Would you put a horse through colic surgery??

  • Thread starter Thread starter lilym
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We did, a good 6 or 7 years ago at least, when our 1st pony had a lipoma. She was a little trooper and went through the surgery fine, recovered perfectly on schedule, and has never had a moments problem since!

So yes, if I needed to I propably would, as long as I felt that the horse was suitable for the operation and recovery.
 
Probably not, mainly because the nearest place that it could be done is 4.5hrs away. If the horse was that bad, I wouldn;t be happy travelling it.

Funny as myself and a couple of friends had this exact conversation on Wednesday.
 
Yes I would, every single time!

My chestnut mare underwent colic surgery in December 2007. She was 6 years old, had been fit and healthy prior to this and never had colic before in her life. I am afraid there was no question as to whether she would have the surgery.

She was a complete nightmare throughout the recovery period (she was quite a stressy horse in her stable anyway), but it was all worth every moment. In the June she was back as a normal horse, turned out, in work and very happy! She is now competing at the BD Regionals next month, has so much yet to offer and if anything, the time spent with her through recovery has brought us incredibly close in our relationship.

Therefore, I would never hesitate putting a horse through the surgery again as I have seen how well they can recover and how unfair it would have been to have denied her this time!

ETS: I don't think anyone truly knows what they would decide until they are put in that situation. At first I think I would have been a little against the idea due to the recovery time involved. However, when faced with the reality, the decision was never really there to make.
 
I have seen many, many colic surgeries as a theatre nurse at Liphook and I would say that I would definitely go for colic surgery if the horse/pony is generally fit and well and insured. The recovery is generally pretty straightforward after the first week or so. Box rest is needed and the vast majority of horses will settle into the routine pretty quickly. I'd have to think long and hard about a second surgery.
 
i'm with you lillym..

IME they never fully recover and 9 times out of 10 have a further bout sometime down the line, which they rarely recover from.
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I could never put my current one through colic surgery or to be honest anymore surgery at all. He had his rig op and a few weeks after was back in with an ulcerated eye which has caused his eye condition. Box rest for long periods of time causes him to stress meaning his uveitus flares up meaning more box rest
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If I had another horse I have no idea if I would put it through surgery, it would depend on several different factors including the money side of it aswell.
 
My friends 25 yr old horse suffered a bad case of colic and without treatment would definate die. With the vets agreement my mates horse went through surgery for a severe twisted gut and came through it brilliantly.
My firiend has had her horse for about 19-20 years and felt she needed to give him every chance their was.

Her horse is now running around like nothing ever happened and in this case she made the best decision.
 
No is the short answer. When they are successful then, yes, they are very good but I'm hearing too many tales of when it goes wrong it goes badly wrong and I wouldn't take that chance of putting my horse through hell. I would do all in my power for it but if surgery was the only option, then no, not at all. Even my vet feels like this about his own horse and he operates on them all the time!
I'm in the minority on here that mine are not pets; I love them dearly when they are here and do my best for them but I am practical, some say too practical or hard, in that they can be replaced and I could never knowingly allow a horse to suffer, I would stop that suffering ASAP. I appreciate that's not everybody's view when they are your pets, surrogate children and the like and I admire you for it, but it's my view. Good job we're not all the same.
 
Yes. Mine had op as a yearling, at RVC Potters Bar. They were fabulous- although he was having none of it and they had to put him in a cattle crush type crate, as well as twitch areas you wouldn;t believe, after sedation had made no effect, to do tests. I was sent away as found it distressing to watch. But, 15 years on - touch wood and I pray not tempting fate- he leads a full life. He was sent home after 7 days not 10,and coped well with the enforced box rest.
I appreciate he was a young horse, and every case must be taken on its own circumstances, but I do not regret this at all,and I am sure if you asked my horse, he would agree I made the right decision for him!
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Not read other replies but I did!

My boy had never suffered colic before, local vets came out 4 times, the last 2 saying he should go to Liverpool. He was 11 then. There was no guarantee what would happen and everything all seemed to happen so quickly so I didn't consider any other option than surgery- no one else did either.

My boy hates being stabled and was given 4 MONTHS! Box rest then gradually building up to going out in a small field then bigger/ longer etc. This was a nightmare too as he'd suddenly become unsettled and needed me near him which wasnt possible for 8am- 5pm as I have a job!

However he is now back to 'normal' I ride as I used to etc and Im so glad he had the surgery. But if it happened again (he's 14 now) I wouldn't do it as he hates being stabled so much and I hate seeing him stressed.
 
Would depend on the horse and the long term prognosis.
Old guy probably not, the other 2 as still young would totally depend on each individual situation.
 
Depends really as i live 8 hours away from the nearest dick vet. And when towing a horse could be anything up to ten.
I know a girl who started travelling her horse there but had to get a vet to put him to sleep 2 hours into the journey as he was to stressed and in pain to continue!
 
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What a ridiculous question. Of course I would.

My horse had an accident on an XC course (8years old). Got him to a stables close to the vets, and he got a twisted gut, so he went to the vets via horse ambulance (10 minute journey).

He had the op, came home 5 days later, spent a month box rest, then brought back into work slowlyand was winning BSJA and pony club area eventing, dressage and SJ the next summer. Is now 15 team chasing and has never had any ill effects, or had a colic attack since.


Daft question. Life isn't black and white.
 
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What a ridiculous question. Of course I would.


Daft question. Life isn't black and white.

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I think you have contradicted yourself slightly here.....?!

For me it would depend on the vet's opinion of the chances of success. I am pretty sure that they wouldnt operate on my older mare (who is 16), but would probably give the younger ones (8 & 3) a chance......I couldnt give a final answer until it happened.

My old horse was PTS as he was 23 and it was considered too risky to put him through the surgery. Much as it broke my heart, I'm sure it was the right thing to do.....
 
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What a ridiculous question.

[/ QUOTE ] Why is it a ridiculous question? I think it is a damn good one and hopefully will get people thinking about the subject so if, God forbid, they find themselves making this decision they will feel prepared and that they have considered all the angles.

I have made this decision and I opted to have the pony PTS. However she was a 23yo arthritic, Cushingoid laminitic and I felt that the trauma of surgery outweighed the quality of life she would get afterwards. Likewise, if my 25 year old mare needed a colic op, I would again say no. She is a bad traveller, hates being on box rest and at the age of 25 the recovery period is too great in relation to the amount of life she has left.

With my daughter's 12 yo pony I would consider it though.

So difficult to judge as you can't guess the outcome. I've known some horses have colic ops and have no further problems and go on to live a happy life for years and years, yet others who have had a second attack quite quickly and ultimately had to be PTS.
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If the horse was young enough and the vet thought surgery was a fair and viable option, then yes, I would.

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Agree with this.

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Baaa! Baaaaaa!
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I'd follow my vet's advice.
 
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If the horse was young enough and the vet thought surgery was a fair and viable option, then yes, I would.

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What she said!
 
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Mine yes, he would cope with the box rest fine. But he is now 17 so it would depend on how well he was in himself at the time, right now it would be a yes, if vet agreed.

The other mare who is younger would struggle more through the box rest and had to be sedated for box rest as a youngster after a road accident (before we had her)

Lilym I am interested, if any of yours require box rest after an accident/lameness i assume they wont be getting it?

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You assume correct - they would however be getting a small paddock to recuperate in, I cannot put up with ponies kicking walls cantering around boxes thanks very much!!! and my cob mare would stiffen up so much it would be cruel - once I feel the quality of life in compromised then it's PTS i'm afraid.......
 
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What a ridiculous question. Of course I would.

My horse had an accident on an XC course (8years old). Got him to a stables close to the vets, and he got a twisted gut, so he went to the vets via horse ambulance (10 minute journey).

He had the op, came home 5 days later, spent a month box rest, then brought back into work slowlyand was winning BSJA and pony club area eventing, dressage and SJ the next summer. Is now 15 team chasing and has never had any ill effects, or had a colic attack since.


Daft question. Life isn't black and white.

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WELL. EXCUSE ME!!!!!!!! IT is not a ridiculous question at all.............the only ridiculous thing on here is your statement.
 
What a question ! When i was 19yrs old my little pony got colic and i was given the option of pts or the op. She was 17yrs old and at the time my world fell to pieces, she wasn't insured, but i had some money that i had saved for a car. I had about an hour to decide and just couldn't pts, so went ahead with the op. This was 15yrs ago when colic surgery was quite new and i must admit the recovery was difficult, but i don't think she suffered too much. Unfortunately she was pts 2yrs later, when she was out on loan to a lady who thought that treating colic herself was acceptable.

Given the choice now i think i would do the same again, i think if the horse is strong in every over way they should do well.
 
My own horse had double colic surgery (within 2 months of each other). His first was due to an epiploic entrapment (generally has the highest fatality rate of colics) and the second was due to the gut twisting round an adhesion.

He only did 1 weeks box rest following each surgery and after that went straight out into the field.

He was back competing 4 months after the second surgery.

I am currently rehabbing a horse for the owner who had double colic surgery (with 48 hours). We are now nearly 3 months down the line and he will probably be on box rest for another month before we think about paddock rest. His rehab is proving complicated - peritonitis and he has now also developed a hernia. However his box rest has been prolonged due to the weather.

For me it would be a case of looking at the horses quality of life before hand and the chance to return to that post surgery.
 
Like most other people have said it would depend on the horse, the circumstances, chances of recovery and so many more factors that you can only consider when the time comes.

After having had to box rest a horse for 3 months for a suspensory injury box rest doesn't scare me as much as it used to. My horse coped far better than I thought he would and it seemed to go quite quickly.

I think it as question you can only really answer for sure when (hopefully never!) the time comes.
 
I never thought I would. But when faced with the decision with my boy, I opted for surgery. He was 14 at the time and colic was excluded from insurance because he had had colic in the past.

A number of factors made me decide to opt for surgery although I knew it would cost a fortune, there was no guaranteed outcome and I had to commit a huge amount of time and effort during recovery phase.

The horse had kept himself going for nearly 10 hours from the initial vet visit to the final vet visit admitting him to Rossdales. When we arrived at Rossdales, he pranced across the carpark like a stallion and was still his cheeky self whilst they were examining him. They drained over 10 gallons of reflux out of his stomach, how it didn't burst I don't know to this day. I had every confidence in the wonderful vetinary staff at Rossdales to do their best for him although there was no guaranteed outcome.

It was a complicated surgery as he had multiple twists and it took over 3 hours just to unravel and correct the twists. Richard the surgeon even rang me before they had woken him up to let me know the surgery had gone well.

Recovery went quickly although airs above the ground became the norm when doing in hand walking and grazing. I kept him amused as much as I could, hid food round the stable, let him stand on the yard to groom him, put him in another stable for a while to see different sights etc. It was hard work but worth it all.

Yes we have had some follow up colic attacks and he suffered from IBD mid last year, but IMO it was worth putting him through surgery and I am sure if he could talk he would say the same, he is happy. He did not lose condition or look like some horses can do after any kind of surgery. He has competed since surgery and even won a local jumping class.

I fully respect each individuals decision about their own horses. Each horse and owner are individual and although I have never regretted my decision, realise that it might not be the right one for everyone.
 
Depends on the horse. However, a close friend is a vet nurse and said she would never put her horse through it after seeing what they go through. I would think very very carefully.
 
"What a ridiculous question. Of course I would."

What a daft and rude post that one was!

Under no circumstances will I ever have a horse of mine operated on for colic. They either recover at home without it or they will be put to sleep. Failure rate is too high. Multiple surgery rate is too high. Cost is phenomenal. Recurrence rate is too high. Rehab is too uncertain and takes too long. The horse does not know or care that he might have recovered and had more years of a good life.

I completely understand why other people would, but I won't.
 
Known 3 horses in this position - made a five past midnight 150 mile run with one of them to vet hospital - all died wihtin 4 months - lesions.

Would not put my horses through it - love them way too much.
 
No. Mine went down with colic last month. We sent him to Newmarket and had surgery been the option I wouldnt have brought him home. I just couldnt justify it for him and think it would be selfish!
 
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