Is there any hope for our boy??

HazyXmas said:
Really sorry to read this, & am afraid I don't really have anything to add but didn't want to read & run.

If he's comfortable, what about a longer walk with plenty of grass or could he be turned out for a hour or two? I remember an old horseman telling me that he'd got a horse to poo by getting it ready to travel with boots & a rug & loading it on the lorry, apparently the excitement of going somewhere did the trick.

I will be sending lots of vibes, hope he recovers.
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Was just going to say this. Try loading him up in the lorry and see if that shifts anything.
 
Best wishes OP. Colic is horrible.

The likely bill for a 'straightforward' impaction colic, assuming about a week as an inpatient at the vets, is £2000 at my practice, I was told this by my vet a month ago, when discussing colic treatment generally.

It is a horrible, horrible illness. There is no shame if you decide that you simply cannot afford such an expensive treatment, which has no guarantee of success.
 
I have to say that after having put one horse through the surgery and him use the use of his hind legs, and a recent livery having to be PTS due to a strangulated gut (was too ill to travel), I would probably have to think very hard before going for the surgery. However, I have my horses fully insured for vets bills (after forking out from my own pocket for the first one's colic surgery - and he was not even mine but was on loan and his owner had gone AWOL!), so if my youngster had it, I may consider the surgery. But not for my 12 year old. He has too many other issues and has been through enough, so if his was a surgical colic I would PTS.
 
Agree with both lunging and lorry ride. But if you go in the lorry or trailer don't drive slowly! We've found the more you fling them round in the back the better they get quickly! I had a cob a couple of years ago who had managed to flip the gut over and we had a midnight frantic drive before we PTS, low and behold it worked, vet did another internal on arrival back at the yard and he had sorted himself out, prob scrabbling round a corner! Also lunging can be very effective, have sorted a couple out like this also. I would never put through the op, I don't agree with it in most cases, esp not for every day horses. Colic is a nasty worry, and something we all fear, thoughts are with you.
 
Don't feel bad about not going for the operation. My horse had colic surgery and while she was a model patient it affected her quite deeply. I'm certain she was depressed and she also got laminitus due to standing so still in her stable. It took over two years before I could load her happily into a lorry again! It is really tough for even the best patients and you really need to be sure that there is a positive outlook for them. She is fine now and I don't regret having the operation but I wouldn't put her through it again!
 
Clodagh said:
OP don't feel you are letting your horse down because you can't afford surgery. I could afford it and still wouldn't put my horse through it.
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I'm another who wouldn't put a horse through this surgery.

Really hope your boy makes a full recovery.
 
I'm sorry you are going through this OP..

I had a horse come down with colic a few years back, she had a twisted colon and went to surgery to have it sorted. Lucky for her she pulled through and has gone on to live a perfectly normal life.

But colic surgery is a gamble and even horses with good chances still don't make it due to reasons like anesthetic. My insurance covered my mares surgery, if I hadn't had that it would have been £4000 I couldn't have paid and put her down.

If you don't have the money op don't feel bad, if you go ahead and operate I'd make sure the chances of recovery high and take into account if horse would be happy with the after care and box rest that follows.

Hope your okay
 
You can g
ive him Bute or Danalon mixed with water and syringed into him, then put him in a lorry and drive him around. This has work for me in the past.
Good luck not a nice time for you.
 
II wouldn't put a horse through colic surgery either. My mare had colic last year, with four vet visits in less than 24 hrs. The first thing she said to me was that the mare was too big and too old to consider surgery, which I had no intention of doing. One reason we don't insure is so that we are not pressured into invasive treatment in an emergeny.
OP, sending vibes for your boy.

Eta the mare recovered,
 
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I'm another who wouldn't opt for surgery, however it's a totally personal choice to be made in conjunction with a vet, I'd never say anything against those who make that choice (unless it was against a vets advice of course).

All the best for your horse OP, fingers crossed he recovers.
 
My old boy (23) went down with colic yesterday, vet was told outright that if surgery was required I wasn't willing to put him through it. At his age the anaesthetic alone would have been too much. The rehab for surgery is too great I feel to put them through it. I was freaking out yesterday and the vibes I got from everyone on here I believe helped loads and he's looking much brighter today but we are still bring cautious and feeding little amounts of sloppy fibre and small shyness.

If I were you did try the lunging, my vet recommends it, and the lorry trips that was my next trick if he hadn't pooped by this morning. Hugs and vibes for you and your horse OP fingers crossed he picks up and surgery isn't required xx

Eta - I was suggested coligone might be worth trying :)
 
Hi first of all i would like to thank you all for your support, but sadly i've not any good news Mr Fudge left us today. But a would just like to say i think he had a lovely day we went for a nice walk he ate plenty of grass even tried a drop of olive oil to try and loosen things up (ok'ed by the vet) as we thought anythings worth a try, had a lovely warm sloppy meal. But sadly we had to say goodbye tonight the vet said that we should draw a line now for him we had tried everything and as for surgery he was not a good candidate for it so the best thing was to let him go now. ( weather he said it to make us feel better i dont know) but all i care about is that he is pain free and i believe i did the right thing by him RIP Mr fudge 01/06/2000 -03/01/2014https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10202504634931425&set=a.10201279963115395.1073741825.1661731513&type=1
 
So so sorry to hear you lost your boy :( I've been watching this hoping for a happy end.
Be kind to yourself and try to remember all the good times you had.
RIP Mr Fudge
 
Awww so sorry he didn't make it :( I read this thread earlier today and have been keeping an eye out for an update. No regrets, you did everything you could for him. RIP Fudge and ((((((hugs)))))). xx
 
I'm sorry you have lost your boy. As others have said you have done your best for him, and if it helps I also would not put a horse through colic surgery
 
Dear Tinpot, I didn't join in earlier as I lost a much loved mare to colic and couldn't bear just to add to your gloom. I am so sad that Mr Fudge didn't make it, but thank God he had an owner like you to make the brave decision. He is out of pain, and you know you did the best and wisest thing in the circumstances. You and he are in my thoughts tonight.
 
Soooo sorry to read that :( u did your best and that's all we can do for our 4 legged friend ..hugs and wine coming ur way xx
 
So sorry to hear this.
I put my big horse through colic surgery 2 years ago (He was 11) I would NEVER put another horse through that now, knowing what's involved. You did your best for him. x
 
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