Colic and treatment

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misskk88

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These last few days have been horrid and I could do with some H&H good vibes :(

I'll keep it short. I came to the yard Wednesday, all seemed fine and about 30 minutes in to being here my horse was showing typical signs for colic. Vet called immediately, I spent ages walking her around, and when she didn't improve, nor worsen a few hours later, they came and gave pain relief and checked her over. She has an impaction.

In brief she's had paraffin by nasal tubing three, she's had an IV drip, a lot of pain killers and has been watched like a hawk. The vets have been out a few times a day to her to keep her fluids up and to check her internally. They've made sure she's comfortable, and have been brilliant with texting and phoning for updates between visits.

She's passing some droppings, but it's becoming clear that the impaction doesn't want to move, any droppings seem to be moving past or around it at the minute. Vets have said treatment by now should have cleared it but occasionally can take longer. Nasal tubing is no longer an option as she is so fed up she now needs sedating which then causes her gut to slow which we don't want. She could be hooked up up more fluids, we've just tried to keep her comfortable, because she is starting to pass small amounts of droppings.

Treatment in hospital will be the same- IV fluids and paraffin and so now they've done lots of it at home I'm not sure how many more times they'd try in hospital. The next step is surgery. And for her, given her age, her intolerance of treatment after three days, the cost (insurance doesn't even cover a third of the bill), the fact the vets have said if the fluids won't clear it now then they are concerned more is going on which they cant see/feel amongst other things, Surgery isn't an option :(

I don't know what else at this point apart from keeping her comfortable (she is at the moment, and vets will be called again if she worsens. I've been given bute paste should she need it between vets visits) at the minute the vets and I can do. At what point would/ have you said that enough is enough and if she doesn't improve that you call it a day and make THAT dexision?

I'm by myself this week as horsey friends are away so I feel a little lost without a shoulder to lean on and someone to support with advice :(

Wine if you've read all this (I could really do with a bottle right now!).

Sigh.
 
What a nightmare for you. Sending positive thoughts your way........

I think all you can really do I this situation is follow the vets advice. Can I ask why surgery isn't an option? Apologies if I missed something
 
I would speak to the vet regarding how long is fair, as it really does depend on the circumstances. Completely understand why you don't feel surgery is an option - I wouldn't put mine through surgery for colic, and tbh I wouldn't be willing to send mine to hospital if the treatment wasn't already working at home. So I guess I'd draw the line at hospitalising. Wishing you all the best :(
 
What rate of fluids is she on? When we had impactions hospitalised they would be on 5l an hour initially for quite a while ( we made sure tail was plaited amd bagged in a rectal glove as it keeps it clean once things start moving! ) we also stomach tubed with water and liquid paraffin twice daily ( those that objected to being tubed had it left in and taped to headcollar and muzzled tomprevent it being rubbed out ) they were also hand walked. High volumes of fluids are a big help to soften it down and break it up. We didnt sedate unless we really had to.

We had 1 referal case sent to us where it had been treated at home for 6 days before being sent to us, we tubed him and gave him high volumes of fluids and no food for 4 days but it didnt shift. We took him to surgery as his colon was so distended we were concerned he was goung to rupture. We took 3 dust bin fulls of impaction out of him in surgery! He bounced back from surgery and recovered very quickly, he was early teens and a 17hh hunter and resumed his normal work afterwards.

Other than grass sicknesses he was the only impaction we operated on but his impaction was already huge and solid before he got to us. The other impactions were treated medically and successfully but high flow fluids are vital


How old is your mare?
 
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How old is she? What do you mean by intolerance to treatment? I understand you say she now has to be sedated to be tubed, but that's not uncommon and certainly doesn't mean she couldn't undergo colic surgery.
 
Thanks for the replies. I'm so tired and full of headache with worrying about her at the minute.

Arizahn, that's my thoughts at the moment, although I feel awful for thinking that way. But the treatment they are offering is the same they would at hospital, so they can't do anymore than they already are.

Flaxen, yes she's had a lot of fluid, both by IV (20L thurs as an example) and nasal tubing. It's pretty much been constant over the past few days. As the yard is close to the vets they've made sure to monitor her closely, and when they've been back they've either given her more, or checked to ensure that it's passing through ok (they've felt internally to see if impaction was looser, it was but doesn't seem to want to budge still).

I think the surgery is a very personal decision. So far they've administered the same treatment at home with the fluids and pain relief as they would have at the vets. Moomin, I realise she is still a viable candidate for it if nothing else works, but thank you. My reasons for questioning whether it's right for her are that she's 18, she's already becoming fed up with vets and hard to treat (sorry could have used a better description than intolerant), so box rest for several weeks would be a struggle. The insurance barely touches the sides of the cost of colic surgery (especially as I'm already at over a grand with fluids and pain relief) and the vets have already made clear it's unlikely hers would be the most straight forward, and it starts at 5 grand. She's also in the past had some unsoundness issues (although completely sound for now), but if that was to rear it's head again I would have a very expensive field ornament. I also feel she's had a very enjoyable four years with me and the last few months of basically being semi retired, she's got to enjoy the sun on her back the past two days whilst I've walked here and let her have time outside in a bare paddock to stretch her legs (under vets advice), and so if I had to make a decision I don't feel surgery, given that, is an option.

Does that make me a bad owner? I feel so guilty.

Phoned vets earlier, they said to give her some more pain relief and monitor as she is passing small amounts. If no improvement tomorrow or she worsens over night, vets are to be called immediately.
 
Huge positive vibes and hugs sent your way.

Had a similar thing with my boy, but thankfully it did pass: just took longer than usual.

Keep your hopes up, but you can't do anymore than you're doing now. You sound like a brilliant owner, never question that.

If you can bear it, keep up updates - we're all here for you.
 
You are not a bad owner. Actually quite the reverse. I lost my boy to colic a couple of years ago and at no point did I consider that surgery was right for him. We have to look at all the issues - and being rather large animals finances come into it. But how they are themselves, their personalities and their tolerances are all part of it too. It is the hardest decision but we have all faced it at some point - or will in the future. You make the best decision you can based on your knowledge. And yes - you do feel guilty about it. And you do suffer from the "what ifs". That is part of it too. Don't beat yourself up about it more than you can help. Lots of positive vibes.....
 
Thinking of you, sounds like you are putting her first, hard decision regarding surgery and I am not sure what I would do with my 12 year old but the lame 21 field ornament wouldn't be out through it (once dropped friends horse at horsepital and saw post colic op horse being walked around and don't think its something to undertake lightly) x
 
Bless you and big hugs. I had a mare who had colic surgery but was younger and i too would probably do what you are now in the circumstances. Mine was equally traumatic although she made a full recovery. All you can do is keep her comfortable and hope for the best,hard i know. fingers crossed over this evening.
 
You are not a bad owner at all.

I would not do colic surgery on my 21-year old horse. The insurance would not cover it at her age anyway, and if she survived the surgery, the quality of life she would have after would not be what it is now.
 
I've read your post and really don't know what to suggest other than what you are already doing by following the advice of your vet.

One of mine was operated on as a six year old - on vet advice - for impacted colic and he made a full recovery but it cost over £6k with no resection. Fortunately he bounced back really well and has not colicked again. The rehab is lengthy and I've always said I wouldn't put an old horse through a colic op (I lost a 3 year old in recovery after a colic op for a twisted intestine).

Vibes to you both.
 
I too wouldn't put my 18 year old through colic surgery and the following recovery period. It's tough on a horse, I wouldn't want it for him.
 
Please dont feel guilty about not putting her through surgery it does not make you a bad horse owner, I chose not to put my 22 year old mare through it and I am not sure I would put either of my much younger horses through it either, I really hope she improves please keep us updated with her progress.
 
I agree that whether or not you put your horse through colic surgery is a personal choice.

I chose not to - I lost my boy and I have no idea if surgery would have made a difference. Knowing this, I still wouldn't put any horse of mine through colic surgery (and I currently have two young horses).

My thoughts are with you and your horse at this time <<hugs>>
 
Thanks all for the well wishes. Sorry to hear some of you also lost your horses to colic- it's horrid because sometimes I feel like she's bad, but not bad enough to make THAT decision. I almost wish she'd either get better, or give me the signs that she's no longer coping because then I would be confident in any decisions I make, if that makes sense? It sounds a bit backwards when I type it, but I know what I mean!

Tonight is the first time I've cried properly! I'm crying because your posts are comforting, but also reality has just hit me hard.

She's no more comfortable than she was and the fact she's only passed one small dropping today worrries me. Her signs aren't really serious (such as sweating, shaking etc) but the rest are there (pawing, rolling etc). I worry that she's hiding it well, as it seems to come in spasms and so I don't like leaving her in case it worsens at any point. So I called the vet out again as id rather be sure. He gave her some stronger pain relief, enough to last a good few hours so both me and her can get some rest. Impaction still fairly large, which he described as 'worrying' (I wish my regular vet was on call tonight) but that some just take longer to clear and for now all we can do is keep her comfortable. Suggested more paraffin tomorrow (clearly didn't get the memo about her trying to kill the vets the last time they did it and that was with sedation). She's comfortable for now. Clearly not feeling too bad as she is quite happy to try and raid pockets- only car keys in there much to her disappointment.

I've got home and made myself a strong drink to send me off to sleep until I need to check on her again later.

Thanks again all.
 
I feel for you, having recently been through this. You are doing everything you can with the situation. The stronger pain relief will help her relax, and you and she will be able to get some rest.

Tomorrow is a new day, and fingers crossed she'll turn a corner with the stronger pain meds. xx
 
First of all huge hugs for what you are going through.

Secondly you shouldn't feel guilty, you are doing your best for your horse and come across as a very caring owner.

Thirdly, I wouldn't put my 22yo NF through surgery now. I've had him since a yearling and love every part of him to pieces. I don't think it would be fair.

Fourthly, I hope that your mare improves and poos more.
 
I lost my old mare to colic 11 months ago. She came in that night and just wasn't herself so I came back later on to check her and she still wasn't herself tho nothing obvious but I called the vet and he said her heart rate was way up and her gut was very quiet. He gave her pain killers and parafin but over the next few hours she deteriorated quickly. She sweated and rolled despite being walked. I had the vet out at 9pm then again at 1 Then she refused to walk anymore and started curling her lip and lay down and didn't want up. I ended up getting vet back out at 5am and decided to pts. She had had maximum meds and still was deteriorating. She was too sick to travel the 2 hours to vet hospital and at her age (20) I wouldn't of operated anyway tho my decision was made easier by the fact she had ongoing soundness issues and had cushings. I was ok with my decision but miss my princess terribly.
I hope your girl pulls through and you don't need to decide xxx
 
Hi all, thanks for the well wishes, and hope you all enjoyed the better weather this weekend (or those of you who had it your way!).

I managed to sleep very well, but still shattered this morning.

She seems bright and alert this morning (but then she always has done between the typical colic signs) and was up and peering over the door, calling to me, when I turned up. but still only one tiny dropping over night. She has also drank more overnight than she has in the past day or so (partly due to the fluids, but at least I know she is happy to drink which helps her keep her own fluids up). She hasn't upset her bed as much either, which makes me think she's doing less pawing and rolling, but I think that was the pain relief too.

Vet has advised to turn her out and let her move as well as walking in hand. No food, except some small amounts of grass to try and stimulate things a bit. I will be checking on her again in a couple of hours. I really can't believe how much weight a horse can drop in a few days- I looked at her properly yesterday whilst she was allowed to stretch her legs in a small paddock - She was possibly the best she's looked weight wise, but it is obvious that its had an impact- I was quite shocked.

I don't know how many times vets will attempt to treat with paraffin and IV fluids before it becomes apparent that it won't clear by itself, but as time goes by I am becoming more worried that this may be the case. I think by the end of today, if she still hasn't passed anything properly, and keeps going through her phases of comfort/pain, I will be seeking their advice in terms of how likely any further fluid treatment will work, and what other options there are (they already know I have said no to surgery). I am reluctant for them to keep giving paraffin unless they feel it has a good chance of working, because she has already required quite a lot sedation for the times they've done it, and the last thing they have said they want is for her gut to slow down even more so. Without sedation there is no way the vets could get near her, so its a catch 22 with it. There is of course the IV fluids we could try again, but it is more expensive and the amount she has already had should have shifted it a bit at least.

On a more positive note, it has improved my trickery and bribery skills! I've certainly learnt how to outsmart my horse in order to make sure she gets the painkillers and medication she needs. I also feel happy with how early I noticed the signs, and so it is a comfort to know I acted as quickly as I could and have done all I can as her owner.

It's a nice day here, so hoping she can enjoy the sun on her back and feel a bit better until I check on her again.

Thank you again all for your kind words.
 
Fingers crossed for you both. Colic is such a horrid thing. It does sound a little more promising though this morning.
 
This takes me back to Spikes colic last year. We took him into Liphook in the end, purely because there was nothing more the vet could do stable-side, and the feeling was that Liphook would be more able to what he was doing, but in a more concentrated manner - they are there all the time, and can get a lot more fluid pushed through to shift the impaction.
He was in there for 4 days, and they managed to shift it with fluids in two days - no surgery required
It is expensive though - my bill from Liphook alone was 2k.
 
Auslander said:
This takes me back to Spikes colic last year. We took him into Liphook in the end, purely because there was nothing more the vet could do stable-side, and the feeling was that Liphook would be more able to what he was doing, but in a more concentrated manner - they are there all the time, and can get a lot more fluid pushed through to shift the impaction.
He was in there for 4 days, and they managed to shift it with fluids in two days - no surgery required
It is expensive though - my bill from Liphook alone was 2k.
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Hi Auslander, thanks for your experiences with colic.

Out of curiosity, what treatment did they do whilst he was still at home, and how old was Spike at the time? I am glad to hear he made a full recovery, and I have read he is off to a new home soon, which I hope he enjoys! :)

I am already at near £1500 of treatment just at home, and she has had a lot of fluids, which were pretty much constant over thurs, fri and sat. I have taken time off with her whilst she was hooked up to an IV, and the vets before and after the IV have administered several rounds of paraffin.

As my yard is close to the vets, and they are out on call locally anyway due to it being foaling time, they have been in and out several times a day to keep her fluids up. The vet said that treatment would be no different at the vets than what they are doing at home at the moment as they have been able to visit often. The only difference is that I wouldn't be the one backwards and forwards, they would, and I wouldn't have to worry about calling them (although they've given me bute paste to administer at home as required).

My insurance doesn't cover overnight stays either and so as they are treating her at home as they would in the hospital, I am a bit reluctant to send her- especially as they have now said she should have passed it with the fluids she has had. If she isn't going to pass it with them treating her at home with fluids, the only option left is the surgery :(
 
misskk88 said:
Hi Auslander, thanks for your experiences with colic.

Out of curiosity, what treatment did they do whilst he was still at home, and how old was Spike at the time? I am glad to hear he made a full recovery, and I have read he is off to a new home soon, which I hope he enjoys! :)

I am already at near £1500 of treatment just at home, and she has had a lot of fluids, which were pretty much constant over thurs, fri and sat. I have taken time off with her whilst she was hooked up to an IV, and the vets before and after the IV have administered several rounds of paraffin.

As my yard is close to the vets, and they are out on call locally anyway due to it being foaling time, they have been in and out several times a day to keep her fluids up. The vet said that treatment would be no different at the vets than what they are doing at home at the moment as they have been able to visit often. The only difference is that I wouldn't be the one backwards and forwards, they would, and I wouldn't have to worry about calling them (although they've given me bute paste to administer at home as required).

My insurance doesn't cover overnight stays either and so as they are treating her at home as they would in the hospital, I am a bit reluctant to send her- especially as they have now said she should have passed it with the fluids she has had. If she isn't going to pass it with them treating her at home with fluids, the only option left is the surgery :(
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Very similar treatment to what you describe. Vet was out three times a day to tube him fluids and give him pain relief. The difference was that in hospital, they were able to hook him up to fluids suspended from the roof, and push them through constantly, which eventually did the trick.

He was 20 at the time, and has never shown any signs of colic since.
 
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