Domestic/traditional/old-fashion methods of treating colic

[Cortez]

The point to remember about most of the very old remedies is that they don't work.

 

[Goldenstar]

The point to remember about most of the very old remedies is that they don't work.

This is so true .

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

Last time mine had colic. My Australian vet tubbed. Then said go to supermarket. Get bran etc. mix with molasses or black treacle and make it sloppy. And get that down him.

My vet used to reccommend bran mash with molasses and salt, to encourage drinking.

 

[Lois Lame]

Also it was drilled into us NEVER to let a horse with colic roll; however some 50-odd years later and encountering my first-ever colic with my mare, the vet DID say OK to let her roll!

I was always suspicious of this not letting them roll business.

Also recommended for bringing on labour if you go past your pregnancy due date !

A walk might be better

 

[Lois Lame]

Last time mine had colic. My Australian vet tubbed. Then said go to supermarket. Get bran etc. mix with molasses or black treacle and make it sloppy. And get that down him.

An old English vet once told me that it wasn't the bran that did the trick but the epsom salts that went with it.

 

[Shysmum]

A friend swore by Rennies .

 

[terrierliz]

Swimming them, used to know a few old horseman who’d pop them in the river! Don’t think I’d be that brave. Ginger, fennel and liquorice root in a warm mash

 

[milliepops]

The point to remember about most of the very old remedies is that they don't work.

Yeah was thinking this thread needed some kind of health warning

 

[DabDab]

Coke does work on gassy/crampy human stomach ache - we used to get given it as kids. It had to be flat coke though, we used to remove the bubbles with a teaspoon.

Can't imagine it working on full blown colic though

 

[Aussieventer]

I once had a horse that got colic at a sj show… 2 hrs drive from the nearest equine hospital. Luckily a hugely experienced vet from a university equine hospital was there competing and I was able to find him to come see my groaning pretending to die on the ground 17hh lump at midnight. He initially thought given the options it may be a lights out moment… lots of drugs and hands up bum of horse who refused to even stand or lift his head off the ground for that it was established that my horse had gass and was being a massive wuss. Much effort from some bystanders we got him up and chased him in a pen for 10 mins (wasn’t easy as I had been fallen on by a different horse that day and had a fractured foot I was ignoring). Much pain and effort after a couple of minutes he did a few enormous farts and was right as rain as if nothing had ever happened ?‍

 

[cauda equina]

Some of these remedies might 'work' given that colic is a catch-all term given to intermittent abdominal pain in horses, whatever the cause
I guess it's possible that some/many cases of colic are similar to IBS in humans in that they have no apparent underlying pathology, do not lead to serious illness and will resolve by themselves

 

[milliepops]

Yes, a friend watched horses over 24 hour periods in their stables for a uni study years ago and found several episodes of v minor colic that spontaneously resolved, it must happen all the time. i still think a health warning is appropriate given you never know who is googling colic treatment when a vet visit is more appropriate

 

[stangs]

i still think a health warning is appropriate given you never know who is googling colic treatment when a vet visit is more appropriate

I'd add one but can't edit post anymore.

 

[littleshetland]

I'm off on a tangent here, but all this chat about old fashioned remedies reminded me of an old horseman telling me once that feeding 1/4 - 1/2 an ounce of tobacco was an excellent wormer.......

 

[AdorableAlice]

I would go with fennel/peppermint/ginger for human bloating. Never tried on a horse

Colikare is fennel, mint and marjoram. I use it daily for my colic prone mare and it guarantees farting. Excellent stuff.

 

[SEL]

I'm off on a tangent here, but all this chat about old fashioned remedies reminded me of an old horseman telling me once that feeding 1/4 - 1/2 an ounce of tobacco was an excellent wormer.......

Yes I've heard that too - no plans to try it!

 

[ycbm]

I'm off on a tangent here, but all this chat about old fashioned remedies reminded me of an old horseman telling me once that feeding 1/4 - 1/2 an ounce of tobacco was an excellent wormer.......

There is a tested and proven effect of tobacco on worms. It was probably a lot better than doing nothing when there were no drugs available. And we might need it again soon!
.

 

[druid]

Interesting thread!

On the parafin - it's contraindicated/not popular now because for an impaction you need to break down the blockage in order to allow it to pass not "lube it up". Put a piece of dry poop in a cup of warm water and one in a cup of oil.....the water one will break down to a sludge. I've also had the pain of watching a few litres of mineral oil pour out of a horses nose as we hoisted him by the hind legs for post mortem - a risk of tubing with oil. Oil given as a prophylactic is more logical (horses shipping long distances) but still carries the risk.

Coke - usually used for gastric impaction, very effective as is Dr.Pepper!

 

[BronsonNutter]

I'm off on a tangent here, but all this chat about old fashioned remedies reminded me of an old horseman telling me once that feeding 1/4 - 1/2 an ounce of tobacco was an excellent wormer.......

Carrots seem to get recommended as ideal dog wormers by the nutty raw food lot (not the same people as the carefully-researched-balanced-diet-raw-food lot). Seem to think the carrot 'chops up' worms in the intestine. Always baffles me as to how they believe this, as surely then horses would never have any problems, and a carrot would not be my weapon of choice in a fight given it's lack of slicey-ness.