Colic or something else?

[southerncomfort]

My old mare colicked a couple of months ago. During the episode she kind of went in to shock, lying flat out on her side with her eyes shut and hardly breathing. She actually recovered from the colic quickly so I suspect she is a bit of a sensitive type when it comes to experiencing pain.

Today I brought her in to the stable for a feed. She walked back out to the field afterwards quite happily but once in the field she got down to roll but then, the same as before, just lay flat out on her side with her eyes shut hardly breathing. She stayed like that for about half a minute, sat up and coughed 3 times, then lay down and shut her eyes again. I ran off to get my husband and she was still zoned out when I got back. I shouted her name and gave her a shake and she 'woke up', had a roll, stood up and then wandered off to eat some hay like nothing had happened!!

Goes without saying that I'll be checking on her regularly tonight but wondered if anyone has experienced anything like this?? She scared the heck out of me.

 

[Carrottom]

It sounds more like some kind of fit. Does she have any medical conditions? Cushings? I new an aged pony mare who did something similar, due to her age owner decided to pts. Sorry not to be more positive.

 

[southerncomfort]

It sounds more like some kind of fit. Does she have any medical conditions? Cushings? I new an aged pony mare who did something similar, due to her age owner decided to pts. Sorry not to be more positive.

Thanks.

No medical conditions. She had a raft of bloods done in November which were all fine.

To be honest, I've already decided that this will be her last winter. I was hoping to have her for one last summer but I think i need to have a chat with the vet and decide if it's time to call it a day now. There have been a few puzzling things recently that I think suggest her age had caught up with her.

 

[Marigold4]

I had a 22 year old mare who used to do exactly this. Her tongue even used to fall out of the side of her mouth. It was pain related, we think. After 3 episodes like this and same number of vet visits, vet diagnosed lipoma in intestine, advised it was obstructing and could strangulate and we PTS rather than risk a horrible end.

 

[southerncomfort]

I had a 22 year old mare who used to do exactly this. Her tongue even used to fall out of the side of her mouth. It was pain related, we think. After 3 episodes like this and same number of vet visits, vet diagnosed lipoma in intestine, advised it was obstructing and could strangulate and we PTS rather than risk a horrible end.

Thank you. Must admit I did wonder if it might be something like that.

Will organise a vet visit today.

 

[Marigold4]

Hope I'm wrong and your horse proves to be fine. Worth checking for a lipoma though as it's quite common in older horses, I believe.

 

[MuffettMischief]

I had a similar issue with my old girl (31)and the vet thought the same as Marigolds vet. She would be up and eating one minute and then down flat, In obvious pain the next. The ‘episodes’ were close together and she got so tired in the end. Very strange. We tried for 2 days to get her comfy and see if it was something she would ride out but we had to make the decision as she was obviously not going to improve. That coupled with a recent eye injury, enough was enough. Hope you get to the bottom of it and can have your last summer x

 

[southerncomfort]

I had a similar issue with my old girl (31)and the vet thought the same as Marigolds vet. She would be up and eating one minute and then down flat, In obvious pain the next. The ‘episodes’ were close together and she got so tired in the end. Very strange. We tried for 2 days to get her comfy and see if it was something she would ride out but we had to make the decision as she was obviously not going to improve. That coupled with a recent eye injury, enough was enough. Hope you get to the bottom of it and can have your last summer x

Thanks. It's so hard as she's been right as rain since.

I've just registered with a new vet so I'll ask them to come and have a look.