Colic
More than a pain
in the gut
C
olic is a catch all term used to describe abdominal pain. The horse has a long gastrointestinal tract which is prone to a number of issues that can cause colic symptoms. In addition some other disorders can present with similar symptoms that can confuse the diagnosis. Endurance riding has the potential to put extra strain on all of the horse’s body systems and careful veterinary monitoring throughout competitions is essential. Outside the ride itself, colic can be linked with issues around transport or changes in diet linked with attending competitions away from home. Colic can be caused by relatively mild disturbances to normal digestive functions, resulting in excessive gas or movement of the intestines. Blockages within the intestines can also result in abdominal pain. Blockages can result from impactions within the intestines or be caused when the bowel moves out of its normal position (a displacement). If the
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veterinary
Tom Eaton-Evans qualified in 2000 from the Royal Veterinary College and is actively involved with endurance. He is the vet for the British Young Riders Endurance team and advises the Endurance GB Welfare Committee.
blood supply of the bowel also becomes compromised, such as by a severe twist of the intestines, this can affect the viability of the intestines leading to release of toxins into the bloodstream and a very sick horse. Horses with colic can display a range of symptoms. These can vary between being quite subtle changes in behaviour that may only be picked up by experienced owners to very dramatic and uncontrollable rolling and sweating.
Veterinary assessment of colic Vets use a variety of tests as part of a clinical examination to assess a colic patient. The
clinical examination would typically consist of taking the horse’s heart rate, breathing rate and temperature. The mucous membranes, capillary refill time and skin tent are assessed for signs of dehydration and toxaemia. The gut sounds are listened to with a stethoscope over four quadrants of the abdomen. Many aspects of this examination are shared with the veterinary assessment performed at an endurance ride. Further tests are then performed as appropriate. A rectal examination allows the vet to carefully feel the abdominal contents which may allow impactions or displacements to be identified. A tube can be passed into the horse’s stomach which can identify if excessive gas or fluid is present. Ultrasound examination
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