Colic Surgery - Recovery?

M

maddielove

Well-Known Member
Joined
26 July 2006
Messages
2,010
Visit site
My mare recieved emergency surgery last night for a twisted small bowel and a severly distended gut (she was struggling to breathe).
She's doing fantastically (the vet keeps saying it's because she's so fit and strong - maybe because she's "curvy" helps too
tongue.gif
)
I've done a bit of reading and it seems it'll take about 2-3 months till she's under saddle again, but tiny walks in hand after a fortnight?

Just looking for any general advice on colic surgery recovery,
Thanks, Emma and Maddie x x x
 
I think it depends on the horse, what type of surgery its had and what type of colic it gets and whether it is a stressy horse or not. A girl on our yard has a horse who had colic surgery (gastric ulcers) and it had to go out after a few days as the stress of being in led to it getting recurrent colic attacks. Even now when he gets stressed he gets colic and has to be out as much as possible. Such a shame as he is a lovely gentle horse and the girl must be besides herself with worry. Sorry I can't be of more help.
 
When my mare underwent colic surgery in December 2007, initially she was on two weeks of box rest because she was also in isolation. But towards the end of those two weeks, she was being walked out in hand for short periods and having some grass
smile.gif


I brought her home at that point and she was walked three times a day for 10 minutes, and allowed to nibble on grass etc. We did this for two full months, after which they recommend turnout in a small paddock. As my mare was also recovering from a PSD injury, I was instructed instead to give her another month in hand and then start riding her in walk for a recommended time (this was under strict supervision of the surgeon and not something I would recommend doing without full surgical consent).

She finally went out to grass in May 2008 in a normal paddock with others, but had it not been for the PSD she would have been out in the paddock in April and started to come back into work at that time,
 
I was hoping you would reply!
I remeber Graces story. Gives a good idea for time scales. The vets are glad that she's so strong and the pressure on her lungs has had little effect. So I'm hopeful things will go smoothly.
Just have to wait patiently, I have to wait until friday at the earliest to see her because she's so far away (i'm in aberdeen, her in edinburgh at the Royal Dick)
 
Quick reply as I haven't got time to fully reply now.


December - 1st colic surgery 12' removed due to epiploic entrapment

January - 2nd surgery following a complication due to the gut catching itself on one of the adhesions from the first surgery.

May - Out competing at affiliated dressage.


My boy went out 2 or 3 days after surgery. The vet was of the opinion that the grass was the best thing for him. He really wanted to come back into work. After the 1st surgery he was being long reigned after about 6 weeks and I would say I sat on him about 2 months after the 2nd surgery.

If you have any specific questions please feel free to pm me.
 
My mare is currently on her paddock rest!!! she had the surgery on 2nd nov....came home on the 11th of Nov. 2 months of box rest and walks in hand to grass for 5mins 4xdaily then small paddock turnout. Should be able to start work on/around mid march!!!!
Takes ages but soooo glad to still have her...hoping she should be back jumping by next indoor season! Vets said she should return without problem.
 
As someone else said it depends on each horse and type of colic.
I had a TB mare who coliced quite often on one occasion vet came out done internal and asked when had we put her in foal the only stallion on yard was a sec a no she was not in foal about a year later she had colic very bad the vet did not think she would make it over to laehurst but we took the gamble and she did lost lots of weight and had 8ft of intestine removed. She had 4 months rest after rest and back in work she was looking better than ever and 12 months later was back to full fitness sadly I got a call from yard early morning to say she was in a right state I got there and colic was worse than it was the first time she went in for op so had to be pts.
There was also a cob on RS who had colic surgery aged about 10 took afew months to recover and she passed away due to old age 33 i think she was and you would never have known the horse had ever undergone surgery she never coliced again in her life.
 
Thanks for that. She's not a colicy horse, to my knowladge this is her first time she's had it! I'm hoping this will help her recovery.
 
Sounds like your girl had a severe impaction leading to the distended gut and twisted small bowel - nasty for the horse and very frightening for you.

Now that the pressure has been relieved, she will feel better although she will know that someone went rummaging in her tummy!

Feeding post surgery is key, you need to get her to Dr Grass ASAP so lots of hand walking for really yummy bits of grass plus lots of parafin in her feed (about 250mls per feed) to keep everything nice and smooth through the gut. Feeding wise, we use bran and grass nuts to replicate Dr Grass plus a straw bed for extra rough - hope she does not stuff her face on straw - but some horses do !

Hand walk for grass for about 4 weeks then assess and I mean look at her droppings - are they nice and clean ie easy to pass ?

If all goes well, after about six weeks ( allowing for her assessment ) she can start walking under saddle. If at any time she feels uncomfortable, revert to hand walk for grass then assess.

If she feels okay then pick up the walking for another four weeks, then assess, then again if all is well, you can move on for another four to six weeks walking and trotting, if everything goes to plan, you can start to work her in a bit of canter but with lots of trotting because you need to build her fitness again.

Take it slow and just see how she feels - most vets recommend twelve weeks post surgery - ie four weeks walking, then four weeks trotting, then four weeks cantering -we extend every period and we work to twenty weeks plus time for assessments.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top