The C word

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Equine_Dream

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It's the word we all dread.... colic

Went up the yard yesterday evening, tacked my mare up as normal and went for a short hack. She seemed on her toes but nothing unusual. Got back and noticed she was blowing a fair bit. Then she started kicking at her belly and biting her flank.
Phoned vet immediately who said to walk her slowly. Vet arrived about an hour later. She gave her buscopan and did an internal exam. Lots of fresh poo coming through. Vet gave her pain relief and then was called to another emergency so said to keep an eye on her and ring in about an hour.
My girl still seemed very uncomfortable and was still kicking at her belly. Called the vet who came back and gave her more buscopan. By this point my mare had passed another poo and vet said to temp her with a small sloppy feed. Which she eat. She started to settle at this point so we left her eating a small net as vet said this may help to pass the gas through.
Checked her again at 1am and she seemed ok but still swishing her tail and a bit restless, but had produced more poos. Same again at 5am this morning.
Phoned the vet who suggested taking her for a gentle walk as the movement may help disperse the gas.
My partner managed to have the day off work. Unfortunately my boss is not so understanding. Currently sat in the office feeling like I've been hit by a bus. Had no sleep and worried sick about my poor girl 😔
Any words of wisdom greatly appreciated xx
 
No wisdom to offer but sending you and your girl positive vibes.
Hopefully when you see her after work she will be much more herself xxx
 
Quick numpty question but surely she is better off turned out and moving rather than stabled (sorry OP I get the impression she is in?)
 
Thank you. Other half just text. He walked her out in hand. She's still stomping her feet and swishing her tail but not kicking at her belly. She's also a very bouncy full of herself girl. Totally normal for her.
Does anyone know how long gassy colic takes to pass? Just concerned how long this seems to be taking to pass. Keeping vets informed.
 
Antw23uk said:
Quick numpty question but surely she is better off turned out and moving rather than stabled (sorry OP I get the impression she is in?)
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Yes she is. We don't have turn out yet unfortunately as summer paddock not open. We do have access to a small menage but vet didn't say to turn out so I'm not sure.
 
Equine_Dream said:
Yes she is. We don't have turn out yet unfortunately as summer paddock not open. We do have access to a small menage but vet didn't say to turn out so I'm not sure.
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Is it worth asking? In my head (which is never a good thing half the time!) her being able to move about, roll etc. if she wants to will help the gut re balance quicker surely?
 
Vets coming back out as concerned she is still uncomfortable. She's had two lots of buscopan and still seems uncomfortable - still stamping her feet and swishing her tail. I'm sat here going out of my mind
 
Antw23uk said:
Is it worth asking? In my head (which is never a good thing half the time!) her being able to move about, roll etc. if she wants to will help the gut re balance quicker surely?
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Other half just phoned. She's in the menage bucking and leaping and..... farting like a trooper 😁 never been so happy over a fart before 😂 thank you for your advice Antw23uk
 
Not a good update I'm afraid. Vet has been and in short; they don't know what is wrong with her. They've tubbed fluids down her and she's not to have no food for the next 24hrs. We've also been told to lunge her for 15 every hour for the next 4 hours.
She's still uncomfortable and stamping her feet.
I'm so worried about her 😭😭😭
 
Sorry to hear that she is still now right. Has your vet considered referring her to horspital?

One of mine can get gassy colic but a quick spin on the lunge always sorts him out without the vet having to come up.

Is the vet certain that the feet stamping is connected to her belly ache?
 
Vet tubbed her again. She was concerned the first time as she struggled to get the tube in. She thought it could be an impaction at the front of the gut. The vet was a lot happier as the second time the tube went down easily and she got plenty of fluids into her.
Fingers crossed it's been solved and she will be a lot more comfortable now.
I'm still in work have spent most of the day bursting into tears. Fortunately I've booked tomorrow off. Just want to get home and give her a massive cuddle.
Re horspital it would be a last resort as she doesn't travel well. But we will if we have to
 
I know one who had to be lunged for 15 mins every hour through the night and that's on more than one occasion, knackering but sometimes does the trick. I would maybe push for a referal in this case though.
 
windand rain said:
Sometimes a bad traveller is cured miraculously by going in a trailer or lorry to the horspital if it doesnt work at least you will be in the right place.
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This, and I've been told the rougher the ride you give it, the most likely the 'cure' will be :rolleyes:. Not tried that one myself, but certainly the 'lunge and fart' trick has helped me out more than once with a spasmodic colic.

Good luck, hope you'll soon be reporting back that she's much better now.
 
windand rain said:
Sometimes a bad traveller is cured miraculously by going in a trailer or lorry to the horspital if it doesnt work at least you will be in the right place.
Click to expand...

A few years ago one of mine was showing as being very colicky. Vet came up and referred him straight to Newmarket - about a two hour drive away. Flipping horse bounced off the lorry as though nothing was wrong with him but as he were there he was put into a stable and we stayed. After about 15 minutes his colic symptoms resumed and he was taken off to theatre to remove an impaction. He made an excellent recovery and has never colicked again.
 
I feel your pain. My mare had a gassy spasmodic colic monday. I had the vet out too. I found a gentle stroll every 10 mins or so got the gas shifting. She's fine now but I was worried. She's out 24/7 but I have shut the back field off for the time being as fresh shoots are voming through.

I hope your mare settles soon.
 
We couldn't lunge as no-where to do it but OH and I took it in turns to trot ours up and down our track in the dark with a torch.
We also took her for a bumpy ride in the trailer, not sure if either contributed but she got better.
 
Good morning all.
Went up yesterday afternoon to a much happier girl. She wasn't swishing her tail or stamping her feet and was more interested in where her dinner was 😂
We phoned the vet who was happy with her progress. Went back up later last night and she seemed comfortable and had been to the toilet twice (although a bit annoyed at the lack of hay net in her stable). Phoned vet who said she was happy for her to have a small hay net of soaked hay which mare promptly dived into.
Back up this morning at 7 to check on her and again seemed happy and had gone to the toilet another two times in the night. Have given her another small hay net and vet suggested to pop her in the menage for an hour.
I'm keeping everything crossed that we've fixed the problem
 
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