clairefeekerry1
Well-Known Member
how quickly can colic come on and can they literally just die within hours?? poor livery put her 8yr old mare to bed last night all was fine, came up this morning and she was dead... can it be that quick?
question about fatal colic/colic
- Thread starter clairefeekerry1
- Start date
Jesstickle
Well-Known Member
yes it really can sadly. Really sorry to hear that though. Poor her, what a horrible shock.
Chellebean
Well-Known Member
OMG that must be horrible for your livery!!! My thoughts are with your livery!
Sorry don't no how quick Colic can take hold xx
Sorry don't no how quick Colic can take hold xx
ladyt25
Well-Known Member
Yes it can sadly but then so could a hundred other things. A similar thing happened to my friend's horse - was fine in the evening but dead come morning. PM stated colic type death but it can be a form of grass sickness. There could also be a load of other causes of sudden death like that. Until a PM is carried out it is hard to guess at the cause of death.
risky business
Well-Known Member
Yes it can come very quickly.
My pony had colic last year my yard owner had been out in the field maybe just over an hour before I arrived to check the horses, I arrived and another livery had just brought her mare in and told me amey was rolling a lot and looked very uncomfortable!
With in half n hour she was a sweating wreck throwing herself to the floor! After an hour of waiting for the vet she collapsed to the floor and her breathing started to slow and at that point I thought she was going to die, and at that moment my vet came running over and gave her the drugs she needed, she was rushed to the vets and operated on straight away..
I believe if that vet wouldn’t have come when she did amey would have died..
How awful for the owners to find her like that
My pony had colic last year my yard owner had been out in the field maybe just over an hour before I arrived to check the horses, I arrived and another livery had just brought her mare in and told me amey was rolling a lot and looked very uncomfortable!
With in half n hour she was a sweating wreck throwing herself to the floor! After an hour of waiting for the vet she collapsed to the floor and her breathing started to slow and at that point I thought she was going to die, and at that moment my vet came running over and gave her the drugs she needed, she was rushed to the vets and operated on straight away..
I believe if that vet wouldn’t have come when she did amey would have died..
How awful for the owners to find her like that
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turkana
Well-Known Member
Sadly yes it can be very quick.
I found my horse looking a bit tucked up & miserable (but not rolling, sweating or showing any other symptoms), so I rang the vet, while I was leading her in she did a small poo, which gave me some hope. I put her in a stable, she lay down & basically gave up, she was dead within an hour. She was put down but was barely alive at the time.
Another livery bought her horse in to feed & the horse eat about half her dinner, then lay down & started groaning, so we rang the vet, the phone number is on a board outside the tack room so we were away from her for no more than a a couple of minutes, when we got back to the stable she was literally dripping with sweat. Luckily the vet got to us quickly so she could be treated but if it had happened 20 minutes later we would have gone & she would have been alone so it could have been a very different outcome. She went from being fine to a sweating, steaming, very distressed mess in about 3 minutes.
I found my horse looking a bit tucked up & miserable (but not rolling, sweating or showing any other symptoms), so I rang the vet, while I was leading her in she did a small poo, which gave me some hope. I put her in a stable, she lay down & basically gave up, she was dead within an hour. She was put down but was barely alive at the time.
Another livery bought her horse in to feed & the horse eat about half her dinner, then lay down & started groaning, so we rang the vet, the phone number is on a board outside the tack room so we were away from her for no more than a a couple of minutes, when we got back to the stable she was literally dripping with sweat. Luckily the vet got to us quickly so she could be treated but if it had happened 20 minutes later we would have gone & she would have been alone so it could have been a very different outcome. She went from being fine to a sweating, steaming, very distressed mess in about 3 minutes.
clairefeekerry1
Well-Known Member
dont think they are having a PM done, tho she is worth alot of money- everyone involved seems to think colic. i found her this morning and looked like she'd been gone for quite a while so must have been very quick
KVH
Well-Known Member
Yes they can, it happened to a friend's horse while she was on holiday the other day, and came home to the tragic news
Chestnutmare
Well-Known Member
Oh how dreadful my thoughts to your livery for her loss and to you for having been the 1st to notice...never nice loosing a horse..
Dancing Queen
Well-Known Member
colic is nasty, but as the vet told me totally avoidable if the animal is feed correctly (whilst treating mine for colic! needless to say when that vet left the practice i was very happy!)
MissTyc
Well-Known Member
Not always avoidable. My friend's cob died within 30 minutes of first symptoms. He lived out 24/7 with access to coarse grass and good quality hay, no hard feed. Never an ill day. He was eating happily, then walked away from his hay looking uncomfortable, then went back to his hay but only nosed it, went to the water trough and put his nose into it but didn't drink, back to hay didn't eat, lay down, got up. Vet called, told to walk horse ... horse was walked for not even 10 minutes when he gave an almighty groan and collapsed and died. PM showed that small intenstine had telescoped and torn and horse died of instant toxic shock from bacterial efflux.
vikkic
Member
Colic is not always feed related! I lost my gelding to colic last year. He had a lyphoma wrapped around 20 foot of his gut, there was no way of anyone knowing this could have happended. Why do some vets come out with such rubbish!!
Lexie81
Well-Known Member
i found a fellow livery's lovely 4 year old horse dead in the field when i was younger...he had a PM and if i recall correctly something in his stomach had ruptured and he had died very quickly...he wasnt sweaty or in a mess at all just looked asleep. It is very scary to think it can happen like that
SuzySue
Well-Known Member
This happened to my boy back in August last year. He was living out at the time on no feed at all, was completely happy and normal the night before and I found him in the morning looking uncomfortable. As he didn't respond to painkillers we took him to the surgery and a scan and internal showed he had lymphomas too. They said then that nothing I could have done would have prevented this - he had maybe just rolled or moved in a certain way to suddenly trap his gut. I'm just glad I found him and was with him at the end.
Maesfen
Extremely Old Nag!
Poor horse, I do hope it was quick for her.
Luci07
Well-Known Member
Ditto but mine survived. When he was operated on, they found that this had swung around and partially strangled part of the gut. What a stupid thing for the vet to say. Most odd too - in conversations with different vets over the years, not one of them has ever said that colic is purely down to incorrect feeding! Can be a cause, is not the sole reason though.
Mike007
Well-Known Member
Never ever underestimate colic ,it is deadly . We do not really understand the causes . I lost my first horse Ebony , at pony club camp,surrounded by experts and vets. Dies within 8 hours of onset .
Wagtail
Horse servant
Some types of colic are unavoidable. My gelding had 7 feet of intestine fall through a gap in the membrane next to his diaphragm. He was operated on at a cost of £3500 but although the op went well, he was unable to use his back legs after the op and had to be pts. He is the only horse I have had with colic in 30 years. The vets said there was nothing anyone could have done.
Mike007
Well-Known Member
Hugs to wagtail for loss of horse,but the truth is that colic is so random and mysterious.Sure ,some things predispose it but ask at any veterinary hospital about those nights when everything gets colic. Why? When we can answer this question we will understand colic.The truth about Equine veterinary medecine is that we are not so much as "coming out of the dark ages" but realising that we are IN the dark ages.
Navalgem
Well-Known Member
I lost my mare 2 years ago it was horrific. Left her a 2.30pm to run errands in town, she was kicking the door wanting feed and pulling faces at me all totally normal for her, whinnying and happy. at 3.30 I got a call from YO and could hear her in the background heaving and grunting, raced up there (bout 3 miles) and found the Yo's daughter and Son trying to keep her upright, she was literally throwing herself at the walls and floor, vet had already been called. took 7 hours to get her to hospital (bad traffic on mway due to a football match - saw police car and begged to use the hardshoulder - they refused), where the vets thought she was aborting the foal, i said no it was def colic (as my vet diagnosed) and they took her to theatre, her intestine ruptured and they couldn't save her. The foal was saved, 3 days from her due day but she too died - ironically on her due day). It was the most terrible and violent thing I've ever seen, my mare was in absolute agony and I wish now that I'd just had her pts immediately rather than try and save her.
dotty1
Well-Known Member
I have seen two horses die from violent colic, both thrashing around in agony until put out of their misery. I really hope never to find my horses in that state. It is a horrible ailment and I am sure a pretty big percentage of cases die from it.
Wagtail
Horse servant
That is absolutely terrible. I am so sorry for you. Poor girl. I can't believe the attitude of the police
I have to say that I was not too worried about my boy on the day he died as he had had a mild bout a few weeks earlier and recovered no problem. His main symptom was not eating or pooing. He kept lying down but no thashing about. I syringed some bute into his mouth and he seemed much more comfortable. However, later in the day, he began to get stressed and the vet tubed him, with no effect. Also more pain killers. He was so good loading (he normally wouldn't load very well and being 17.2hh i was dreading the struggle). I think he knew we were trying to save him. Travelled 2 1/2 hours to Newmarket and he was so quiet and well behaved for the vets, standing rock steady in the stalls whilst they tubed him, blood pouring out of his nostrils - it's quite violent treatment as they try to shift any blockages. I could hardly watch. At midnight we were told the only chance he had was surgery that would cost £3 - £6k (he wasn't insured). We had to give the poor boy a chance but with hindsight, after what he went through in recovery, not being able to use his back end, I wish I had had him PTS at home.Orangehorse
Well-Known Member
What an odd thing for a vet to say, that colic is feed related! There can be all sorts of reasons, ruputured blood vessels, tumours, etc. I thought "colic" means pain in the gut, nothing else really.
Friend lost her horse to colic. Fine in the morning, went out to ride after lunch to see him very uncomfortable, called vet, drove him to hospital where he survived the operation but then died, probably due to his age/shock to system.
I believe that colic is the biggest cause of equine death.
Friend lost her horse to colic. Fine in the morning, went out to ride after lunch to see him very uncomfortable, called vet, drove him to hospital where he survived the operation but then died, probably due to his age/shock to system.
I believe that colic is the biggest cause of equine death.
Lynsey&Smartie
Well-Known Member
Colic can come on so fast, I checked my pony at 10pm and gave him his last haynet etc, at 1am I heard lots of banging from the stables so got out of bed to go and have a look and saw him in his stable on the floor literally dripping with sweat and covered in poo and white paint from scraping along the walls. I didn't think he would survive until the vets got there but they were super quick and we got him on the lorry with the help of a ketamine stun and lots of other pain relief, I travelled with him to the hospital in the horse compartment holding him up, he was so brave didn't try to go down in the lorry at all.
They operated as soon as we got there and found a lipoma (fatty tumour) wrapped around his intestine so had to remove about 16 foot, he came through the op but went down hill after a few days the vets thought that his intestines had failed to get going again, it was awful to see him in such pain. I went over there to be with him whilst he was put down but when I saw him I just couldn't do it, we have had him 18 years and he has been the best pony so we decided to go for a second surgery where they found that the 'new' attachment made in the first op between where they removed the dead intestine hadn't been done in quite the right place and had kinked. They put this right and he had gone on to make a recovery - although it's not been easy, he has had some infection in the wound and pain during healing but fingers crossed is out in the field now enjoying life and hopefully a long retirement.
At a few points during the recovery I have thought maybe we would have been better to just have him put to sleep. With two surgeries and 2 weeks in hospital we also went £4k over the insurance limit so it's not been cheap either. I would have to think very hard about whether to have surgery again if a horse in future had colic, the horse would need to be very easy to deal with as there is lots of messing around changing dressings, box rest, check ups etc and if he hadn't been so good natured it would have been very stressful for both me and the horse.
They operated as soon as we got there and found a lipoma (fatty tumour) wrapped around his intestine so had to remove about 16 foot, he came through the op but went down hill after a few days the vets thought that his intestines had failed to get going again, it was awful to see him in such pain. I went over there to be with him whilst he was put down but when I saw him I just couldn't do it, we have had him 18 years and he has been the best pony so we decided to go for a second surgery where they found that the 'new' attachment made in the first op between where they removed the dead intestine hadn't been done in quite the right place and had kinked. They put this right and he had gone on to make a recovery - although it's not been easy, he has had some infection in the wound and pain during healing but fingers crossed is out in the field now enjoying life and hopefully a long retirement.
At a few points during the recovery I have thought maybe we would have been better to just have him put to sleep. With two surgeries and 2 weeks in hospital we also went £4k over the insurance limit so it's not been cheap either. I would have to think very hard about whether to have surgery again if a horse in future had colic, the horse would need to be very easy to deal with as there is lots of messing around changing dressings, box rest, check ups etc and if he hadn't been so good natured it would have been very stressful for both me and the horse.
AmyMay
Situation normal
soulfull
Well-Known Member
my question is if vets says we can either take to horsepital and try and operate or pts, choice is yours.
If you decide to pts will insurance cover death of horse or will they say you should have tried??
If you decide to pts will insurance cover death of horse or will they say you should have tried??
Darkly_Dreaming_Dex
Well-Known Member
Jojo_Pea4
Well-Known Member
One of our livery horses is a prone to colic, he had the operation years ago and was back to normal. Hes had colic 5times in two years, one a bad one and the other two picked up quickly and settled with drugs.
On Christmas eve he went out, came in had his haynet at 3pm his owner came down and groomed him and he was fine. At 4.15 I went to change his rugs and give him a haynet, he had normal amount of droppings, wasnt bothered about new haynet. I got him straight out and walking and called vet and owner. The vet stayed for 3-4hours, he settled on drugs but people were checking him all night by the morning he was getting worse again and was sent to the vets, he came home yesterday and he still isnt back to normal, but the vets wanted him turnout and there fields are shut to maintance. This colic has really knocked him and I think if he has another bout he wont make it. He isnt insured and the bill is looking at £5000.
On Christmas eve he went out, came in had his haynet at 3pm his owner came down and groomed him and he was fine. At 4.15 I went to change his rugs and give him a haynet, he had normal amount of droppings, wasnt bothered about new haynet. I got him straight out and walking and called vet and owner. The vet stayed for 3-4hours, he settled on drugs but people were checking him all night by the morning he was getting worse again and was sent to the vets, he came home yesterday and he still isnt back to normal, but the vets wanted him turnout and there fields are shut to maintance. This colic has really knocked him and I think if he has another bout he wont make it. He isnt insured and the bill is looking at £5000.
AmyMay
Situation normal
I think it's irrelevant - you will always do what you consider is best for your horse.
I would never put a horse through that sort of surgery - and would forgo any insurance payout.
turkana
Well-Known Member
I don't think I would either, when my mare had it the vet was going through my options & when he mentioned surgery I said "that's not going to happen".
As it turned out she was dead within an hour of being found so surgery would never have been an option anyway.