| Colic - The term "colic" means pain in the | | | | seriously. |
| abdomen and it is more common in horses than | | | | The symptoms may be excessive rolling, looking |
| any other animal for many reasons. Some of the | | | | at or biting the flanks, kicking, patchy sweating, |
| known causes have been attributed to the small | | | | pawing at the ground and increased lying down. |
| size of the stomach and its small digestive | | | | Call the vet immediately and keep the horse |
| surface; The inability of the horse to vomit or | | | | warm and stabled in a deep bed. Allow the horse |
| unload the stomach by vomiting; The great size | | | | to drink but do not allow food. Walk him gently (if |
| of the intestines and the puckering of the large | | | | recommended by the vet) to discourage violent |
| intestine allowing food or foreign bodies, which | | | | rolling. Note if the droppings are loose, hard, or if |
| may act as nuclei, to rest for indefinite periods; | | | | they are absent and there are none at all. In |
| The predisposition of the horse to worm | | | | some cases of colic there may be impaction and |
| infestation; The dependency on the feeding | | | | your vet will need to know. Take note of the |
| patterns of the owner (horses are natural grazers | | | | horses pulse, temperature and respiration. The |
| and should not be left without food) colic is more | | | | vet may use painkillers, saline, and lubricant. |
| common at night and is frequently connected with | | | | Twisted gut may be a complication of colic and |
| irregular feeding or sudden change in diet; | | | | rolling is commonly regarded as a cause, but this |
| Poisoning from eating something in the hay or field | | | | is open to doubt and opinion is not unanimous. The |
| such as Ragwort, Acorns, Belladonna or some | | | | cause may be obscure, it might be from sudden |
| other poisonous plant, or from contaminated food | | | | movement such as a slip or fall, being cast in the |
| or water. These are just a few of the causes of | | | | stable or from worm infestation. The treatment |
| colic, while some may be mild, others can be life | | | | for a twisted gut is urgent, whatever the cause it |
| threatening or fatal. Because it is difficult to | | | | will require immediate surgery. |
| distinguish, in the early stages, how severe the | | | | Good stable and field management may help to |
| attack of colic may be, all cases must be treated | | | | prevent some of the causes of Equine colic. |