Colic surgery poll

How old are you?

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parsley

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I was just wondering how many of you would have colic surgery carried out on your horses if necessary (or decided to / not to have it done)? I am asking because I was wondering what I would do if my boy needed colic surgery. Having had a look here I am really not so sure now Colic Surgery
 
i've had it done once. the horse spent the next 8 weeks in a world of pain (didn't raise his nose off the floor even if a horse walked past the door). i decided then that i'd never put one through it again. a year or so later he got colic again (while out at grass) and i refused to let him be operated on again. he didn't improve, and was put to sleep.
i won't have it done again. he was a homebred, and i adored him, and he had a big future, but i've never seen a horse in such pain, hence my decision.
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tbh it depends on the horse.

My little Welsh D, although I love him more than any of the others, would be a no and pts because he'd never cope with the hospitalisation. Youngster yes probably, big Section D again yes probably, Section A - no. Their insurance reflects this as well - only the two I would have operated on are insured.

Incidentally my daughter recently did work experience at Rossdales in their Intensive Care unit and this has not changed my opinion, rather confirmed what I had already suspected.
 
My boy had it done and he has never looked back, he spent 3months on box rest and a further 3 months allowing him to graze in the field for a couple of hours a day. I started riding him after the 6 months were up. He had a whole year off of competiting we started competing him this year he is better than ever. It has it's ups and downs. It is a lot of work looking after them but it's WORTH IT!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I've known a horse who has had colic surgery, and a section of intestine removed and he's perfectly happy and healthy now, and 3 years down the line has even begun competing at rc level again (2+ years ago). Perhaps this has warped my view slightly but I'd have it done were it possible.
 
My old mare ended up at liphook on fluid therapy for severe spasmiodic colic, as she twisted her pelvis during the attack and she never went back to herself, she turned aggressive associcated with pain and was later put to sleep.

My Boy gets mild colics now and then but at 18 years old and uninsured i probably have him put down before surgery. As an ex racer he had broken down and brought back to health i think this is more than enough for him.

this is my personal opinion.

it would be different if i have competive young horse. so i didn't vote
 
yes my boy had 10feet removed from his small intestine. I am so glad we decided to give him a chance. He went down to the dick vet in edinburgh I was told by my vet to keep a diary on him and I eventually found out what was causing him to colic and it was CARROTS. Since stopping them he has been totaly clear of the big C.
 
QR: It depends a great deal on the type of colic, age and types of horse and many other factors. I had a horse on loan who went down with impaction colic. The horse was a compulsive cribber and had history of colic including a severe bout 5 years previous which was sorted without surgery. This particular episode was serious and surgery was advised. His owner gave the go ahead as a "last resort" option. He was operated on, twice, but sadly never recovered. He never really regained conciousnes as he fitted in recovery. He was put down. His previous colics had caused adhesions which caused a blockage. He was going to die anyway so why not try surgery? There was always that chance that surgery might work!

Another horse I know had a gut displacement colic. Sugery was 100% successful and the horse is coming back into full work with a very good chance of the colic never returning.

Its swings and roundabouts really and I don't really think you can make a judgement of what you "might" do until you are faced in that situation
 
I've been thinking about it as my insurance company no longer places specific exclusions - just a general one that says any pre existing condition that started the last period or before. My boy had spasmodic colic so I'm not sure if he is covered. I spoke to the vet recently when he visited and he says it really depends what the insurer's vet decides on his previous colic, so I am not sure the costs is covered and tbh I cannot affort £000s for the surgery (having just paid £3500 for his nose)
 
It would depend on a number of factors, I used to work at a vet school and if a horse got to surgery quickly, the recovery rate was pretty good, if however there had been delays in treatment, transport etc, then chances didn't seem to be so good. If the horse was previously fit and my vet felt that there was a good chance, I would go for it. I have been personally involved with 2 colics that went to surgery and both made an excellent recovery and are back to competing at local level as they were before surgery.
 
I had a mare of mine succesfully operated on. Sh was only 7 at the time and the fact we had insurance helped as the final billcame to 4.5k. Providing they are healthy pre colic I would always like to give it a go.
 
As others have said depends on the circumstances for each individual horse. I have one who needed surgery, from showing signes of colic to him being on the operating table was 4 hours which I guess is fairly quick, he was eventing fit and came through the op extremely well, the four months off afterwards was more of a chore. He regularly colicked after surgery until we cut all the sugar out of his diet. For this particular horse I would not send him for a second bout of surgery. He was back eventing at the same level one year on.

Another I had that colicked I chose to have put down, circumstances were very different and many other factors influenced my decision (to many to explain here though none were financial). Not an easy decision but the best one for that particular horse.

The younger horse I currently have I suspect I would depending on the circumstances send him for surgery.

There is no hard and fast answer to this question, you have to do what the is right for the horse and you should the circumstances arise. Doesnt hurt to think about it though.
 
I had a 9yo with a displacement colic operated on 4 years ago. He came through op really well. Unfortunately it re-occured after 8 weeks so we had him put down. Very sad but we thought he'd been given a good chance but werent willing to put him through another op for it only to happen again.

I've also had a 19yo with a twisted gut that we had put down. Mainly due to his age but there was also doubt the pain could be controlled for the journey.
 
I voted yes as I would rather give both of mine the chance if professional advice at the times suggested the prognosis was good. However my judgement would be affected on their condition and age before surgery as I would not really want to risk putting an old ( ie veteran horse) or weakened horse through surgery for my benefit.
The benefit to the horse would be first and foremost in my mind. If the horse had a chance of quality of life after the operation then yes I would go for it.
However I would not put a horse through the pain and stress of such a big operation just to give them maybe a couple of years.
It is hard to make an ultimate judgement on this question though until faced with that choice.
Personally I hope I never have to make that choice but life is life and there is a chance I may have to.
So long as I can make the decision swiftly enough to either give the horse a chance or to end its suffering then I can feel rest assured I have done the best for my horses.
Both are insured and as far as I know covered for the operation so money is not an issue in my case. However one is loaned and the other is owned by me so that may present more questions at the time as it may not be just my decision on the loaned horse.
Time will tell but as previously stated I do really hope I never have to make that decision and I pity anyone who has had to or who does have to
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Caroline
 
Depends on the horse.

My 11yo I wouldn't, he has other lameness issues and isn't insured. He would be PTS.

My 3yo I would provided the vet thought the prognosis was good.
 
My first horse had colic surgery 14 years ago, it turned out he had an abcess on his intestine and had 15' removed, he was 14/15 at the time, he recovered slowly at first but after 8 weeks box rest followed by 8 weeks in a small paddock on his own before being allowed back out with the others he made a full recovery. I bought him slowly back into work, and eventually competed SJ again.
 
Will Funnel's horse Cortaflex Mandarin had colic surgery in December 2005 this horse then went on to win the Hicksted Derby. In 2006 about 6 months after his operation.
 
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