Colic due to cold weather

[Echo Bravo]

My old mare had a colic attack on wednesday morning, this is the second time in the 6 1/2 years I've owned her and the first one was in cold weather as well. Has anyone else had the same thing happen.

 

[greenlivery]

my mare has been in a lot because of the cold weather, she doesn't do very well being kept in and has had colic twice since it got cold.

 

[Tickles]

Could it be due to keeping her in more in bad (and cold) weather?

 

[TGM]

What sort of colic has she had - ie spasmodic, impaction? Another reason, apart from them being in more, is reduced drinking rate due to icy water, which can be a factor in impaction colics. One of mine started to drink less and get very dry and reduced droppings during the snow, also was mildly dehydrated on a pinch test - this was remedied by adding warm water to her bucket to take the chill off.

 

[mikh]

try feeding hay before turnout and a high fiber diet - fast fiber or spillers high fiber cubes work well.

 

[Puppy]

Is she eating the frosty grass? That can be a common cause of colic.

 

[Puppy]

Oh, I just had another thought. Sometimes when it's cold then a horse bolts their feed more, and that can be a factor with colic. Are you feeding chaff with your hard feed?

 

[Echo Bravo]

Thanks for replies. She goes out everyday and there is hay in her paddock and she's on a high fibre feed, Winergy low energy, but she does have a habit of knocking her water bucket over during the night, but I think when it's nearly empty, she has 4 squares of hay each night in 2 haynets plus short feed.

 

[glenruby]

Ive certainly seen an increase in colics since the bad weather - however they are pread out amongst those who have been turning out as normal and those who have been keeping their horses in. If turning out, its advisable to feed her the hard feed just before turnout as it may discourage her from looking for grass. There really isnt a huge amount you can do to prevent it in the case of a horse turned out in snow/frost though.

 

[Echo Bravo]

Thanks. I do give them a short feed before they go out, but this colic started just as I was feeding her,but that morning was very cold, she took 2 mouth fulls and knocked the bucket over then backed up to the wall and started kicking, first I thought it was a rat in between the walls, then realised rapidly that it was colic so rang vet straight away.

 

[now_loves_mares]

If her water was extremely cold, it could have caused colic. I put a post about his in Stable Yard the other day if you are interested, as a neighbour's horse died last week due to it

The main cause (of this type of colic I mean) is frosty grass, but anything icy-cold hitting their stomach can be risky.

I hope your mare is ok.

 

[Echo Bravo]

Yes as 3 hours later, when she looked better I let her out of her stable to give her a walk and she made straight for my feedbins, thanks for the tip on the icy water, will take a flask of hot water in the morning a put a little in to take the edge off and the evenings as well.

 

[Mike007]

Our vet told me that there were a lot of horses with colic yesterday. I had to take one to Horspital. Horse doing fine now, cause was excess gas in gut. I think dehydration is the key factor.

 

[muffins mum]

PLEASE ALL BE CAREFULL.....http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/images/icons/icon4.gif
I lost my beloved 28 year old Dales 3 days ago.

He lived out well rugged up and seemed fine at breakfast, but he was sweating
up badly at teatime - so immeadiatly called vet who diagnosed severe dehydration and some element of twisted gut! He said that with pain killers etc it might right itself so could give it a chance, but in the night he suddenly got much worse and he was put down asap. We are all in shock
and agonising that we should have spotted some sign. So difficult when the are living out in this awful weather. we owned and loved him for 24 years ,

a big cuddly fluffy friendly giant.

We have been giving them wet warm bran mashes all the winter to help against the cold and dehydration, and only recently stopped, because it's MARCH!

Now we have his very long time mare companion very lonely and distressed
at his absence ... so need to find a friend for her - not easy, before she
damages her fragile tendons.

PS She is a bit quieter now a neighbour has put out some horses in an
adjoining field.