Please watch: unusual sign of colic

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BBP

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Please watch the video, this horse has colic but you may not realise it from first look. Just to raise awareness that colic does not always look the way you imagine it to.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=omFtX7Y93a8&feature=youtu.be

Other signs prior to vet: lack of appetite, baring teeth by lifting top lip slightly, very occasional pawing the ground.

No rolling or looking at sides, no sweating, happy to walk out, none of the massive ‘red flags’.

On vet exam, decreased gut sounds all 4 quadrants, normal heart rate, raised temperature. Rectal exam didn’t identify anything scary. Tubed, no reflux. Electrolytes and Epsom salts tubed in.

Please think get well thoughts for BBP. Never had colic before and I already decided I wouldn’t put him through surgery if that was ever required.
 
I hope BBP recovers, its looks really horrible. Was he shivering or was that a reaction to something picked up which caused cramps all over including in his gut which caused the colic do you know?

Sorry for the questions and I have no intention to upset. I have everything crossed for a full recovery..
 
It is muscle fasiculation (tremors) rather than shivering (he was fully rugged, just removed to video it for the Vet). He has RER which is a muscle condition related to calcium release from muscle cells, I’m not sure if it’s linked to that. It’s his body’s response to pain/stress.
 
BBP said:
It is muscle fasiculation (tremors) rather than shivering (he was fully rugged, just removed to video it for the Vet). He has RER which is a muscle condition related to calcium release from muscle cells, I’m not sure if it’s linked to that. It’s his body’s response to pain/stress.
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sorry I didn't explain myself very well, thats what I had meant but didn't type it properly, my apologies. Did these fasticulations cause the colic?
 
Sending get well vibes too - this is exactly how my horse presents when he gets a bout of mild colic (luckily he's only had it 3 times and always been when he's come back from a stay at the vets!) He doesn't present any of the massive red flag either. Really hope he is feeling better soon! xx
 
ElectricChampagne said:
sorry I didn't explain myself very well, thats what I had meant but didn't type it properly, my apologies. Did these fasticulations cause the colic?
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I *think* the pain from the colic triggered the fasiculation rather than the other way around. When I first noticed something wrong he was just raising his top lip and digging at his bed a bit. Then not eating his feed. Vet said to walk and monitor him. It was only a bit later that the muscles started (only noticed as he was resting a leg and I saw the rested leg trembling, so I took his rug off and saw this and realised that it was more serious pain wise than I had realised. Once I brought him back in and in the 30mins wait for the Vet the muscle tremors died right down.
 
Hope he gets better soon.

My girl colicked in October, and my first thought was 'neurological disaster' - she was staggering and appeared to be losing control of her back legs when stood still, but happy to walk, trot and canter on the lunge. We had tube, rectal as well with no issues. The vet chased her around with a lunge whip to really get her going and it was touch and go briefly but eventually a gas pocket cleared; she was perfect an hour later.

I try not to think about it now.

I also decided long ago that I would not put her through surgery and I remain of that opinion, and will stick to it if she colics again (lord I hope not).
 
The only other time I’ve seen him do this his guts were really active like 9 poos in an hour. Today he has only done 2 (and a third thanks to Vet clearout) since 6am.
 
It is helpful and thoughtful of you I think. Mine stared at me and whinnied at me when he coliced, they are all individuals n how they show pain.
I hope BBP is on the mend and you are able to get some rest too.
 
Got everything crossed for him xx

I had one whose main colic symptom was to nod his head- very calm and without any look of distress. When he was opened up they couldn’t believe that he hadn’t been thrashing around on the floor as the situation in his Cecum was so dreadful.

I’m always hyper aware of unsual colic symptoms as a result.
 
Thanks everyone. It wasn’t how I had seen any colics before so other than a gut feeling I didn’t really link the tremors to colic as he has had them before without any other related issue. I guess I was expecting clearer other signs to say yes, it is colic.

He is much brighter this evening, demanding food and since 4:30pm has been allowed a little sloppy mash and a couple of minutes picking at grass. He is furious that everyone else has hay and is trying to break into their pens to get it. I have been handwalking him for 10-15mins every hour since 6am (pedometer says I have walked over 10miles). I’ll do a couple more tonight and then he is allowed a soaked sloppy hay brick before I go to bed.
 
BBP said:
Please watch the video, this horse has colic but you may not realise it from first look. Just to raise awareness that colic does not always look the way you imagine it to.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=omFtX7Y93a8&feature=youtu.be

Other signs prior to vet: lack of appetite, baring teeth by lifting top lip slightly, very occasional pawing the ground.

No rolling or looking at sides, no sweating, happy to walk out, none of the massive ‘red flags’.

On vet exam, decreased gut sounds all 4 quadrants, normal heart rate, raised temperature. Rectal exam didn’t identify anything scary. Tubed, no reflux. Electrolytes and Epsom salts tubed in.

Please think get well thoughts for BBP. Never had colic before and I already decided I wouldn’t put him through surgery if that was ever required.
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Lost 2 myself and livery's too and ponio is a colic sufferer - healing vibes keep us posted on his recovery.
 
My best wishes that he'll keep improving and soon be as right as rain.

That's very thoughtful of you to make us aware of his symptoms and the video was very helpful too - a picture says a 1000 words, a video sooo much more!

Hope you manage to get some sleep tonight and that there's other people that can help to keep an eye on him until he's fully recovered.
 
He seems to be back to his bright eyed happy self today, appetite is pretty good again, at least for hay and grass, not keen on the soaked hay cob feeds. What a relief though.

Wondering if it was linked to worming him the night before? Never had a reaction like this though.
 
Thanks for sharing it, that could save a horse somewhere one day. (I have certainly stored it in the recesses of my mind!) Hope he continues to improve.
 
BBP said:
He seems to be back to his bright eyed happy self today, appetite is pretty good again, at least for hay and grass, not keen on the soaked hay cob feeds. What a relief though.

Wondering if it was linked to worming him the night before? Never had a reaction like this though.
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Did you worm with Equest Pramox? My mare had a big spasmodic colic after being wormed with it, very odd symptoms, and spent 3 days in horsepital. The same thing happened the next time she was wormed with it a year later (apart from the £1000 vets bill as she stayed at home this time). I don't use it any more.
 
DirectorFury said:
Did you worm with Equest Pramox? My mare had a big spasmodic colic after being wormed with it, very odd symptoms, and spent 3 days in horsepital. The same thing happened the next time she was wormed with it a year later (apart from the £1000 vets bill as she stayed at home this time). I don't use it any more.
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Oh wow really? Yes that’s the one. I’ve never had a reaction before and the other two horses were fine so I was really surprised.

I don’t know if many other horses shake like this with colic or if it’s because of his muscle condition but if it helps anyone else identify colic and not leave it too late then it’s worth sharing. I had thought his colic was very mild and ok to just monitor closely, until I saw this.
 
BBP said:
Oh wow really? Yes that’s the one. I’ve never had a reaction before and the other two horses were fine so I was really surprised.

I don’t know if many other horses shake like this with colic or if it’s because of his muscle condition but if it helps anyone else identify colic and not leave it too late then it’s worth sharing. I had thought his colic was very mild and ok to just monitor closely, until I saw this.
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We had an Appaloosa colic after Pramox, fortunately so mild that she had recovered by the time the vet got here. We've never risked it again.
 
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