Life after colic surgery

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L00bey

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Hello today has been a very stressful day. My horse is currently on loan but this is coming to an end in September time. In Feb he was diagnosed with pharyngeal collapse but after further investigation we have decided that he is still capable (and talented) to do dressage, sj, showing etc. Everything but competitive xc. Today someone was supposed to be coming up to try him out for his next loan whilst I finish my final year at uni when my loaners rang up saying he was colicking quite badly. The vet was called and he was given buscopan and he responded immediately but after half an hour he started again. The vet came back and gave him another dose but this time to no effect. He gave him something else, I can't remember what now but that again had no effect, so he was sedated and sent off to hospital. When we got there he was very calm (obviously) and seemed okay upon initial examination but we were advised to keep him in for observation etc. We talked about the options for him should things go downhill as he is insured by the loaners who were happy for surgery I agreed at the time that it would be okay for him to have surgery if needed. As I drove home I was thinking more about the long run and became more opposed to surgery as I got home. I was then decided that if it came to it I would prefer not to operate as he does not cope well in the stable and with his breathing difficulties the 3 month recovery period would send his fitness back to zero-which is not ideal given his situation and it would be a time where I would not be around to get it back up and his loan would be due to end. Next thing I know the vets are on the phone saying he is mid surgery. He has just woken up now after quite an aggressive operation and he has not had the best recovery immediately after. He is up and walking though.

Now I am FREAKING OUT about his recovery and would really appreciate any help or advice, it has all happened so fast I don't really know what to make of it. Thanks.
 
The next 24/48 are the danger time for him, hopefully he will pull through and come home, then the hard work starts for the loaners, or you if you get him back, this needs to be discussed ASAP as they will have a lot to do with his recovery yet he is not staying with them in the long term.

I had one several years ago, he had 2 ops but recovered fully and came back to full work, the box rest and walking required real commitment and being in the right environment for this period will make all the difference. Some will prefer a quiet yard with little going on so they stay relaxed while stabled and can go out for walks without lots going on, mine would have been impossible to walk out for grass in a busy yard, others may prefer the stimulation of activity around them.

PaintmeProud has just gone through this with her horse, plenty of photos and info if you do a search, hope it all goes well for your horse.
 
One of mine had colic surgery >5 years ago, aged 19. I kept a detailed diary of his entire recovery process. What type of surgery did yours have - e.g. Any intestine removed, re-section, etc? At this stage, so soon after surgery, I would only be taking it hour by hour. Not sure on the latest exact statistics, but back then about 50% survived surgery and of those another 50% survived for a year or more. So I was just grateful for every extra minute, hour, day etc that I got with my special man. My horse spent 10 days in hospital, on a drip for 3. Different surgeons have different aftercare processes - some insist on total box rest. My surgeon wanted my horse moving, so he was walking pretty much straight away and after he came home was on a walker 3 times a day for 20 mins for about a month. Over the next 4 months exercise on walker, in hand, lunging and turning out into a pen gradually increased until I rode him again after about 4 months.
Hope everything works out okay for you - if you're lucky enough for your horse to survive, it is a long and sometimes bumpy road to recovery, requiring a lot of committment. I was totally obsessive with followng the vets instructions to the letter so that whatever the outcome, I'd given him the best possible chance of survival. Even now, 5 years later, I still have an I.P. Camera in his stable so I can check on him through the night. Please do ask if you want any specific detail.
 
Hello thank you for your replies. I totally understand these next few hours are crucial I'm just totally lost at the moment. I'm not sure what surgery he has had, it came through the loaner and I was just so relieved he was up I didn't pay full attention. I'm going to see him tomorrow all being well so will get as much info as possible. God I'm a state!
 
Hopefully you will feel better when you've seen him later and got all the facts. I can recommend asking loads of questions and maybe jotting down some of the important answers as you do tend to be in a bit of a daze. Will be nice for your horse to see/ hear a familiar face. Think vet hosp where mine was done thought I was bonkers, as I sat outside his stable all day for the first 4/5 days, just reading a book or something, but on hand in case he needed me.
 
Theres a horse at the university that i go to and he has had numerous colic surgeries and has recovered fine and he is 22. Just depends on the individual horse and how prone to colic they are.
Also depends on how much work he/she will be doing when recovered.
 
Thank you for the replies, I went to see him today he had 4 1/2 hour surgery yesterday luckily caught early enough that nothing was cut out. He had a good night last night and has done a few poos today. He was really bright and lively when we went to see him, back to his usual self headbutting everyone and trying to escape his stable. He had a little graze and he's having some hay tonight. I cant make it up to the vets tomorrow but the loaner is going and she'll let me know how he is. Fingers crossed he has another good night and we'll see how he goes from there.
 
Here's a pic of the poor boy today in his 'cell'
IMG_5368.jpg
 
Good to hear he seemed his usual self. (I was very pleased when mine started trying to bite everyone after a couple of days, this being normal behaviour for him!) I would also hope that not needing a resection would be in your favour too. Keeping everything crossed for him!
 
L00bey said:
I know and believe me he is VERY cross about it haha!
Click to expand...

Colic surgery is less hassle in terms of recovery than many a lameness, and the horses seem to be pain free after the first couple of days (and not on painkillers).
They have to be box-rested for around 6 weeks, but usually are recommended to do in hand walking to help healing.
With my two, I grazed them in hand for as long as I had time for each day, too, then made them a stable sized electric grass enclosure, and gradually increased their time out in it, and the size until they were out in a small paddock durng the day, in at night.
Both of mine recovered perfectly and are now in work.
It's not such a big deal, and a lot less distressing to the horse than, say, laminitis.
Good luck.
S :D
http://www.liv.ac.uk/equinecolic/index.htm
 
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Unfortunately, mine wasn't a success story. Tilly was in hospital for ten days and then was on box rest for three months after which I started riding her.

She was never the same horse after the operation. Whereas she always used to be forward going and could be worked every day of her life without getting bored, she became very nappy and didn't like being tacked up. The vet thinks she had adhesions from the op.

Six months to the day after she left the hospital, she had a couple of colic bouts and despite trying everything, I had to make the decision to have her pts. My vet had actually told me when she was discharged that a lot of horses are pts within a six month period.

Another horse on our yard had colic just before Christmas and was sadly pts a month after being discharged from the veterinary clinic.

Sorry if this is not what you want to hear but I felt that you should know it's not all success stories and if I am ever in the same position again, I wouldn't put my horse through it.
 
That's really reassuring thank you we are really not looking forward to the next few months but fingers crossed we can find a regime to suit him.

I'm really sorry to hear about your mare, we are fully prepared for the worst but thought he was worth the chance and we'll see how he goes I won't keep him going if he is not happy and he is very readable.

The loaners have been to see him today, he had another good night last night, he ate his hay and has been pooing. I should be going to see him tomorrow and I'll update you. I really appreciate everyones input, the more knowledge and different stories I can get the better. Keeping everything crossed for my boy.
 
I have a mare that had colic surgery with resection in september 2010, so 20 months ago now.

She was 3 months in foal at the time, which massively complicated everything and I was warned that it was very unlikely that the foal would survive, as they had to treat her as though she wasn't in foal or she wouldn't make it.

It was touch and go for her, but after 10 days in hospital, she was discharged home and had to do 4 months box rest with daily walks and hand grazing. Of course, the risk to her belly was massive as foal survived against all odds and so her belly had so much extra stress.

After 4 months she was turned out in a small paddock and after 8 months gave birth to a healthy filly who is now a year old.

I am totally paranoid about colic now and very very careful with my mare. I am eternally grateful to whoever was looking down on her and her foal, as I can't imagine my life without them.

Would I put another horse through it? Totally, so long as I was sure the horse would not go bonkers on box rest and would have an adequate quality of life afterwards.

Good luck to your horse, I really hope everything goes well x
 
Glad to hear your story haras. Went to see him this morning again he was bright and lively, had his bandage off today had a look at his wound looked swollen obviously but okay to an amateur like myself. He is very cross, keeps rubbing on me and wanting loving, checking my pockets for food and things. He's coming off pain killers today and should be fed a full haynet! Lucky roo. He should hopefully be home on Friday :) here is a picture of him looking half the man he usually is:
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photo2.jpg
 
The horse I had on loan a few years ago had a similar surgery to yours, no resection as caught early. He got colitis which they thought might be due to salmonella and ended up in isolation for 10 days. He was quite bright by the time he came home and did his box rest without too much fuss but there were problems with the wound healing and he ended up in for 7 months. When I could eventually ride him again he was fine though, back to his normal self and no issues, as far as I know (he is back with his owner now) he is still fine, jumping and doing everything he was before. While it ended up being a long stretch of box rest for him, it turned out well in the end and I think it was the right decision to operate as he was only 7. I hope all continues to go well for your boy x
 
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