horse at vet with colic and high temp, any advice please

[redriverrock]

Really would like to hear from anyone who may have been through this please. Horse was fine yesterday, had evening feed fine and was showing no signs of being in unwell. This morning found him in his shelter looking very sad and totally off his food, wouldnt even be tempted with a polo. Phoned vet who came out within an hour and he has impaction colic, raised temp, high heart beat (60bpm) and sore when he had an internal. This may also be of interest to anybody else unsure of the signs of colic...he has not sweated up, not been pawing or looking at his flank and didnt object to me brushing his belly the only signs were his general lethargy and lack of appetite. I was hoping for a simple diagnosis of mild colic but he has instead been rushed to the vets and things are not looking very good. The high temp is a real worry as the vet isnt sure at the moment what is causing it...she doubts it is the colic?? We have had initial bloods done which have all come back ok
Anyone else had a similar experience...i am really worried and my children have said they want to cancel xmas

 

[Teeni]

Oh you poor thing, i have nothing helpful to add
Just wanting to send positive vibes your way, along with a massive hug for you all.

 

[skint1]

oh man, bless you all, hope your boy makes a full and speedy recovery

 

[wildwoman666]

Hello hun big hugs to you xxxxx My horse was took in on 17 nov for impaction colic had op and is now getting loads better. I was not there when she got rushed in, girls at yard said she was very bad never seen anything like it pawing look at flank and rolling getting cast and when up on her feet her knees where just given way as she was so bad. I dont think yours has it as you would know and you have hours to get them in to sort it. Lucky for her it was hours to get her sorted and no small intestines was taken away. Good luck with him and vibes he gets better xxx

 

[maxapple]

Poor horse - what a time to get poorly

I can't offer any actual personal experience of colic - however, last Xmas my own horse was at the vets for 10 weeks with a fractured leg, so I was up there to see him just about every night. He was at a large teaching vets practice.

As a result of being there so much, I saw lots and lots of horses admitted with colic - some very very poorly. Lots who needed operations & also lots who were on the IV drips they hang from the ceiling for a good few days etc. They all seemed to do well and get better - and the vets are obviously well used to dealing with it - so fingers crossed your horse will be fine.

 

[superpony]

Aww gosh hope he gets well soon.

The only thing I can think of is pertonitis?? My horse had this and ha similar symptoms v high temp depressed wouldn't eat or drink anything.

 

[redriverrock]

Thankyou, hopefully he will be ok but there are so many complications that can happen and the high temp is worrying the vet

 

[Chestnutmare]

Oh god I am so sorry to hear this... I am sending you loads of get well vibes

 

[Becca-84]

Oh no how horrible for you! No advice I'm afraid, but sending vibes that he improves quickly x

 

[angelish]

how horrible
really hope he is ok one that i have now had peritonitis as a yearling and is fine now ,really hope he''s ok

 

[redriverrock]

He has been given a strong dose of antibiotics and is on a drip. The vet says it isnt normal to have a temp with colic but wondered if anyone had experienced this. Just so you all know he has never had colic before but as an ex race horse it is fairly sure he will have low grade ulcers. He has 24/7 turnout, high fibre feed and ad lib haylage to manage this...thanks for all the good vibes

 

[Chestnuttymare]

Really hope he is feeling better soon. Horrible worry for you. xx

 

[neddynesbitt]

He has been given a strong dose of antibiotics and is on a drip. The vet says it isnt normal to have a temp with colic but wondered if anyone had experienced this. Just so you all know he has never had colic before but as an ex race horse it is fairly sure he will have low grade ulcers. He has 24/7 turnout, high fibre feed and ad lib haylage to manage this...thanks for all the good vibes

Sorry to disagree but my boy spend 10 days in intensive care at Liphook. He had exactly the same symptoms and it was peritonitis. They did a stomach tap on him which confirmed it. They definitely do get colic symptoms and a high temperature.

Where is your boy? Good luck keep us posted

 

[MrsMozart]

Everything tightly crossed for him. Sending you hugs hunny.

 

[Spring Feather]

So sorry for you having to deal with this at all let alone at this time of year when we're all supposed to be joyful. You'll know more as time goes on but going on your description of vitals and his behaviour it sounds to me like it's viral. He's in the best place and hopefully will make a good recovery and be home soon.

 

[redriverrock]

Sorry to disagree but my boy spend 10 days in intensive care at Liphook. He had exactly the same symptoms and it was peritonitis. They did a stomach tap on him which confirmed it. They definitely do get colic symptoms and a high temperature.

Where is your boy? Good luck keep us posted

Hi, he is at rase vets at market rasen
I dont know anything other than what the vet says and she is insisting it is impaction colic and has done and internal examination though i do agree there seems to be a ? over what may be underlying so we are not discounting peritonitis. Havent had a phone call yet so hopefully things are stabalising...just so worried im feeling ill

 

[Archina]

I just had one of my horses in for impaction colic a cpl weeks back. His temp/heatbeat etc was all fine but his small colon was packed with really hard poo and he just couldnt pass it. After having the vet out she gave some of the oil stuff (cant remember the name of it) to see if he could try and pass the droppings. Checked on him every hour and he had taken a turn for the worse, down on the ground, rolling, straining with all his strength and turning his head towards his stomach, raised heartbeat and temp so referred us to the Bush vet in Edinburgh. Got him there and nothing had changed, they did a stomach tap which was clear, vet pulled some of the poo out which was obviously very painfull for him. Lots of buscapan and the next day he passed some droppings. Then introduced food and he came home 2 days later with some meds. He is doing grand now and is back to his normal self.

Hope everything works out well for your horsey, such an awful time for this to happen. Its a good sign that they havnt called you!! Keep your spirits up and thinking of you at this hard times. ********vibes********* xx

 

[haras]

I have a mare that had colic surgery last year due to 2 abcesses and peritonitis caused by a foreign body.

Has your vet done a belly tap to confirm peritonitis? as that would be my feeling given the high temp or maybe its not colic at all and is a virus/ infection elsewhere that caused him to go off his food? has the impaction been totally confirmed? Has the vet done any abdominal ultrasounds?

Fingers crossed for a good outcome and the best christmas pressie in having your horse home

x

 

[LaurenM]

All I can say is - your horse is in the best possible place. I hope he makes a full recovery x

 

[PapaFrita]

He has been given a strong dose of antibiotics and is on a drip. The vet says it isnt normal to have a temp with colic but wondered if anyone had experienced this. Just so you all know he has never had colic before but as an ex race horse it is fairly sure he will have low grade ulcers. He has 24/7 turnout, high fibre feed and ad lib haylage to manage this...thanks for all the good vibes

One of my TB mares had a high temp and loss of appetite. It was peritonitis. She was treated at Rossdales with massive does of antibiotics and pulled through fine.
Also lived out 24/7 from the time I got her.

 

[Marydoll]

The high temp shows infection somewhere in your horse. The antibiotics will help with that.
When my mare had impaction colic, she went to The Dick Vet School Edinburgh and was in for 5 days, the flooded her with iv fluids and gave pain relief to help her with passing the droppings, she made a good recovery.
Crossing everything for your horse

 

[Teeni]

Just wondering how your horse is getting on?

Much love on its way to you

x x x

 

[Marydoll]

Hey how is your horse today ?
Bump

 

[brighteyes]

Hoping for good news, too...

 

[redriverrock]

GREAT NEWS!! My horse has made a fantastic recovery and can come home tomorrow...what a relief.
He had alot of intensive care at the vets, drips, antibiotics, painkillers oil stuff up his botty and he is back to his cheeky self.
His high heart beat and temp was a massive worry but he has had every type of test and it was defo impaction colic caused by dehydration. I was very worried that the colic was a symptom of something else even more serious and the vets also thought the same but luckily we were all wrong.
What was so scarey was how ill he actually was, even the vet was surprised because he wasnt rolling, sweating or showing any belly discomfort at all. If we had left it i hate to think what might have happened...a lesson for us all i guess.
He has been such a good patient, even when the vet had her arm up his botty he stood still. Its my birthday today and this good news had made my day...thankyou to everyone who replied

 

[cobmum]

So glad your horse is ok, i heard that adding a very small amout of apple juice to horses water encourage hydration. Have a lovely birthday x

 

[Chestnutmare]

Oh fantastic I am so pleased to hear it... what a lovely birthday gift to have... having your horse back home safe

 

[Honeylight]

So pleased to hear this, I've been checking regularly for news!

 

[Marydoll]

Yaaay, so glad to hear your fab news, thats a great chrissy present, way better than perfume and chocolate

 

[redriverrock]

I can safely say it has been a awful xmas but am so pleased he was a brave patient and let the vets treat him with no dramas...it made his chances alot better.
Am now worrying my self silly thinking of ways to stop this happening again!!