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Discussion on Is it sand colic?

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Leslie J. Stoll (Larkie)
Posted on Saturday, Oct 7, 2000 - 11:26 am:   Edit PostPrint Post

My 7 year old mare has had 2 bouts in the last 4 months of a mild sand colic. I live in a dry, dusty desert climate. After the first time, I was told by my vet to increase the physillium supplement and add wheat bran and corn oil to her diet 1 week a month. I also bought rubber stall mats to keep her from eating off the dirt. (She has a bad habit of throwing her hay on the ground to eat it.)

I don't have any history about her health prior to when I got her, i've had her about 1 1/2 years.
She has always been a gassy horse and it has always seemed to me that she has normal, but very frequent bowel movements. When she colics, she doesn't stop eating completely, but picks at her food, she continues to have normal bowel movements, her gut sounds are increased ( the vet calls it hypermotility), and she is very painful. She will stretch, kick at her belly, buck, paw, and is very restless. I've been lucky that I.V. Banamine, and oral Bute paste seems to bring rapid relief, and she is anxious to eat again in a couple hours.

Is this typical of a mild sand colic? Sand has been ausciltated in her colon, although I have never detected it in her stool. Could the hypermotility of her gut be causing an irritated bowel occassionally? Has anyone else experienced this?
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Robert N. Oglesby DVM (Dro)
Posted on Sunday, Oct 8, 2000 - 8:52 am:   Edit PostPrint Post

I find it odd that you do not find sand in the stools. Did you put several large "apples" in water to dissolve the stool? All colics look pretty much the same with the symptoms being dependent more on the severity of the pain than the cause. The hypermotiltiy is consistant with sand colic...So the bottom line is from here we do not know if this is the cause but if you repeatedly do not get any sand I would continue to question is it or not.

You should read the article in this section on sand colic for specifics.
DrO
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Kevan Mott
New Member
Username: Ccranch

Post Number: 1
Registered: 5-2003
Posted on Friday, May 30, 2003 - 1:00 am:   Edit PostPrint Post

Hello Doc, I believe my 3yr old paint stud has developed sand collic. I have no experience with this condition. I learned from the old school and was taught to walk a horse to try and get the bowles to let loose, is this right or harmful. Zippy just came down with the symptoms today and I believe it to be sand collic because of the amount of sand in my pasture. I'm sorry to say that it is very over grazed. How fast can this get out of hand? and should I continue to try myself to help the horse or seek a vet. I think I already know what you will say. This site has been helpful, and I hope I will get to use some of the great advice I have read on here.
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Robert N. Oglesby DVM
Moderator
Username: Dro

Post Number: 8483
Registered: 1-1997
Posted on Friday, May 30, 2003 - 5:50 am:   Edit PostPrint Post

Colic can get out of hand pretty quick, particularly if you are uncertain of the cause. Certainly your history is suggestive but horses colic for lots of reasons. If you are uncertain of the cause or need help controlling pain, you should seek help.

The article on Sand Colic tells you how to diagnose this condition you should read this and you cn do the test, it also explains about treatment and prevention. You should also read the article » Equine Diseases » Colic and GI Diseases » Colic in Horses » An Overview of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Colic.
DrO
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