Preventing colic

Erin Malone, DVM, PhD

Equine Colic

Preventing colic

Risk factors

Most preventable risk factors are management related:

Change in diet is frequently reported as a risk factor- increased risk with change in concentrate or hay, generally within 2 weeks
Increased risk with feeding concentrates – concentrates > 2.5kg/day or oats >2.7 kg/day, +/- feeding corn
Increased risk with 1)feeding coastal grass hay, 2) feeding round bale hay, 3) no pasture access or 4) decreased pasture access
Increased risk if stabled more than 50% of the time
Increased risk if no or decreased water access
Increased risk if change in housing or stabling

Horses were at decreased risk of colic if the owner was the sole care giver.

Minimize the risk of colic

Ensure fresh water always available.
- Add a water trough heater to prevent water from freezing in winter.
- Increase water consumption by giving electrolytes during periods of weather change.
- Ensure horses have water available with each meal
- Warm the water – they tend to drink more
Feed easily digestible feedstuffs
Let horses eat pasture grasses if possible; any hay is better than no hay.
Don’t feed on the ground or use mats in order to minimize sand ingestion. Horses won’t eat sand purposefully but may eat it accidentally if trying to get grain off the ground.
Provide good dental care
Make changes in feed gradually
Monitor closely within 2 weeks of any change in management, feeding or illness
Owners take care of horses vs barn managers or trainers
Provide postoperative pain relief
Use atropine only as needed (eg in eye cases)

Bran mashes are often used when horses may be at risk of developing an impaction and/or recovering from one. Bran is mixed with hot water to create a fiber rich laxative. Mineral oil may be added to the mix. However, these are high in phosphorus and low in calcium so are not recommended as a continual diet!

Hospital cases

Certain hospitalized cases are particularly prone to impaction colic.

Horses hospitalized for orthopedic issues but NOT on NSAIDs are prone to pelvic flexure impactions. This is likely related to changes in exercise, management and diet.

These two groups are prone to cecal impactions which can be very challenging and often life threatening:

Horses with eye issues being treated with atropine and flunixin meglumine
Horses hospitalized for orthopedic issues on NSAIDs

These are likely related to the decreases in motility associated with stall rest, pain induced sympathetic tone and atropine treatment. The NSAIDs control the early pain associated with impactions, meaning the conditions can be very advanced before detected.

Cases at risk should be kept well hydrated and monitored closely for adequate manure production.

Client resistance

A recent study suggested veterinarian communication skills are crucial in helping clients be proactive about colic

Use of human behaviour change models to investigate horse owner intention to adopt emergency colic recommendations, Equine Vet J. 2024;56:147–158.

Abstract

There were 701 horse-owners who completed the survey. Respondents fell into one of two categories: no intention to adopt or already implementing emergency planning recommendations. Most agreed that emergency colic plans would improve their horse’s welfare (68%) and aid in decision making (78%). Most disagreed that colic was inevitable (66%) and that treatment options were not within their control (69%).
Multivariable analysis showed that those who believed emergency plans were worth creating were more likely to adopt preventive (OR: 2.33, 95% CI: 1.27–4.30, p = 0.007) and personal preparation (OR: 1.61, 95% CI: 1.31–1.97, p < 0.001) recommendations.

The majority of owners were either unwilling to adopt suggested recommendations or believed that their approach was currently sufficient. Most owners perceived veterinary professionals as most influential on their decision to plan for a colic emergency, highlighting their importance in any educational campaign