Signs of colic?

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Lozturner

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My boy has been in the field for a couple of weeks and has just been brought back into work. I've been riding for about 15-20 mins for the last 3 days. Yesterday and today he felt fine when I first got on, had a trot and canter around before walking again. Then both days he felt lame and tired when trotting again so I got off.
But when I get off he's been so sweating it's dripping onto the ground, and he seems a bit shaky.
Yesterday I had no further issues.
Today I hosed him down then left him tied up while I mucked out. He then started pawing (never known him do this) so I brought him back to the stable but he didn't want to move (not like him at all). When I got him back in the stable he was pawing at the ground again.
He then was trying to lie down but only got on front knees before getting up again, this happened 2/3 times. In between each time he was breathing heavy and circling with his head to the floor.

Then everything went back to normal. He came back to the front of his stable and started eating again. I kept an eye for a while but he showed no more worrying signs.
 
Goldenstar said:
It's certainly signs of pain .
If he does it tomorrow I would be calling the vet .
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This but it could be him tying up, the symptoms can be similar, if you have given him some time off cantering within days of coming back into work seems rather fast to me, look at PSSM as a possibility, it certainly needs looking into as it is not normal.
 
The schedule for return to work should be easy for the horse, planned by a knowledgeable person, gradual and progressive in its nature, enjoyed by the partnership. Well done to have picked up these signs of distress but when the horse is chipper again......re-visit your back-to-work plan.
 
rifruffian said:
The schedule for return to work should be easy for the horse, planned by a knowledgeable person, gradual and progressive in its nature, enjoyed by the partnership. Well done to have picked up these signs of distress but when the horse is chipper again......re-visit your back-to-work plan.
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So you think this is the reason?
It's not been 'hard' work, around 15mins mainly trot with canter here and there. To be honest he did more running around the field when I was trying to catch him!
Like I said everything went back to normal pretty quickly so I wasn't sure if that would happen if it was something very serious.
 
I wouldn't expect a horse who has only had a couple of weeks off work to need 'bringing back into work', really, most horses who have been living out for 2 weeks will maintain their fitness and can be picked up pretty much where they left off. However, I did think 'tying up' as I read the symptoms, which isn't what I would expect under the circumstances unless his food wasn't cut down. I would discuss this with your vet, even if it doesn't happen again.
 
Id not be trotting much or cantering at all if he had been at grass for a number of weeks. Start from scratch again and do lots of walking and stretching, and build up again.
 
Pearlsasinger said:
I wouldn't expect a horse who has only had a couple of weeks off work to need 'bringing back into work', really, most horses who have been living out for 2 weeks will maintain their fitness and can be picked up pretty much where they left off. However, I did think 'tying up' as I read the symptoms, which isn't what I would expect under the circumstances unless his food wasn't cut down. I would discuss this with your vet, even if it doesn't happen again.
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I've had a quick read about it and does sound like this could be what happened. Does it usually stop when back into a routine?
 
Lozturner said:
I've had a quick read about it and does sound like this could be what happened. Does it usually stop when back into a routine?
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You have missed responding to my post, if they have PSSM that is totally different to tying up in the usual way, it will be worse after a period off work and needs managing carefully, it is highly unlikely a horse living out 24/7 will tie up unless there is an underlying issue, hence me suggesting PSSM as a possible cause.
 
be positive said:
You have missed responding to my post, if they have PSSM that is totally different to tying up in the usual way, it will be worse after a period off work and needs managing carefully, it is highly unlikely a horse living out 24/7 will tie up unless there is an underlying issue, hence me suggesting PSSM as a possible cause.
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Which is why I suggested contacting your vet, even if it doesn't happen again. Horses living out don't normally tie up.
 
be positive said:
You have missed responding to my post, if they have PSSM that is totally different to tying up in the usual way, it will be worse after a period off work and needs managing carefully, it is highly unlikely a horse living out 24/7 will tie up unless there is an underlying issue, hence me suggesting PSSM as a possible cause.
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So this pssm can just appear to come out of 'nowhere'? He's been stabled since Sunday so could this possibly be a factor in tying up?
 
Lozturner said:
So this pssm can just appear to come out of 'nowhere'? He's been stabled since Sunday so could this possibly be a factor in tying up?
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Yes it can if the signs are subtle or your management keeps them under control without you even being aware, being stabled, is this full time, can contribute or exacerbate the PSSM symptoms but could also cause more normal tying up if he has been getting hard feed, whatever the cause it does sound to me as if he has tied up for some reason and it does need addressing if you want to avoid doing damage to the muscles, it may have been a minor episode but the long term effect can be serious if not treated carefully, they tend to get worse each time and a bad tie up can be fatal.
 
Only a thought and highly unlikely I'm sure but my last mare had a couple of episodes like this and it transpired that she had a problem with her stomach..it wasn't emptying and had become distended and full...and she was still eating.
 
Lozturner said:
My boy has been in the field for a couple of weeks and has just been brought back into work. I've been riding for about 15-20 mins for the last 3 days. Yesterday and today he felt fine when I first got on, had a trot and canter around before walking again. Then both days he felt lame and tired when trotting again so I got off.
But when I get off he's been so sweating it's dripping onto the ground, and he seems a bit shaky.
Yesterday I had no further issues.
Today I hosed him down then left him tied up while I mucked out. He then started pawing (never known him do this) so I brought him back to the stable but he didn't want to move (not like him at all). When I got him back in the stable he was pawing at the ground again.
He then was trying to lie down but only got on front knees before getting up again, this happened 2/3 times. In between each time he was breathing heavy and circling with his head to the floor.

Then everything went back to normal. He came back to the front of his stable and started eating again. I kept an eye for a while but he showed no more worrying signs.
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You haven't mentioned the vet yet, I would be making an appointment with them asap.

Having lost 2 of mine to colic (different types) and a friends horse - this is not a sit on the fence and see symptoms.


MY pony had her first bout of colic in Feb this year, then her second in June and July. Many tests - blood and ultrasound and gastroscope in case of ulcers, and visits to specialist including Andy Durum. We found it was IBD, a very serious potential fatal condition.

This could be the tip of the iceberg or it could be nothing, but seriously making a note of what he had to eat and turnout time etc and exercise leading up to this and give to your vet. One costly vet bill could save more sinister things late.


Keep us informed.

Oh one last thing - probably way off the track, but as been out so long in the field could he have picked something in the field and swallowed it? Like some one lobbing something over the fence or such like people do, worth a thought.
 
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Ten years ago my Dales pony started to randomly exhibit strange colic like symptoms for very short periods of time. He'd not look quite right for 10 minutes and then like a flash, be fine again. I called the vet after the second time this happened and he was examined and nothing was found. It kept occurring over the next week and I had the vet several more times, each time they examined him - nothing found on rectal, temp and heart rate normal. He continued to poo seemingly as normal. Convinced something wasn't right, I sent him in that weekend for a scan. He had a huge mass of something high up his abdomen and the only option was to open up and see what it was. It turned out he had a massive cecal impaction that had filled gradually over the week, causing the random colic type symptoms for a few minutes at a time, but as his intestines were not blocked, and poo could still pass through, so he seemed to be functioning as normal inbetween these episodes.
 
Midlifecrisis said:
Only a thought and highly unlikely I'm sure but my last mare had a couple of episodes like this and it transpired that she had a problem with her stomach..it wasn't emptying and had become distended and full...and she was still eating.
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Did you notice any change with her toilets habits. Mine is still pooing for England so I've no concerns with that or eating habits. I still get a whinny at any sign of food coming his way.
 
be positive said:
Yes it can if the signs are subtle or your management keeps them under control without you even being aware, being stabled, is this full time, can contribute or exacerbate the PSSM symptoms but could also cause more normal tying up if he has been getting hard feed, whatever the cause it does sound to me as if he has tied up for some reason and it does need addressing if you want to avoid doing damage to the muscles, it may have been a minor episode but the long term effect can be serious if not treated carefully, they tend to get worse each time and a bad tie up can be fatal.
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Thank you so much for your help
 
scats said:
Ten years ago my Dales pony started to randomly exhibit strange colic like symptoms for very short periods of time. He'd not look quite right for 10 minutes and then like a flash, be fine again. I called the vet after the second time this happened and he was examined and nothing was found. It kept occurring over the next week and I had the vet several more times, each time they examined him - nothing found on rectal, temp and heart rate normal. He continued to poo seemingly as normal. Convinced something wasn't right, I sent him in that weekend for a scan. He had a huge mass of something high up his abdomen and the only option was to open up and see what it was. It turned out he had a massive cecal impaction that had filled gradually over the week, causing the random colic type symptoms for a few minutes at a time, but as his intestines were not blocked, and poo could still pass through, so he seemed to be functioning as normal inbetween these episodes.
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Was this just at random times? Because he's totally himself in the stable it just seems to be after a canter when ridden that this is happening.
 
ILuvCowparsely said:
You haven't mentioned the vet yet, I would be making an appointment with them asap.

Having lost 2 of mine to colic (different types) and a friends horse - this is not a sit on the fence and see symptoms.


MY pony had her first bout of colic in Feb this year, then her second in June and July. Many tests - blood and ultrasound and gastroscope in case of ulcers, and visits to specialist including Andy Durum. We found it was IBD, a very serious potential fatal condition.

This could be the tip of the iceberg or it could be nothing, but seriously making a note of what he had to eat and turnout time etc and exercise leading up to this and give to your vet. One costly vet bill could save more sinister things late.


Keep us informed.

Oh one last thing - probably way off the track, but as been out so long in the field could he have picked something in the field and swallowed it? Like some one lobbing something over the fence or such like people do, worth a thought.
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Thank you for replying.
I'm calling the vet tomorrow. I've had nothing to worry about today it seems ATM to be only after a bit of exercise that any problems show.

It's totally possible, something I have thought about.
 
Sounds like he is tying up to me. A blood test will tell all.

As an aside There have been many tests done in the racing world and it has been found that if you take a fully fit horse and plonk it in a stable for a fortnight, only leaving to go on the horse walker for short periods of time a day was still fitter at the end than a horse of the same level of fitness that had been turned out in the field for the majority/24 hours of the day. Both horses were still quite fit but After 2 weeks the fitness level drop off dramatically.
 
If its tying up - call the vet
if its possible pssm - call the vet
if it's colic - call the vet
if it happens again - call the vet
if it doesn't happen again - call the vet
if your horse's poo's are no different - call the vet
if he looks tired - call the vet
if he doesn't look tired - call the vet
if he sweats buckets - call the vet
if he is not sweating - call the vet
if it passes quickly - call the vet
if it passes slowly - call the vet

something is clearly not right and you clearly are no vet, neither are we, you are asking random people to speculate and diagnose your horse. The general consensus is that it could be any one of many issues or something or nothing, most likely something. Treatment for the most common possibilities varies significantly. Every poster on here suggests you get a vet in to check your horse regardless of whether or not you see such symptoms again, this is what you need to do and not ask how many times other peoples horses poo'd, whether their experiences were random, whether stabling and routine could be a factor - FGS - we are NOT vets and your horse is surely worth more than asking a bunch of random unqualified strangers over the internet to dictate health, diagnosis and treatment/management!

You indicate that you have today had nothing to worry about, that these symptoms only show up after minimal exercise - to me and anyone with an ounce of understanding this is something very much to worry about! My boy has been out of work for 9 months due to my personal circumstances but I know i could still take him in the school for 20 mins or out on a hack for 30 mins with no adverse reactions - not even a sweat broken. Please don't just intend to call the vet, do it! Get this resolved so you and your horse can go back to having fun and peace of mind
 
Queenbee said:
If its tying up - call the vet
if its possible pssm - call the vet
if it's colic - call the vet
if it happens again - call the vet
if it doesn't happen again - call the vet
if your horse's poo's are no different - call the vet
if he looks tired - call the vet
if he doesn't look tired - call the vet
if he sweats buckets - call the vet
if he is not sweating - call the vet
if it passes quickly - call the vet
if it passes slowly - call the vet

something is clearly not right and you clearly are no vet, neither are we, you are asking random people to speculate and diagnose your horse. The general consensus is that it could be any one of many issues or something or nothing, most likely something. Treatment for the most common possibilities varies significantly. Every poster on here suggests you get a vet in to check your horse regardless of whether or not you see such symptoms again, this is what you need to do and not ask how many times other peoples horses poo'd, whether their experiences were random, whether stabling and routine could be a factor - FGS - we are NOT vets and your horse is surely worth more than asking a bunch of random unqualified strangers over the internet to dictate health, diagnosis and treatment/management!

You indicate that you have today had nothing to worry about, that these symptoms only show up after minimal exercise - to me and anyone with an ounce of understanding this is something very much to worry about! My boy has been out of work for 9 months due to my personal circumstances but I know i could still take him in the school for 20 mins or out on a hack for 30 mins with no adverse reactions - not even a sweat broken. Please don't just intend to call the vet, do it! Get this resolved so you and your horse can go back to having fun and peace of mind
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This, 100%. Good luck OP.
 
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