Girlychu
Well-Known Member
No - I couldn't put my 25 yo through it. She hates being stabled
My "horse of a lifetime" had colic surgery 6 years ago at the age of 19 - lipoma, 3m small intestine + ileum removed, resection. Totally unfazed by the whole process, actually gained 16kg in weight while in hospital. Recovered well and carried on competing. He'd never had colic before then and not since...until 2 months ago when he colicked again.
Vet came out, big decision to make - should we go for it again at the age of 25? Vet encouraging us to give him a chance. We decided to head for the hospital (different one to first tine as we'd moved) and see. He dragged us up the ramp as if he knew where he was going. Luckily hospital only about 30 mins away. Had surgery, lipoma had grown back, luckily as they removed it the strangled piece of intestine sprang back ino life, so no resection this time. He recovered well from op and was going to come home after just 5 days when he suddenly got a massive joint infection in his hock! Still don't really know how this happened.
He had 2 further full anaesthetics- one for a full on joint flush, then another 2 days later for an arthroscopy and more scraping infection out of the joint. Plus about 7 standing joint flushes. Thank goodness he is sensible after the anaesthetics- stays laying down in the recovery room for 2-3 hours and will not attempt to get up until he's good and ready! They managed to grow a culture from the infection and it was a bacteria called aeromonas which had never been found in a horse before - usually in fish from stagnant water!
Anyway, he ended up being there for 3 weeks. He came home a month ago and because he is sensible is allowed out into small paddock during the day. His hock is still big, don't think it will ever return to totally normal size. But, he's still with us and is his usual chirpy self.
I think it's all about knowing your horse and taking into consideration the costs, have you the time for the aftercare etc. While we were in the hospital they had several colic surgeries and they all made it bar one who tragically broke a leg coming round from anaesthetic.
Despite the hock trauma, it was still the right decision for us and this horse to have the surgery.
I did some research and the success rate for lipoma removal is reasonably good, but for other colics it was, as I recall, well under 50% at a year from the operation with many horses having had a totally miserable time before someone finally called it a day. I'll try and find it again.
My horse had his operation on the day I was due to pay for him. I bought him anyway after his recovery. He recovered very well and nearly 13 years on he's still fit and healthy. He's had no colic problems since because we know what caused the original colic and take care that the same mistakes aren't allowed to recur.Have been watching Rolf Harris' programme with interest, and the surgery for colic actually appeared much more straightforward than I thought it would be (maybe the case was more simple than usual, I've heard of them having to remove parts of gut before?). Would you put a horse with colic though surgery, if not why not? Does the risk of a GA play a significant part in the decision or is it more about the procedure and recovery?