Impaction Colic

[MollyFell]

Hey all, trying to keep my mind busy and be practical rather than letting the sadness and stress take over - my lovely mare is on her fourth day at Leahurst now and still isn't right. I've spoken to the receptionist(?) and no further colic episodes but she's still not pooing, the vet is calling later so will get a full update then.

I've not had much experience with colic before, not serious cases anyway. Will obviously discuss aftercare with the vet but I'm wondering how you lovely lot have managed things afterwards? She was actually on schooling livery when it happened but had been there over five weeks, no changes to anything other than a straw bed so I'm assuming she's been eating that but could be dehydration? She's on shavings at home so all good in that respect but is there anything else I need to consider? I suffer terribly with anxiety as it is and tend to micromanage her and my dogs and I'm really panicking about when she comes home (positive thinking).

Any advice or words of wisdom would be very much appreciated.

 

[Michen]

I think sometimes you have to accept its one of those things as otherwise you'll drive yourself mad. I lost a horse to colic (well, he broke a leg standing up from colic surgery) and there's really not much I could have done to prevent it other than potentially a sloppier feed to hydrate him more (it was cold and he hadn't drunk much). So I always feed my other horses a soaked feed now most of the time and if they haven't drunk much try and give it to them extra wet!

Fingers crossed for you and your horse I really feel for you, my horse being in horspital with colic was without doubt the worst day of my life even before I lost him.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Sorry your going through such a tough time with your mare at the moment, the straw could definitely have caused an impaction especially if the horse is not used to it and eaten quite a bit, and yes dehydration can cause an impaction one of my horses we think had a virus and wasn't drinking as much went down with an impaction colic.

Try not to get too stressed she is in the best place and I will keep everything crossed for you, please keep us updated with everything.

 

[Michen]

Sorry I should add. Movement. My horses spent 5 days in recently due to frozen rutted ground and I made sure they did a decent amount of walking each end of the day (would have been great to have a horse walker but as school was frozen I rode and led them around in their rugs bareback ).

So if your horse is ever stabled for any reason, I would always try and make sure they shift as much as possible.

 

[MollyFell]

I think sometimes you have to accept its one of those things as otherwise you'll drive yourself mad. I lost a horse to colic (well, he broke a leg standing up from colic surgery) and there's really not much I could have done to prevent it other than potentially a sloppier feed to hydrate him more (it was cold and he hadn't drunk much). So I always feed my other horses a soaked feed now most of the time and if they haven't drunk much try and give it to them extra wet!

Fingers crossed for you and your horse I really feel for you, my horse being in horspital with colic was without doubt the worst day of my life even before I lost him.

Thanks. I trust them implicitly but I feel out of the loop being apart from her which is hard. I lost a much loved, homebred pup just before Christmas, she'd been planned for years and was everything I could have hoped for. The vets did everything possible and she still didn't make it, saying goodbye to her will haunt me forever - she was so poorly, totally lifeless, and I regret putting her through the treatment. I obviously wouldn't be thinking that id she'd made it though, and the vet said Molly is 'ok' in herself. I just don't know how much longer this can go on if the impaction isn't clearing.

 

[Michen]

Thanks. I trust them implicitly but I feel out of the loop being apart from her which is hard. I lost a much loved, homebred pup just before Christmas, she'd been planned for years and was everything I could have hoped for. The vets did everything possible and she still didn't make it, saying goodbye to her will haunt me forever - she was so poorly, totally lifeless, and I regret putting her through the treatment. I obviously wouldn't be thinking that id she'd made it though, and the vet said Molly is 'ok' in herself. I just don't know how much longer this can go on if the impaction isn't clearing.

I really feel for you Colic is awful. I always said I'd never put a horse through colic surgery but when faced with either PTS or do it I chose surgery. I don't regret my decision and I'd now do it for any young otherwise fit healthy horse.

Your vets will know when enough is enough, just try to have in mind what you may or may not want to do if they do say it's either surgery or PTS. I had literally 30 mins to decide as when they get to that point the quicker you operate the higher the chance of success. I also wasn't insured for it at the time and was rather broke so the £7k average cost had to be considered, but I knew I could sell my horsebox to fund it. There is no right answer, you know your horse and her capabilities (e.g box rest).

 

[MollyFell]

Yeah, she's not insured but I'd find the money. I'm 99% sure I wouldn't go for surgery but like you say, it's different when you're actually faced with that option or PTS. She's relatively fit and well but 15 and I know she'd struggle with box rest. Hopefully it won't come to that, I was convinced she'd be home by now though so not feeling quite as positive.

 

[Squeak]

Sending positive thoughts for your mare, I really hope she turns the corner and pulls through.

Colic is one of those horrible things that can come out of the blue, sometimes there was something that could have been done differently and sometimes it's just one of those things.

 

[sport horse]

I hope she improves with the vet care. Colic surgery is brutal - I have had one and the rehab is long and even nearly three years on I take great care of that horse. She was only 7 years old and very fit when it happened. Again no idea why but she was awy with a professional rider so you only know what you are told. She had a massive impaction. We now soak all her hay for a short time - just to increase the fluid going into her body and I feed her a very sloppy bran mash last thing at night every day. I was facedw tih another one recently and I sadi no surgery - luckily she came right with fluids etc but I would not have operated.

 

[Baywonder]

I can't really add any more to this - colic is truly horrible for horse and owner.

I had the option of surgery or PTS for my old boy when he had colic, but I chose the PTS option. He was in his mid / late twenties and it would have been a 100+ mile journey for him to endure, then the surgery and recovery afterwards. I simply couldn't put him through it.

Sending you positive vibes and hugs for a quick recovery. XX

 

[AnShanDan]

I have a mare that is prone to slow guts and impactions. It took me a while to work out what the problem was, she actually had exploratory surgery as a 12 yo after repeated colics with a foal at foot and a week at vet school a few years later with a bad impaction, plus another less serious impaction at home. Eventually, I put it all together and realised that she can't become even minorly dehydrated, so she gets all her hay soaked plus sloppy feeds, especially if it is really cold. I make sure she is turned out as much as possible as well, never keep her in for more than overnight.
It sounds like your mare had a change of management that's maybe partly to blame, so that's an easy fix.
Good luck, hope she's improving. It can take quite a while to clear properly, equine intestines are long!

 

[wiglet]

Sorry to hear this. My little mare was admitted to horspital a few years ago with impaction colic. She was in there for two weeks before they managed to sort her out. It was a good 9-10 days before she managed to produced a proper poo! They treated her by tubing with Epsom salts twice a day but, this made her very uncomfortable and unhappy and it didn't seem to be working. So then Rossdales got involved and they suggested tubing with less fluid but more often. This worked!

She's not had another episode since but she's managed carefully. She's on sloppy feeds and the feeds never change or if they do, it's changed gradually over a couple of weeks. Her water in the stable is made tepid by adding boiling water (she loves warm water!). She has turnout everyday no matter what the weather (I moved yards to ensure this happened). She's kept warm (she feels the cold) and I always keep an eye on the temperature so I can change her rugs accordingly. Her hay is fed damp. I count and check her poo everyday to check there is enough and it's the right consistency. If it's not, I add some Epsom salts to her feed for a few days to get things moving.

I hope your mare is back home soon - it's nerve racking to begin with but all the things I do are just second nature now. I think mares do let you know when there's a problem though, so you can act fast if something isn't right.

 

[superpony]

I am sorry to hear that.
My old boy ended up at Rainbow Hospital with impaction colic a couple of years ago. He was 21 at the time and I have had him since a 5 year old, never suffered from colic previously. We were away at a camp but he has done lots of camps (including that one for the last 5-6 years or so), stay away competitions etc over the years with no problems so it is still a mystery!

He was very poorly and it was touch and go for a few days but he made it. After care wise, I make sure he always has wet hay, wet feeds (I feed speedibeat and TopSpec mash along with his chop and balancer) and if they are in for any reason I always ride or walk him.

He had another little episode a month or so after coming home but I caught it really early so it was dealt with very quickly.

 

[rabatsa]

I have a mare that is prone to impaction colic if her feed is changed too quickly, I have to transition over two weeks from grass and straw (summer) to hay and straw (winter). Five day stays at horsepital each time. Once things started moving again she recovered very quickly each time.

 

[MollyFell]

Thanks so much everyone, so sorry you've all suffered the same stress and lost horses.

I think I'm going to ask to visit her tomorrow, communication hasn't been great if I'm honest and I've been told that she won't be well enough to come home until Monday at the earliest providing things don't go downhill? Just feel a bit out of the loop and unsure of what's actually going on treatment wise.

 

[Lucky Snowball]

Fingers crossed for you both.

 

[shortstuff99]

How stressful! Fingers crossed for a quick recovery.

For one of mine that is quite sensitive I give 4 liters of equidgel once or twice a day. They really love it and I can then also guarantee how much fluid they have had.

 

[racebuddy]

How stressful for u xxx i
Know no visitng allowed i work
In vets and with covid definitely no
Visiting allowed unless pts situationz xxx i would have thought they would keep u up to date re treatment ect xxxxx messaged u top xxxx

 

[wiglet]

Fingers crossed they allow you a quick visit to see her - it will no doubt put your mind at rest a little and you can hopefully chat about her treatment plan.
Unfortunately as racebuddy has said, covid generally means no visiting atm, my mare recently went for dental treatment and she was led away to the stables by the vet nurse and I wasn't allowed access until I picked her up a 3 days later. I was given daily updates though - no excuse for them not calling you to give you updates.

 

[rabatsa]

Donkey has just been in for a closed castration, wolf teeth removal and dental check and feet x-rays. He went on Monday and came home yesterday.

On Tuesday morning the vet rang to confirm what needed doing and how they intended to do things. He rang again Tuesday afternoon to say what had been done. The next phone call was a vet nurse mid morning on Wednesday with an update on how he was, but letting me know that they wanted to keep him longer as he had too much swelling and was getting cold hosed and walked out very frequently. The vet nurse rang again mid morning Thursday to say his swelling was now in the normal range and that he could come home for more tlc, cold hosing and walking.

When the mare was in for colic in November it was a once a day phone call with updates.

 

[MollyFell]

No visitors allowed BUT she's passed a lot of droppings and could potentially be ready to come home tomorrow!!!!!!

I was hesitant to mention lack of communication, there's been an evening call each day but that's it. It's hard to go the full day without knowing anything so I'm calling for an update but feel like I'm pestering. Think it feels worse as she was away for over a month prior to this and I wasn't with her when it started on Monday. Promise I'm not a petulant child sulking or wanting to know every time she blinks Anyway, I digress...

Fingers and toes crossed for discharge tomorrow.

 

[Michen]

No visitors allowed BUT she's passed a lot of droppings and could potentially be ready to come home tomorrow!!!!!!

I was hesitant to mention lack of communication, there's been an evening call each day but that's it. It's hard to go the full day without knowing anything so I'm calling for an update but feel like I'm pestering. Think it feels worse as she was away for over a month prior to this and I wasn't with her when it started on Monday. Promise I'm not a petulant child sulking or wanting to know every time she blinks Anyway, I digress...

Fingers and toes crossed for discharge tomorrow.

There is nothing wrong with wanting info and I'd be exactly the same. With a horse with something like colic (rather than a horse that's just in post surgery or something not so fluid) I'd be wanting updates both ends of the day at the very least. I hope it was the vet calling you also.

Remember you are a CUSTOMER paying for treatment of your much loved animal, you have every right to whatever information you require.

So glad she seems to be getting better and hope you can pick her up tomorrow. xx

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Hey all, trying to keep my mind busy and be practical rather than letting the sadness and stress take over - my lovely mare is on her fourth day at Leahurst now and still isn't right. I've spoken to the receptionist(?) and no further colic episodes but she's still not pooing, the vet is calling later so will get a full update then.

I've not had much experience with colic before, not serious cases anyway. Will obviously discuss aftercare with the vet but I'm wondering how you lovely lot have managed things afterwards? She was actually on schooling livery when it happened but had been there over five weeks, no changes to anything other than a straw bed so I'm assuming she's been eating that but could be dehydration? She's on shavings at home so all good in that respect but is there anything else I need to consider? I suffer terribly with anxiety as it is and tend to micromanage her and my dogs and I'm really panicking about when she comes home (positive thinking).

Any advice or words of wisdom would be very much appreciated.

Could very well be the straw bed causing it, I would put her on shavings and even get a letter from your vet if your yard does not allow the change. Straw is quite course and eaten in large quantities can bung them up.
I lost 2 to colic, and had many here with colic, some livery owners lost theirs to colic. It is hard, thinking of you and praying she poos soon, its a horrid condition and one that rips your gut out. My donkey had impaction, her stomach stopped moving food through to intestines. Maybe worth looking into gut health and trickle feeding, small haynets, small feeds. Depends what your discharge sheet says. Wishing your horse good luck

T add Just read your update fingers crossed.

We at the riding school would always do Sunday night and Monday morning as a bran mash, to clear the horses out as they had Mondays off. This is also good as my pony has IBD and after I lost my NF pony to
Mesenteric rent entrapment colic, this helped many horse on the yard who had colic.

I gave this to my Welsh A pony after previous advise and experiences with liveries, and by the time vet came the worst was over, now all my liveries have it https://pro-equine.com/products/colikare

 

[shortstuff99]

My vets have allowed me to visit my filly who is in for a leg wound, guess each one has its own rules.

I am glad she is on the mend now though, what a relief!

 

[MollyFell]

She's coming home tomorrow!

I'm going to nip to the feed store beforehand, thinking about a sloppy Speedi Beet tea each day? She currently has a handful of plain chaff with her balancer in, we do not need anything with lots of sugar/calories She seems to prefer rain water so I'll continue with that. Anything else? Maybe grab some electrolytes just in case.

Now let's hope the little monkey loads, lol.

 

[Baywonder]

She's coming home tomorrow!

That really is fantastic news!

 

[cheekywelshie]

Great news. My horse had colic surgery in November for the second time after first colic surgery 13 years ago. I continue to give soaked hay and sloppy feeds twice a day plus warm water in bucket when very cold x best of luck your horse continues to be well

 

[MollyFell]

I think I’m going to see if she can stay until tomorrow, my trailer is under 700kg and this wind is insane, over 40mph. As much as I want her home there’s no point rushing and risking an accident!

 

[Tiddlypom]

I think I’m going to see if she can stay until tomorrow, my trailer is under 700kg and this wind is insane, over 40mph. As much as I want her home there’s no point rushing and risking an accident!

Good call, won’t you have to tow over the Thelwall viaduct? Think I remember you posting about that on another thread. And the trailer would be empty one way.

I wouldn’t tow today even locally, and my outfit is very stable (LWB Shogun + Ifor 510), let alone over the TV.

You’d hope that Leahurst would understand that.

 

[MollyFell]

Good call, won’t you have to tow over the Thelwall viaduct? Think I remember you posting about that on another thread. And the trailer would be empty one way.

I wouldn’t tow today even locally, and my outfit is very stable (LWB Shogun + Ifor 510), let alone over the TV.

You’d hope that Leahurst would understand that.

Yeah, I’ve looked for alternative routes but it’s just not working. The wind dies down to a ‘measly’ 20 odd mph after 4pm but it would be too late to set off then.

I’ve got a Ford Smax and single Cheval Liberte - works well and I love the combo but it’s definitely not up this job! Even tomorrow at 20mph winds I’ll be on edge.