Colic in horse- Introduction, Epidemiology , etiology, clinical signs, pathogenesis, and line of treatment

1. EQUINE COLIC
DR. DHURBA D. C.
Livestock Development Officer
B.V.Sc. & A.H. (TU/IAAS)
M.V.Sc. Medicine (AFU)
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2. INTRODUCTION
 Colic is the manifestation of visceral abdominal pain. Precisely, it
indicate pain of colon.
 It is characterized by restlessness, lying down and getting up, groaning,
grunting, rolling, sweating, kicking at the abdomen, or suddenly
dropping to the ground in pain.
 It is a frequent and important cause of death, and considered the most
important disease of equine.
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3. EPIDEMIOLOGY
Occurrence:
■ Incidence of 3.5-10.6% (sometimes up to 30%)
■ Mortality- 0.5-0.7 %
■ Case fatality rate- 6-13 %
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Source: Google image

4. EPIDEMIOLOGY
Risk Factors:
1. Intrinsic horse characteristics
2. Those associated with feed practices
3. Management
4. Medical history, &
5. Parasite control
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Source: Google image

5. Risk Factors:
1. Intrinsic horse characteristics:
i. Age:
– Conflicting results of studies that examine the association of colic and
age
– Horses 2-10 years of age are 2.8 times more likely to develop colic
then horses less than 2 years.
– New born foals may have congenital colon or anal atresia
– In older horse strangulating or obstructive lesion caused by
pedunculated lipoma
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6. Intrinsic horse characteristics:
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ii. Sex
There is no overall effect of sex on risk of colic but
cause of colic may restricted by sex, for example,
inguinal hernia in male and entrapment of intestine in
the mesometrium is restricted to mare
iii. Breed
Arabian horses are at high risk of colic.
Source: Google image

7. 2. Diet and feeding practice
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• Horses at pasture are at lower risk of developing
colic than stabled horses fed concentrate feeds
• Risk increase with amount of concentrate (eg. 5
kg concentrate per day has 6 times higher risk
as a horse not fed concentrate).
• Changes in quality & quantity of feed, feeding
frequency, or time of feeding increase the risk
of colic by 2-5 times.
Source: Google image

8. 3. Management
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i. Watering
Horse without constant access to water are at
increased risk of developing colic.(access to
pond & dams have reduce risk of colic
compare to bucket & troughs)
ii. Housing
Increase duration of stabling per day, increase
the risk of colic Source: Google image

9. Management
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iii. Exercise
• Sudden changes in the pattern of exercise increase the risk of colic
Source: Google image

10. 4. Medical history
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• Horses with history of colic are more likely to
have another episode
• Horses that have had colic surgery are approx. 5
times more likely to have another episode of
colic than the horses that did not have colic
Source: Google image

11. 5. Parasite control
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• Inadequate parasite control programs have
been estimated to put horse at 2-9 times
greater risk of developing colic.
• Presence of tapeworms is associated with a 3
times greater risk of ileal impaction.
Source: Google image

12. CLASSIFICATION OF COLIC
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Colic
Anatomical
True colic
False colic
Etiological
Physical
Functional
Clinical
Spasmodic
Tympanitic
Obstructive
Extra-luminal

13. ETIOLOGY
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Dietary Factors
• Poor quality grain/ roughages
• Mouldy straw
• Ingestion of mud and sand
• Ingestion of irritant chemicals
• Poisonous plant
• Sudden change of food
• Insufficient water
• Excessive feeding of bran
Animal Factors
• Bad teeth
• Age of animal
• Working/ race horse after
food
• Nervous animal
• Other congenital anomalies

14. ETIOLOGY
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Environmental factors
• Thunderstorm
• Excitement due to lightening
Infective factors
• Bacteria
• Virus
• Fungus
• Parasite
Mechanical factors
• Intestinal calculi Hernia
• Torsion Peritoneal adhesion
• Volvulus

15. PATHOGENESIS
– The pathogenesis of equine colic is variable depending on the cause
and severity of the inciting disease.
– Stretching of the nerve ending (due to irritation caused by etiological
agents ) of the wall of the stomach or intestine lead to an increase in
parasympathetic tone.
– Excessive peristalsis due to periodic increase in muscular tone bring
about pain of spasmodic nature
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16. PATHOGENESIS
– Changes in the many body systems, notably the gastrointestinal,
cardiovascular, metabolic & endocrine system.
– There are several features and mechanism that are common to most
cause of colic.
– The features common to colic are pain, gastrointestinal dysfunction,
intestinal ischemia, endotoxemia, compromised cardiovascular
function (shock), & metablic abnormalities
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17. CLINICAL FINDINGS
A. Visual examination:
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Behavior:
 Restlessness (Pawing, stamping, or kicking at
the belly, rolling and lyling on the back)
 Looking or nipping at the flank
 Penis is protruded without urinating or with
frequent urination of small volumes.
 Continuous playing with water without
actually drinking (sham drinking) is common.
Source: Google image

18. CLINICAL FINDINGS
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Posture:
 Horse standing stretched out with the forefeet
more cranial and the hindfeet more caudal than
normal- the so- called ‘ Saw- horse’ stance.
 Some horse lie on their back with their legs in the
air, suggesting a need to relieve tension on the
mesentry
Source: Google image

19. CLINICAL FINDINGS
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Vomiting:
 Projectile vomiting or regurgitation of intestinal content through
nose is very unusual & is a serious sign suggesting severe gastric
distension and impending rupture
Defecation and Feces
• Defecation patterns can be misleading.
• No complete obstruction
• In later stage, empty rectum with a sticky mucosa is observed

20. CLINICAL FINDINGS
B. Physical examination:
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Heart & Respiratory rate (HR & RR):
 HR is generally increased but depends upon diseases condition
and its severity. For example- obstructive, non- strangulating disease-
40-60/min & strangulating disease or necrotic bowel- >80/ min.
 RR is variable and may be as high as 80/min during period of
severe pain

21. CLINICAL FINDINGS
B. Physical examination:
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Mucous membrane & Extremities:
 Horse without significantly impaired cardiovascular function are
pink, moist & CRT, < 2sec.
 Dehydrated horses have dry mucous membrens, color & CRT are
normal
 Horse with impaired cardiovascular function have pale, dry mucous
membrane with CRT, > 2 sec
 At terminal stage of disease, cold purple, dry mucous membrane with
CRT> 3sec.
 Extremities- cold (compromised cardiovascular function), Sweating is
common

22. CLINICAL PATHOLOGY
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 Increased PCV (55 to 60 %) and plasma
protein in an hour of serious sign.
 Hypocalcemia, hypomagnesemia and
increased plasma lactate
 Plasma bicarbonate value may be lower
Source: Google image

23. DIAGNOSIS
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1. Form clinical findings along with
clinical pathology
2. Ultrasound and radiology
Source: Google image

24. DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
 Laminitis
 Pleuritis
 Enterocolitis
 Obstructive urolithiasis
 Foaling and dystocia
 Uterine tortion
 Peritonitis
 Oesophageal obstruction
 Gastric ulceration
 Anthrax
 Testicular torsion
 Lactation tetany
 Tetanus
 Rabies
 Botulism
 Grass sickness
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25. LINE OF TREATMENT
Common principles for the treatment of colic are-
• Correction of fluid, electrolyte and acid- base abnormalities.
• Provision of analgesia.
• Gastrointestinal lubrication or administration of fecal softeners.
• Treatment of underlying disease.
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26. LINE OF TREATMENT
1. Analgesic and Spasmolytics
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Drug Dose
Flunixin meglumine 0.25-1 mg/kg, IV/ IM every 8-24 hrs
Butorphanol 0.025-0.1 mg/kg, IV/ IM as required
Xylazine 0.1-1 mg/kg, IV/ IM as required
Atropine 0.01-0.04 mg/ kg IV/IM
Lidocaine 1.5 mg/ kg IV loading dose followed by 0.05 mg/kg/ min
IV infusion

27. LINE OF TREATMENT
2. Promotility agents, lunricants and fecal softeners
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Drug Group Drug Dose
Lubricants Mineral oil 10-15 ml/kg, via nasogastric tube, every 12-24
hrs
Fecal softeners Magnesium sulfate 0.5-1 g/kg via nasogastric tube, in water
Dioctyl sodium
sulfosuccinate (DSS)
15-25 mg/kg via nasogastric tube, every 24 hrs
Promotility
agent
Lidocaine 1.5 mg/ kg IV loading dose followed by 0.05
mg/kg/ min IV infusion
Neostigmine 0.02 mg/kg, IM/SC, every 8-12 hrs

28. LINE OF TREATMENT
■ Provide easily digestible laxative food eg. Bran mash and linseed mash
along with 60 gm. common salt.
■ Surgical correction and removal of the cause.
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29. PREVENTION
■ Care on management factors;
 Parasite control
 Feeding large quantity of forage and minimizing the amount of
concentrate.
 Provide plenty of water
 Regular exercise
 Avoid sudden change in feeding and exercise practice
 Provide dental care.
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30. REFERENCES
Amalendu, C. (2003).Textbook of ClinicalVeterinary Medicine.
Bradford, P. S., & Smith, D. (1990). Large animal internal medicine. The CV
Mosby Company, St. Louis, Baltimore, Philadelphia,Toronto.
https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/media/livacuk/equine/documents/colic-types-
and-causes.pdf
Radostits, O. M., Gay, C. C., Hinchcliff, K.W., & Constable, P. D. (Eds.).
(2006). Veterinary Medicine E-Book: A textbook of the diseases of
cattle, horses, sheep, pigs and goats. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Ralston, S., & Ralston, S. L. (1995). Equine colic. Veterinarian, 24, 26.
Reed, S. M., Bayly,W. M., & Sellon, D. C. (2017). Equine Internal Medicine-E-
Book. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Smith, B. P. (1996). Large animal internal medicine: diseases of horses,
cattle, sheep, and goats. Mosby.
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31. THANK YOU
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