colic - need advice

[welsummerchicks]

I am giving very plain, simple, basic, factual information.

You said 'how can she have anything in her stomach'. That is how. The entire system can have feed in there for over five days. It has a very large capacity, over 150 quarts, typically, and food moves, in most cases, very, very slowly through this system.

If you are sure the colic is done and everything is fine, you will do what you think is best to do - sounds like you are going to go ahead and feed your horse. You're there, and can take PHR, and are in the best position to know how the horse looks.

I can't tell you what to do or know how your horse looks. I can provide general facts, but that's all I can do.

 

[birdbrain5]

but can i say for sure the colic is done when i still havent seen any manure? thats the trouble im having in making my decision to let her back in with the others and have hay if she wants it. she seems to be fine and picking around, but im concerned about no manure before i let her eat.

 

[birdbrain5]

well i just checked and she passed a small amount of manure, quite firm tho. wondering if i make her a VERY watery beet pulp with mineral oil (i dont have anymore mash) to get more fluids into her if that will help. looks like i will be up and down all night checking on her. she still seems ok, standing at the gate.

 

[BlackBart]

Gas colic?
I always listen to the cecum. If it is silent then you have a problem.
I wouldn't feed her any hay. I wouldn't put her back with the rest of the herd, if they are eating.

This is what I do for my mare who came to me with a regular chronic gas colic problem. No amount of money or Vet has figured out why, yet.

I walk her for 10 minutes then let her rest for 10 minutes, listen to the cecum. Warm water mixed with mineral oil, if needed a shot of banamine or Quadrisol paste in her mouth. For my mare it is the pain that causes the biggest problem, she's never been blocked.
When it starts to sound like Lions roaring, or making pinging sounds or she is farting then she is mending. Could take several hours. This is when you know who you can count on to help you in a crisis.
Then I only feed her small amounts of soaked hay.
JMO
Good Luck

 

[lynnR]

Shoot!!!! I've just burnt my omlette reading this.

My 1.5 yo filly, Illona, is showing signs of colic; not interested in eating, looking at her stomache and lies down then props herself up like she's sitting. She has mud all around her middle like she's been rolling but I haven't seen her roll and sometimes she shivers. I have phoned the vet who said to keep walking her and don't give her food.

I've put her rug on to keep her warm as it's 5*C today. I tried walking her but she didn't want to move much so I resorted to putting her and my small gelding in the park they were in a few months ago. There is no lush grass in there, just rougher stuff and also when I move the ponies to a new park they spend ages running with excitement. I stayed with them for an hour watching Illona and she only lay/sat once after 5 mins and has been walking around constantly since. She has rarely looked back at her stomache since being moved and hasn't shivered again.

Since she has improved since earlier on, I've taken the chance to come home and surf for help. I don't know after reading this thread whether I've done the right thing before I left. I set out handfuls of hay at every 6 paces so Illona would still have to move when she was eating. I wasn't going to give her any hay but she had improved and was going around with her nose to the ground looking for food.

Any advice/comments would be super helpful and appreciated as the vet can't get into the isle until after New Year.
I don't think there's enough liquid paraffin or anything similar on the isle to give her a litre of it.

 

[Avalon1984]

For what it’s worth I had a filly with a “mild colic”. Never even laid down. Just stopped eating, pooped a little, was active but in a bit of discomfort, barely needed any banamine. Vet came out, did his thing, 24hrs later she was ballooned up like a weather balloon, still no laying down, no signs of distress, some pooping, nibbling on some grass, vet was positive she’d pass the gas. 12hrs later the horse was dead. Don’t underestimate colics. You might just have a very pain resistant horse on your hands.

 

[Glenmar]

Quote:
I agree with every word.

 

[lynnR]

I've just been to check on Illona and she seemed ok. Then I put my hand gently on her belly and she brought up a hind foot. I left her alone and just watched and she went and rolled once. That brought the worry right in again but she didn't show any signs after that for the half hour I sat with her. She just walked around finding little bits to eat. If she heals ok

I hope I never have this experience again.

 

[Avalon1984]

Quote:
Hey Lynn,

Sorry to hear about your situation. Is there any other vet office you could contact? I usually have 2-3 vets that I can use if one cannot make it. Normally vets take colics very very serious so I am not sure why they would put yours off till the New Year. Have you been able to give her any pain medication? All I can really say is that there are a lot of horse people on this forum with decades of experience and the ones I know will not take a colic lightly and get the vet out asap. I hope you will find a solution.

 

[EweSheep]

Quote:
I agree with every word.

Me too! Horses sometimes can be the worse patient for an owner and owners would not find anything amiss because it was not "text book" showing you the signs. She could have gotten into something, like ate a nail or some kind of mold in hay or feed that you didn't know or they got into something that made her sick.

I think its better to find another vet. Even a cattle vet can do the job.