Gut paralysis following colic surgery & a second surgery possible? Advice please

[jaquelin]

Horse colicked Tuesday morning and by 1pm not responding to treatment so went to equine hospital where he was operated on. Found small intestine trapped in the epiploic foramen ( small opening in gut near liver), this was freed up, no necrosis and he was sewn up.

48 hours have passed and gut still not active, and intestine filling. Pulse is not high, but vet has suggested that he may need a second surgery to empty gut. We are in wait and see mode, but if he deteriorates, then we will take this route; also if the gut doesn't start responding soon. He looks ok-ish not stressed or shocky, although quiet.

I am distraught as I feel very pessimistic. Will the gut every start responding, is this all hopeless, is it the end of the line? Any thoughts please - I do not want to lose him...

 

[be positive]

This is what happened to one of mine about 20 yrs ago, he survived the first op. and the guts did not start to work again, he filled with fluid which was removed in a second op. he still did not start his guts moving so the decision was made for him to be pts.

He was taken out for a final pick at some grass whereupon he started up everything was working ok he came home about a week later.He lived and worked normally for about 11 years before he was lost to colic, probable breakdown in surgery area.

I felt at the time that post op care was rather odd they would not feed until the guts were moving, yet I thought that eating would stimulate them to get going, although I think they do feed now just check as it was definitely eating the grass that saved my horse.

I hope yours gets through this and you can have him home soon.

 

[jaquelin]

Your response is much appreciated! As a result of it I got on the phone to the hospital to ask them about getting him to move around, as he is standing stock still. The duty vet explained that the upper intestine (closest to stomache) is working; it is the bit farther back that is not, and that is apparently less affected by food stimulus.
However, as a result of my phone call they have agreed to take him out and move him around periodically. Duty vet mentioned that my horse was very interested in the hay cart so I suggested that they park it in front of his box! Can't hurt! The duty vet at least did say that lack of gut mobility can go on for 3 days before it improves, so I feel that there may still be some hope that this can be resolved without another surgery. The vet was very open to my "intervention" (some get quite defensive) which spoke well of him. It will be a long night.

 

[be positive]

I am glad to hear they are open to your suggestions as when mine was in recovery they seemed to have very fixed ideas but as they now do this surgery so routinely they should be more open to the fact that all horses are different.

Although I still feel that most vets are a little too scientific in their approach at times, a holistic view would sometimes have better results.

Hope you have good news soon. Please let me know, how he is, I will be sending some vibes in your direction.

 

[SusieT]

This may shock some of you but given how often they do the surgery they do know whats best regarding gut motility and recovery process! If they are fed too much before the guts are working you end up back at stage one.
Have to say I don't know if I'd let my horse go in for a second op, but good luck OP

 

[jaquelin]

I respect the vet's experience and my horse is at a specialist hospital. So I agree with Susie T in principle but I think my horse was being particularly immobile - vet & nurses remarking on it, and I also know how motivated he is by food. I kept whispering to him today "get better so you can eat". We shall see, and I doubt I will sleep much tonight...

 

[Silmarillion]

All I can really say is good luck - I was in your position recently and it's one of the worst things to go through.

 

[flintfootfilly]

One of my gang had colic surgery earlier this year. A different sort of colic to your boy (large intestine displacement), and it was 5 or 6 days before "new" droppings started to come through.

Prior to that we had a day or two of small, hard pebbly droppings coming out rather uncomfortably, and these were the "old" droppings from before she colicked. When the new droppings started to come through, we literally just had two or 3 "eggs" of droppings if that makes sense. And then another 3 eggs a while later, and so on until we started to get more normal size dollops again, which was once they were happy the old droppings had all come out, and she could eat more soaked hay and grass.

3 days after her op, they used a nasogastric tube to give fluids and mineral oil to try and lubricate stuff in the get and help the old droppings move along. They did the same again the following day.

I was told it is not unusual for the gut to take a little while to start up again, although I also understand that in some horses (only a few) the gut never starts working again.

She was handwalked to grass each day from the day after her op, although she was only allowed access to small amounts of grass initially until they knew her gut was working ok again (i guess to avoid blocking up the gut with new grass). I was lucky in that the hospital was close enough for me to pop over each day and spend increasing amounts of time taking her out for grass, but had I not been there, the staff were taking her for grass every couple of hours or so initially.

Whatever changes there are, it sounds as though your boy is in a good place where he's being closely monitored and they will be able to act quickly if he needs anything different doing.

Hope the gut is soon working smoothly again.

Sarah

 

[applecart14]

Any news yet??? Fingers and toes xsed xxx

 

[jaquelin]

UPDATE Vet phoned ths morning at 9:15 to recommend we go ahead with surgery, I agreed (after having discovered it is not than unusual 10-27% require second surgery.) Reasoning is to find if there was any missed necrosis, any blockages and to empty the gut. We agreed he would be PTS if she found anything terminal that could not be treated. I spend the morning preparing myself for no horse, because at this point i had lost any hope of any other outcome.
Around 1pm she phoned and my first question was: is he alive and she said "yes" No necrosis, no blockage; she thoroughly emptied the whole gut including the large intestine and noted gut colour changed from dark purple to healthy pink so theory is that full gut was putting pressure on a key intestinal artery.
As of 4:30 he was not yet standing so we still have a long road ahead and I still may not have a horse at the end of it. He is conscious, and dog sitting but very weak. They will telephone when he does stand.
I do not question the vet's judgement at all; she seems quick to move to operate but I think her judgement is right as he is still relatively strong. Either this will work or it won't....

 

[flintfootfilly]

Fingers crossed that your boy starts on the road to recovery now.

What an emotional day you must have had. Going through the uncertainties of one colic operation is more than stressful, but to go through two in such quick succession........ I can only imagine how you are feeling.

I guess it's good that your boy doesn't actually try to stand up fully until he's feeling strong enough and balanced enough to stay up, but I'm sure it'll be a milestone for you to know that he's up again.

Take care.

Sarah x

 

[Bojangles]

Keeping everything crossed for you both over the next 24-48hrs. I havnt experince much of colic sorry.

 

[Nari]

Everything crossed for you x. Jim had colic surgery two & a half years ago - I don't think I'll ever forget how desperate I felt, I think I'd have fallen completely to pieces if he'd needed a second op. (((Hugs))).

 

[jaquelin]

Sadly, my beautiful boy was put to sleep at 11:15 p.m. on Nov 18th. RIP

He never was able to stand up after the second op and was getting distressed. I do not regret trying both surgeries, but besides standing up, he would have has so many further hurdles. Enough was enough.

Thanks to all the posters for your support. I hope to get a night's sleep for the first time in four days.

 

[SusieT]

sorry to hear this.

 

[tikino]

so sorry for your loss thinking of you xx

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Oh J, I'm so sorry. Was hoping against hope he would make it. RIP your beautiful and much loved lad x

 

[flintfootfilly]

So sorry to hear about your boy.

You did your best for him and gave him every chance. No-one could do more than that.

Big hugs.

Sarah

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

So Sorry Jaquelin RIP boy


that happened to me 3 years ago. I only had Bonnie a week before she had this, and the insurance hadn't kicked it , we had to rush her to potterbar and this dislodged it i think.


6 weeks later happened again but it went to far this time she was 5



All horses have a small hole in their gut some its bigger than others.

a friend lost her 3 year old .

Such a tragic end to my lovely pony of 6 weeks and 5 years old .

 

[pines of rome]

So sorry for you, after trying so hard, such a sad outcome! Hugs xx

 

[figgy]

Im so sorry about your boy , RIP little man xx
sending you the biggest hug at such a hard time xoxox

 

[oscarwild]

I'm so sorry that you lost your boy after trying everything. Least you know you gave him every chance possible.
Sending massive hugs your way.
R.I.P Your beautiful boy.

 

[Nari]

I'm so sorry. At least you know you did everything you could for him & called it a day when it was kindest x