need special attention to help them stay relaxed. You know best which situations your horse reacts to most strongly. Try to avoid stress for your horse as much as possible.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not replace veterinary advice. Please contact your veterinary practice directly.
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