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First Aid for Colic in Horses
  by Robert N. Oglesby DVM

Introduction

Introduction » Assessing A Colic » First Aid » Second Assessment » Is My Horse Normal Now » Why Did My Horse Colic? » More Info 

While your horse is colicky, try to have him walked while work through this assessment / treatment / referral paradigm.

Colic is the term used for those symptoms seen when a horse experiences pain from the abdomen (belly). Colic is not a diagnosis, it is a set of symptoms seen in a number of diseases. Many of these diseases are mild and transient but some are life threatening and without early diagnosis and proper therapy will end in death.

So should every colic be seen by a vet? This depends on many factors but often colics in well managed horses are mild transient events that do not have a obvious cause, even following a thorough exam. Simple symptomatic treatment will cure such problems but here are some important points you should consider before attempting to treat a colic without professional help:

  • If there is a disease that compromises the integrity of the bowel wall, early referral for surgery greatly improves the horses chance of recovery.
  • The lack of a thorough physical by a experienced examiner makes the outcome a little less certain as some problems might be missed.
  • Such an exam may yield a diagnosis that results in better management to reduce the incidence of colic in the future.
  • The quickest way to relieve the pain of a medical colic is often a dose of Banamine.
This article describes the key diagnostic signs for colic, grading their severity, and a step by step approach to deciding when to call the veterinarian, what to do until the vet arrives and first aid for colic for horses and equines.
      ~Word Count: 2322 words (The average magazine page contains about 600 words);
      ~Last Updated: November 16, 2009;

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Discussions on First Aid for Colic
  Titles Subtopics Posts Updated
iconAftercare for mild colic16 May 12, 09
iconWhat is the longest a horse can go w/o bowel movement?47 Jun 2, 08
iconIssues with Colic avertedFeb 14, 07
iconMild colic?12 Feb 11, 07
iconColic AftercareNov 25, 06
iconThanks for the first-aid adviceAug 3, 06
iconSad day for horse with colic14 Jul 8, 06
icon3 days of colicking67 Jun 24, 05
iconNew Article on First Aid for ColicMar 2, 05
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