Colic (not mine) bowel not straight - has anyone seen this?

[buzyizzy]

I've just come home from the yard where one of the horses has gone down with colic. Vet came out, usual exam given, but the vet said two things which are worrying me.
Firstly, it's spasmodic colic, mare is very gassy. The poo in her bowel that the vet managed to retrieve was very loose, yet the dropping she had passed was a nugget.
Vet noticed that when he did the exam, her bowel drops down like a U bend after about 4/5 feet, instead of being straight so that he can reach his arm right in.
Has anyone ever heard of this? Quite concerned as she's the sweetest mare and the man who owns her doesn't deserve any more bad news.

 

[Shay]

Yes - we have a mare on yard like this. There are a number of reasons - but unless the owner opts for surgery they won't know what it is - and none of the outcomes are good anyway so best not generally. You can manage them medically. They will always be really prone to colic and those colics often require medical management in a hospital. But it can be done. The mare we have has survived several potentially life threatening episodes - we're closest and with a trailer and I can't think of the number of times we've done the emergency run to Liphook for her over the last few years.

She is managed really well by very alert owners. Turned out 24/7. Careful feed management. And they are just hyper aware of the very early signs so she can often be treated at the yard. She remains ridden and in light work. But it takes a whole family knowing her very well to manage. And she is the sweetest thing. You just have to know them really well. The bills a a bit of a drag though - insurance excludes colic after the first instance.

 

[buzyizzy]

Thanks for that. Mare in question made a full recovery overnight. It's the second time she's colicked, last time was put down to being dehydrated in the summer months.
Owner has had her for four years, these are the first two instances, plus she has a heart murmur.