Colic Advice Please

Buggy

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14 January 2009
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We moved our horses to a new yard early January this year. My 16yo TBX Warmblood had a colic attack in April (never had one before) and had to go down to Tewsksbury for a few days. They were worried it was a displaced bowel but luckily it all recovered and he didn't have to have surgery.

After reading up and getting advice I put him on pink powder on the 4 scoops a day dose for a couple of months and then moved him to the maintenace dose of two scoops a day.

Last night he had colic again although this time it just seemed to be mild spasmodic colic, after examining vet said everything was where it should be and his heart rate was normal (36). He wasn't sweating but his breathing had increased. He gave him a jab and after checking a couple of times in the night and this morning he seems fine. He'd eaten the small haynet we'd put in and been to the loo about 3 or 4 times!

Vet thinks it is the grass as it has been so mild and they have had quite a few cases this week. The Grass is not long but I think it is a lot richer than where we were before (there was loads of grass at previous yard but never had problem there)

He is fed a scoop of Hi Fi Light, A hanful of Pony Nuts, placid, Codlivine, Pink Powder and Garlic with carrots. I soak the feed well and he has two good sized haynets at night.

On vets advice I am putting him out for only 4 hours for the next few days (he is normally out for about 7 - 8 hours).

I know you can never 100% stop colic happening but any advice on what else I could feed him / change about his routine to try and minimise the risk of it happening again? Or is it just a case of time of year as I understand it is quite common in spring and autumn.
 
For spasmodic colic I highly recommend Coligone. It's quite expensive but you can cut out the pink powder while you're using it.

http://www.ekmpowershop2.com/ekmps/shops/hbradshaws/the-coligone-range-8-c.asp

I use the powder which is a strong peppermint flavour. My horse wasn't sure to start with but soon got used to it. The liquid is aniseed flavour. You can also get a syringe for emergency administration during a mild spasmodic colic attack.

I found my horse's gassy colic attacks were linked to worming, so I have bute to hand which I give her for a few days after worming. (This is on veternary advice.) If you can identify a trigger, you may be able to pre-empt a colic attack by giving a sachet of bute morning and evening if your horse has been exposed to that trigger.
 
Hi Buggy,

I will second Lady Archers comments about coligone, although compared with the alternatives I dont consider it to be expensive, I think its worth every penny!

My elderly horse (28) who I have owned for 20 years had his first ever episode of mild spasmodic colic a year aho - which only lasted a day or two.

He had a second episode this year which grumbled on for almost 4 weeks, a couple of good days, then vets out again, couple of good days, vets again etc. He had all the usual meds from the vets, but I was reluctant to have him poked and prodded about too much due to his age.I started to think the time had come for him to be pts.

I put him on liquid coligone, 50ml 3 times a day at first, as he was still mildly colicy on 50ml twice a day, after a couple of weeks I have reduced it down to 50ml twice a day.

After a couple of days on coligone I could notice the difference, and now, approx 6 weeks on he most definately has his mojo back - he has put weight on, and is totally back to his naughty self.

I will never ever be without coligone in my feed room, its worked wonders for him and I honestly believe I would have had to have him pts without it. I have never seen a horse (esp and older one) change so dramatically.

Kate at HBradshaws is fantastic (she posts on here as H's mum) I would deffo suggest giving her a call re your situation, I cant rate coligone highly enough.

Good luck, I hope your horse is better soon

Gem
 
Another to recommend Coligone and I live by pink powders usually. But Coligone was developed for a mare who suffered grass colic like yours has had so got to be worth a go.
 
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