Twisted colic help please!

[proctor]

My best mates horse is currently at horsey hospital after coming in from the field with a couple of nasty cuts on his back legs yesterday, plus a hole just below his hock. He went to Western County because of this, but all day today he's had colic, the vets first thought that he had impaction colic but it's turned out now he has twisted colic, the vets are trying to sort it but have warned my mate that he may well have to have surgery in the morning, and does she want him to have surgery? If not then I'm guessing he will be PTS. Has anyone been in this situation? What did you do? Was surgery a must or did you not want your horse to suffer? Also what are the risks of colic returning after surgery?

 

[SmartieBean09]

Hello. My pony had a twisted colon July last year. Through all the sedation and pain killers, she was still colicking. The vet advised surgery but as my mare is petrified of travelling and was 26 years old, I refused. I felt kinder to put her sleep than to put her through such stress when she was already in so much pain. However vet suggested that as most cases can rectify themselves on the way to the surgery in the trailer/horsebox due to the motion, it may be worth a try lunging. We tried this for an hour or so but my pony was no better. As a final chance, the vet suggested we make her jump. I thought this sounded awful and couldnt watch. She also advised that if my pony wanted to roll then to let her. We jumped her for a while and lunged her some more. Eventually we took the lunge line off and let her have a mooch around. I made the decision to give her to 10pm that night before we put to sleep and at 9.30 Jamin got down in the school to roll. I couldnt watch but after the roll she stood up, shook and lifted her head, ears pricked as if to say "thats better".

It was a soul destroying 12 hours but she survived. However, I dont think I could put her through it again....in fact, I woulnt but eternally grateful to my wonderful vets and family that day.

 

[proctor]

Oh bless I'm so sorry. Sadly because of the injury to his hind leg, lunging is out of the question. If he was an older horse like your's then I'm sure she would have him put to sleep, but he is only 10 so is in turmoil at the moment. Thanks for replying x

 

[haras]

Oh gosh, what a worry.

My mare is recovering from colic surgery at the moment.

She coliced on 13th september. At 86 days in foal. she was operated on within 3 hours of being found colicing in the field.

She had 2 feet of bowel resected. was in intensive care for 3 days, and back with me after 10 days still in foal amazingly.

She is still on box rest, its a long slow proicess for the incision site to regain strength, longer for her as her belly is expanding. but shes done well. shes now back on normal feed etc.

I would put the horse through the surgery IF it will cope with the boxrest.

Also, be warned, my bill was £6200. My insurance only paid up to £5000.

heres some encouraging pics of my girl

24 hours post op

I was going to post a pic of her now, ten weeks on, but photobucket has crashed

Its let me now. Here she is now.

 

[proctor]

Oh gosh, what a worry.

My mare is recovering from colic surgery at the moment.

She coliced on 13th september. At 86 days in foal. she was operated on within 3 hours of being found colicing in the field.

She had 2 feet of bowel resected. was in intensive care for 3 days, and back with me after 10 days still in foal amazingly.

She is still on box rest, its a long slow proicess for the incision site to regain strength, longer for her as her belly is expanding. but shes done well. shes now back on normal feed etc.

I would put the horse through the surgery IF it will cope with the boxrest.

Also, be warned, my bill was £6200. My insurance only paid up to £5000.

heres some encouraging pics of my girl

24 hours post op

I was going to post a pic of her now, ten weeks on, but photobucket has crashed

Its let me now. Here she is now.

Oh bless her, she is beautiful. What a good ending to a nightmare situation. Thank you for posting xx

 

[Tnavas]

My friends daughters pony coliced with twisted bowel and was operated on. She has recovered well and is now out competing with her small owner - she had several months off while the wounds healed but has shown no more problems.

It's worth it to give it a go.

 

[Bennions Field]

I hope the pony is still ok, its a horrible experience to go through. my horse had colic surgery just over 2 years ago now, i found him in the morning collicing, though not thrashing around or anything. it was only the week after i had lost my dad, so a terrible time anyway. my local vets were just not happy with him, he didnt appear to be in terrific pain but just really didnt look right. i only live around 30 miles from leahurst so we poped him up there just to be sure. he was 17 at the time so a prime candidate for older gelding lipomas, and sure enough thats what he had. he was operated on within 30 minutes of arriving and then spent the next 7 days at lea hurst, and then spent the next 16 weeks on box rest / restricted turnout, but then was allowed out finally.

he's made a complete recovery, and to be honest 2 years on you wouldnt know what he'd had done. i dont ride him anymore but thats due to other reasons, but i'm glad i had the surgery done. it was a lot to put him through, but thankfully he loved being in his stable, so it wasnt too hard for him. the bill though was around £5500, the insurance company paid the first £5k but the rest and the local vet bill of £350 ws paid for by myself. so its a big commitment to take on also.

best of luck and hope your neddy is ok, keep up all posted on progress

 

[Lotty]

First of all I hope the horse/pony is doing well.

A liveries horse at our yard got colic last Saturday. They called the vet and the vet told them to keep an eye on her and if she gets any worse to ring them again. After 3hours she wasn't improving so vet came out again and said she had a twisted colic and to get her to Newmarket asap. She was operated on and they took away 5ft of her bowel, she is now doing well and is due to come home tomorrow.