URGENT - COLIC SURGERY - EXPERIENCES NEEDED

[Bounty]

Could anyone who has put a horse through colic surgery, or knows anything about colic surgery, PLEASE give me all the detail they can.

Recovery times, survival rates, potential complications, cost etc etc.


Tilly is very, very poorly and if she doesn't pick up pretty pronto she is being taken to hospital. We have been told we need to have a decision in mind as to whether we would put her through surgery or not.

Generally she is in fantastic health, but she is 20 and has a history of spasmodic colic which is the sticking point.

Am very distraught, but need to make as informed a decision as possible...... I CANNOT make the wrong one

 

[longtalltilly]

terribly sorry - cant help you!

May everything come right and she pulls through - All the best whatever happens and keep us updated

(((hugs and vibes)))) for all xx

 

[Nailed]

Spasmodic colic which is reoccurent. I wouldnt put her through it hun.. sorry jsut wouldnt..

Recovery can be short or long, i know one horse who was right as rain in 8 weeks and i know one that ende dup having 3 ops and ended being PTS.

Shes old.. the anestetic may not agree, she may not come round round from the anestetic.

Lou x

((Hugs)) goodluck hun.. were her for you. hoping for the best.

 

[Araminta]

So sorry for you

Each case will be different - be guided by your vet and your gut feeling for your girly.

I have everything crossed for you

 

[soph21]

OMG, Im sorry to hear whats happened, I went to a local vets a few weeks ago to a chat with a lady from dodson and horrel feeds. After the talk one of the head vets was talking to us about colic/lami, and TBH I would PTS. She said how traumatic it is for all parties, it costs an absolute fortune and I think she said its not a very good recovery rate

So sorry

Lots of HUGS and VIBES for you and your mare

xx

 

[Jane_Lou]

I am so sorry to hear this.
I have never had to make this decision but once my old boy passed about 18 I took the decision that if I was put in the position I would not opt for surgery. He also had a history of spasmodic colic which was normally triggered by any form of stress. He was once bad and the vet advised me that with his history the risks of him colicing again from the stress of surgery were very high and in that case survival was unlikely.I also considered the risks from anisthetic (sp) and the lack of insurance cover. I know it sounds cruel to talk in cold cash terms but I would have struggled to find the immediate cash for the op. I had a standing instruction with the yard and the vet that this was the case should they not be able to contact me for any reason.
Good luck - I am sure you will make the right decision - what does your vet think?

 

[_jetset_]

Lots and lots of hugs...

As you know, Grace underwent colic surgery back in December 2007... At the time there was no other option, I had to give her a chance. She was really poorly by the time she was operated on, had a heart murmur because of the pain and was dehydrated and running slightly anaemic

But the recovery was straight forwards and if she had been a normal case (ie. not having PSD at the time) she would have been back out in a small paddock in 2 months following surgery.

 

[maddielove]

We nearly lost my mare to colic a month ago, she was given 1/2 an hour to live when she arrived at the horsepital (dick vet in edinburgh)
She had a twisted large colon and er intestines were so distended it was pressing into her lung cavity and she couldn't breathe.
She survived and is now ready t be trned out at the end of the week. She coliced again yesterday though, she is just extra sensitive to feed changes at the minute as her belly isn't as full as normal.
Please PM if you want to know anything, it's a horrible experience to go though.
Massive hugs to you both!

 

[KatB]

Sorry, but a friend works at a vets and said it is one of the most traumatic surgeries to recover from, and most horses look horrendous after the surgery and lots still have to be PTS

I wouldnt put her through it at 20 I'm afraid

Fingers crossed it doesnt come to that. x

 

[Bounty]

Thank you all so much.

The vet was very difficult to pin down to an opinion - although she has a history of spasmodic colic (one every 12-14months, no apparent trigger) she is not presenting like normal, hence the panic this time. He couldn't find a displacement or a blockage by doing an internal exam.
He says there is a chance that it could be a fatty growth (older horses are prone to them?) on her intestines that has become strangulated, in which case he would recommend surgery, or it could be a complicated 'standard' colic case, but he wouldn't be able to tell until they opened her up.

Like JetSet's Grace, she has a significant heart murmur at the moment because of the pain

I love this horse SO much, I can't imagine not having her here

 

[Nailed]

I know a horse that had colic from a fatty growth. She actually died on the way to Leahurst.

Go with your head hun. that has to rule here, not your heart.
Ask you self.. honestly.. what quality of life is she going to have if its a difficult recovery?

Lou x

 

[slingo1uk]

My 8yr old boy had sugery in Leahurst last sept , had been poorly all day and on vets advice the same evening i took him in otherwise it would have been too late to operate the next day.
He came through surgery fine and was walking out for 10 mins 4 times a day upping his hay ration slowly.came home after 10 days and was on box rest for 8 weeks , then a further 8 weeks in a small paddock, he`s out with his mates again now he`s doing fine. I got to say they were great with him.
Cost wise £3500 an he wasnt insured. Its the first thing they ask , i think they try to keep costs down when they know its not an insurance job.
I cant tell you what to do but im so glad i took my lad.
Leahurst also gave me a choice after examining him to either pts or op. If your not happy with what your vet says take him for 2nd opinion then decide.
All the best <<<<<<<vibes>>>>>>>>>

ETA: The first day he had a big support bandage on that came off the next day , you wouldnt have known without looking under his belly he`d had an op .

 

[misst]

Oh Bounty no experience to help you but thinking of you.
Whatever decision you make will be the one in her best interests so it will be the right one.
good luck and fingers crossed for a happy outcome.x

 

[sallybrack]

Hi im very sorry to hear this i hate anything to do with colic.My homebred mare got colic when she was six had a operation and recovered from that really well nad came back into work and never got colic again after that.But my other hombred horse i lost in december due to colic he was not a old horse and he was taken into to surgery had a very lond operation (6hours) came round from the operation ok but twenty eight hours down the line i had to make the decision to have him put to sleep which was very hard as i had only just lost my mare two weeks before him.So not what you want to hear but it is heart breaking seeing a horse with colic and then after surgery.Your horse is alot older then mine so it might be better to make the kindest decision i know it is very hard,but my boy looked so ill when i saw him after surgery.Good luck with what ever you do.

 

[Salcey]

Thinking of you.
My boy had surgery in November he was 10yo, unfortunately for him although the surgery went well he had big trouble in the recovery room and was PTS 24hrs later.
Whatever decision you make will be the right one. In your shoes I would probably PTS but I never want to be in that position again.
Good luck and thinking of you at this horrible time
x

 

[MrsMozart]

No experience of it. But sending you a lot of hugs hunny. Everything crossed for whatever you must do.

 

[DuckToller]

Do you really want my honest opinion?

Don't do it.

It's too much to ask, to put a 20 year old horse through colic surgery. It's expensive, traumatic, and the recovery rates are not good. My friend is a vet and we were chatting about colic surgery only the other day, and she stated categorically that she would not put a horse of hers through it.

I know there are success stories, and I would say for a younger horse then it is perhaps more worth it, but if the colic is due to fatty lipomas, which is likely at 20, then it will happen again.

Hopefully your mare will be fine in the morning, but it's always good to have thought this scenario through for the next time. Good luck.

 

[Louby]

So sorry to hear about your horse.
Personally I dont think I could do it, mainly on an age point of view but then saying that a horse I know of had the fatty growths which are called lipomas I think, they strangulate the colon and can reoccur. She was old and was found in a horrendous state but she went on to have surgery and recovered. I heard recently shes still going strong. It was a few months till she was turned out etc.
Fingers crossed everything goes ok for you whatever you decide to do.

 

[Nari]

I've not got any experience of this to share & I'm not giving an opinion on a horse I don't know. Just lots & lots of (((hugs))) to you & get well vibes for Tilly.

 

[longtalltilly]

Hows it all going?

 

[carthorse]

So sorry for you, my friend lost her horse to colic last year. Her horse was taken to hospital and operated on and got through it , was revived twice. He came home but went down hill and his heart couldn't take the strain . She ended up with a very big bill and no horse.
Every case is individual and no one can tell you what to do , it depends on your individual case.
I just know you are going to have to be strong and send hugs to you.

 

[trundle]

i have no helpful advice or experience (thank God), but i just wanted to wish you and your girl well,and to say that i HOPE she is better in the morning. Take care.

 

[Aleka81]

QR
My gelding who is now 20 had colic surgery four years ago. He came through it a 100% and is team chasing, bloodhounding, hunting as much if not more than he was before.
He wasn't insured but it was the best money we ever spent.
Having said that he had no previous colic history. And the colic was caused due to a hole in the stomach lining that was there from his birth. The small intestine got trapped and 14 ft was removed.
It is not an easy decision. I would listen to your vet and go with your gut instinct.
Good luck and tonnes of hugs.x

 

[annaellie]

sorry to hear about your horse I know how your feeling. I had a TB mare who quite often got spasmodic colic, I found her one day with really bad colic, I chose for the op which was againsts vets advice her words were have her pts and use your insurance money for a new one as she prob wont pull through and you will have a big bill as an end result. She did pull through but looked like a skeleton and all the life she had was gone she was so quiet. After we got her home she coliced about twice a week for a few months after op. 12 months later she was back to old self looking better than ever when she went down with colic and had to be pts.
Another horse i had began colicing a lot i had to decide to pts or have the op, after seeing my mare i chose for him to be pts. I have also seen horses have the op and pick up quick and live on into 30,s with colic surgery all horses are different.
Please keep us updated.

 

[_jetset_]

Any updates???

 

[dozzie]

Bounty has posted above. Sadly Tilly didnt make it.