Colic - To walk or not to walk?

[Horseymum]

When my mare was PTS after her one and only colic attack in November I asked the Vet then about walking her and he said not to, to let her lie/roll if she wanted to and there was now evidence that walking doesn't make any difference. In fact he went on to say that he had the previous week attended a colic case where the poor animal had been walked to the extent that it had developed laminitis as well.

 

[Baggybreeches]

My mum always walks her mare, it seems to settle her down, but she gets gassy colic from windsucking, it depends on the horse and the severity of the colic, walking can be a good thing for mild cases but very traumatic if the horse is very poorly and do more harm than good.

 

[Baggybreeches]

Can we get buscopan without scripts over here, thats all Holly gets when the vet comes out, we have her little episodes all sussed now so it would save a massive hassle, cause she usually colics on a sunday night!
Something I used to do with my stressy pony, who got colic if something upset her was take her for a short quiet hack, it would take her mind off it!

 

[siennamiller]

I was told by my vet not to walk as well. I was told it just tires them out unneccessarily

 

[jac47]

yes walk, our horse had a twisted gut last October and we walked him until the vet came. He did go down but we got him up and walked him as this helps to buffet the gas through the gut and may help. If the gut is already twisted though then it's surgery no options. He has had colic since his op and we still walk him this either helps and we don't need the vet but if the vet does come after an injection he is fine.

 

[Pluckylittleking]

I work in an equine vet practice and our advice is always to walk if the horse is down and trying to roll, but if it is standing still and quiet to leave alone. Always to stay safe yourself though!

 

[dingle12]

only ever walk them from the stable into the arena then leave them to it.

 

[Ferdinase514]

***Interesting and random piece of info alert ***

Speaking to friend who is vet re. medications used for humans that can be given to animals

Human buscopan can not be given to animals - different fromulation i believe.....also can't give ibroprofen to dogs - kills them outright

 

[Fairynuff]

Hi FA, Was trying to pm you but something is stopping it from being sent. I use the animal Buscapan but have to get a prescription for it from my vet. As Dougie said, Im surrounded by vets who shouldnt be allowed near a rotting carcass, never mind a live animal and I live out in the sticks. My vet Ali is the "best" but has a huge area to cover so cant always get here in a short time, so I keep all that I would need for emergencies.
The witches potion I give is called Amaro Medicinale Guilliani but I doubt if you will find it in GB. Ill dig it out when I go down to skip out and see if theres a list of all the herbs that are in it-you may be able to find someone to make it up for you. Mairi. ps, I could always send you a couple of bottles!

 

[Fairynuff]

Thankyou PF. M.

 

[GTs]

I just pull out my pocket knife and perform surgery there - I get my groom to restrain the horse.

Seriously though - I will always move them out of the stable as they are impossible and dangerous to manage in that tight space. If they want to lie down quietly that is fine, if they become hard to manage I will take them to the hospital.

I am not a fan of letting them roll mainly because (atleast in Socal) it was so hot, they would work themselves into a sweat which just makes them sicker.

As for homeopathic remedies - I use this one called time, it cures 90% of colics.

 

[Baggybreeches]

That would be fab! Thanks M

 

[Fairynuff]

Hi FA, have found the potion. Its made up of 2gs of Rubarb extract - 2gs of Cascara extract - 2gs of Gentian tincture (watery) and 1g of Boldo tincture (watery). Added to that is glycerine, bicarb of soda, alcohol and water. All including water etc should make up a bottle of 400gs.
I googled all of the main ingredients and found them all, have a look! Hope it helps you. Mairi.

 

[Baggybreeches]

Thanks will do!

 

[Taboo1968]

Thanks guys - its made interesting reading..... FinnMcCoul - interesting that you said about bute.... someone else suggested that one to me in a rather panicked phone call on the day!

Well I chose to do the walk thing as he had obviously been thrashing a bit judging by the state of the box and also now by all the lumps and bumps around the head area...... (calf muscles still testifying the fact that they walked so much as well!!!)

Dont know if any of you will recall my post regarding haynets when he got caught in one??? Am now even more convinced that was an overnight colic attack as there were similarities in behaviour the day before that incident to what happened the other day (he never paws the ground and whilst standing on lorry ready to come home from a show, he started pawing? and then of course that night was the haynet incident!) and he was pawing the other day!

Am pleased to report, at the moment, that things seem to be back to normal??? However am a little concerned that that was the 2nd attack in as little as 6 weeks! Have instructed yard that should it happen again, dont try getting hold of me first, just call vet first, then ring me.

AIR78 - I will be PM'ing you regarding your comments!

 

[Ferdinase514]

Hello!

Yes, I give finni some bute paste as he gets flatulant colic and most often if caught early enough this will sort him right out.

Have had terrible experiences with him though, when he's colicked over night and scrapped every area possible on his body and given himself 2 black eyes!

I'm a hay-net hater i'm afraid

Always feed from floor.

Glad your pony's looking better. Any ideas what's causing it? Is it flatulant colic?

 

[GTs]

Why do you give them bute? I would not take Advil for a sore stomach.........

 

[Taboo1968]

Yep flatulent colic..... Have now taken him right down to bland basic feed, hay from the floor (something I've done since the haynet incident)

Have thought and thought and thought about triggers, but nothing has changed re feeding (until now) routine etc etc

Am now panicking over worming him (he was due this weekend) but think it would be a good idea to leave it for a week as dont want to upset the tummy again! Am really at a loss to understand why he's had two attacks in such a short space of time? Have owned him for 18 months and never had any problems with him before.

But he is back to his usual grumpy Victor Meldrew self now! and looking a lot happier in himself.... apart from the lumps and bumps!

 

[Ferdinase514]

[ QUOTE ]
Why do you give them bute? I would not take Advil for a sore stomach.........

[/ QUOTE ]

Would you not? I would

Anti inflammatory and pain relief.

Flatulance produces colic symptoms due to pain. Take away pain and reduce inflamation = happy horse.

Causes probs whe colic is actually due to torsion of gut as disguises surgical colic

 

[Ferdinase514]

Oh its horrid not knowing what is causing it.

Vets usually recommend a probiotic, haven't had great results in the past but have restarted Finni on it as is having antibiotics at the mo.

I avoid any starch and too much grass - not something which is a huge prob at the mo though!

 

[GTs]

I think you think too highly of bute - with a severe case of colic you could give them the whole tube and it will do nothing (I have seen it tried

). It really is more like an over the counter painkiller for horses. It is prescription solely because it is used at the prescription level in people. I do not really follow your rational with using it. I do not believe a gas colic has inflammation, yes they are like a balloon but there is not swelling, and as far as pain - there are different kinds of pain. Bute much like an over the counter pain killer is a good for the muscular skeletal system, but not really something you would take if your appendix hurt, or you were constipated.

 

[0]

Unless the colic is being brought on by an imbalance in the gut then pro biotics won't help.

 

[Taboo1968]

Bought feel good 30 digestion supplement today, which has pre and pro biotic as well as yea sacc, so will report on how he goes on it.....

think I'll keep him in the shadows for a month or two as dont want to throw him straight back into deep end competing after this!

 

[Ferdinase514]

[ QUOTE ]
I think you think too highly of bute - with a severe case of colic you could give them the whole tube and it will do nothing (I have seen it tried

[/ QUOTE ]

Certainly wouldn't use it for severe colic. Only the mild attacks that Finn gets. I do use it in the same way as I would use an over the counter pain killer and under advise of my vet. If no improvement Vet comes out. Generally, as I've said sorts him out quite quickly.

Certainly wouldn't advise others to do hat I do - unless vet tells them to

 

[Ferdinase514]

[ QUOTE ]
Unless the colic is being brought on by an imbalance in the gut then pro biotics won't help.

[/ QUOTE ]

Is very true and I think why doesn't generally help Finn

Worth a try though

 

[0]

My old vet ecommended a pro biotic for my horse a few years ago when she went through a stage of getting colic (she had it about ten times over two months but had never had it before and has *touchwood* never had it since).
I rang my uncle to get it for me (as he is also a vet although not mine because he lives too far away but he gets stuff at cost price for me) and he said a pro biotic would not help my horses colic. Sometimes the vets just recomend this because it won't do any harm, is quite a good thing to feed anyway but won't help the colic but you feel like the vet is doing something.
I do feed my horse a pro biotic just as a general supplement (because i'm a mug and i get it cheap(er)!!) but i wouldn't expect it to help with most colics!

 

[mostfunintown]

I know this is a very contraversial one but I personally walk forever (or however long it takes for the vet to come)
I have one horse who colics all the time and it allways works for her

 

[Klaudette]

Firstly. Colic is a lay term used to describe any clinical sign of pain eminating from the abdomen. Therefore depending upon the cause of the pain- dictates what action should be taken. E.g. a very bad spasmodic colic can look far worse than a torsion, but responds to medical treatment. As to walking DO NOT WALK THE HORSE. If it turns out the horse needs surgery, and it has been walked and walked they recover very badly from the anaesthetic-finding it difficult to stand. Then we end up shooting the poor sod.
Also, horses tend to roll because they have already torsed.
Get your vet, comfort your horse, stay calm and your vet will do their very best to get to you as quickly as possible.
Dont forget, we have a very difficult job, we love animals, we've spent a very long time being educated and we try our best!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Alibear]

I'm a walker and have seen it work time and again, walking uses the abdominal muscles which helps ensure the intestine and spleen are all push into their correct places. One horse with colic due to displaced spleen had to be lunged vigrously to get everything back in place and it did work.

if a horse was down and quiet (not thrashing about) and i would possibly leave it but my vet and every vet I have ever met insists on walking horses that have colic.

My girl ended up ont he table when she eventually gave up and went down despite our best efforts, thrased and twisted her gut.

Luckily the op was succesful.

 

[GTs]

I have never heard a correlation between walking and recovery from anestasia - the ones I remember who struggled to get up was the old ones, and one particularly lazy one who was quite happy on the floor, a side from that they all got up rather well!

As for spleens I am not sure if you can call it vigorous exercise - it is jogging for a few minutes every 15 minutes after recieving some medication.