\u2022 Pawing<\/p>\n
\u2022 Rolling<\/p>\n
\u2022 Bloating<\/p>\n
\u2022 Sweating<\/p>\n
\u2022 Distress<\/p>\n
\u2022 Uneasiness<\/p>\n
\u2022 Loss of interest in food and water<\/p>\n
\u2022 Peculiar postures, such as sitting or stretching<\/p>\n
\u2022 Absence of gut sounds<\/p>\n
\u2022 Decreased faeces production and\/or dryness of manure<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Determine the cause. The first step to treatment and recovery is to make a diagnosis. Some common causes of colic include:<\/p>\n
\u2022 High grain-based diets\/low-forage diets without enough roughage.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Mouldy or tainted feed<\/p>\n
\u2022 An abrupt change in feed<\/p>\n
\u2022 Parasite infestation, especially from worms.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Lack of water consumption, which can in turn cause an impaction to occur.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Sand ingestion and accumulation in the bowel over time.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Long-term use of NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)<\/p>\n
\u2022 Stress<\/p>\n
\u2022 Dental problems<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Get your horse up and walking. Whether he is rolling or standing, it\u2019s important to get your horse up and walking as soon as you discover something is amiss. Walking helps to relieve anxiety as well as prevent rolling, which can cause intestinal twisting. This also helps restore normal intestinal activity and get things moving again, potentially allowing the release of built-up pressure or defecation. If the pain is too severe and your horse\u2019s legs are buckling or won\u2019t stay standing, make sure he is in a small round yard or safe area until help arrives.<\/p>\n
Call your veterinary doctor. It\u2019s important to get your vet out as soon as possible to take a look at your horse and help make a quick diagnosis.<\/p>\n
Note:<\/strong>\u00a0Obstructions or twisted intestines can be potentially life threatening and require surgery.<\/p>\n Remove all sources of food and water. Because colic is often linked to your horse\u2019s food or water source, it\u2019s important to keep him away from any potential dangers until a cause is found<\/p>\n Prevent a re-occurrence. There are several ways to help ensure colic will not happen again.<\/p>\n \u2022 Don\u2019t overgraze pastures and paddocks and keep feed off of the ground.<\/p>\n \u2022 Refill your horse\u2019s trough with fresh, clean water daily and make sure he has enough.<\/p>\n \u2022 Keep to a daily feeding schedule.<\/p>\n \u2022 Check for mould or signs of spoiling in your grain or hay and do not feed your horse anything mouldy or spoiled.<\/p>\n \u2022 Keep feed boxes, hay racks, and other tools used in feeding your horse clean.<\/p>\n \u2022 Provide enough long-stem roughage in his diet.<\/p>\n \u2022 Ensure foreign objects don\u2019t make their way into stalls and paddock areas to prevent horses from eating them.<\/p>\n \u2022 Check for dental problems to help prevent chewing issues.<\/p>\n \u2022 Deworm regularly.<\/p>\n \u2022 Exercise your horse.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Understand the difference between each type of colic. This can help you be better prepared to treat your horse when colic symptoms present. Stomach distention occurs when large amounts of grain are ingested at a time and makes it possible for the stomach to fatally rupture.<\/p>\n Displacement colic<\/strong>\u00a0happens when the small intestine twists after becoming suspended in the abdominal cavity and free-floating in the gut. Can be caused by gas buildup in the gut that makes the intestines buoyant. This type of colic requires immediate surgery.<\/p>\n Impaction colic<\/strong>\u00a0is a result of a firm mass of feed or foreign material blocking the intestine, often induced by coarse feed stuff, dehydration, or the accumulation of foreign materials (such as sand. Feed SandFix as a support).<\/p>\n Gas colic<\/strong>\u00a0is when excessive gas builds up in the stomach or the intestines (or both).<\/p>\n Spasmodic colic<\/strong>\u00a0happens when the muscles in the intestines contract painfully, sometimes caused by over excitement.<\/p>\n Enteritis<\/strong>\u00a0is an inflammation of the intestines.<\/p>\n Tips<\/strong><\/p>\n Check your hay and alfalfa for mould by placing your hand in the centre to see if it\u2019s moist or warm. Warm and moist alfalfa usually means there\u2019s mould growing.<\/p>\n It can be difficult to determine the exact cause based on the severity of the signs, so be sure to involve your vet straight away for a professional diagnosis.<\/p>\n If the cause of the colic is unknown, check all the feeds that the horse has eaten. Throw any away that look or smell suspicious. Check the \u201cuse by\u201d date and for any evidence of vermin.<\/p>\n Intestinal tract issues may not be the sole cause for your horse\u2019s colic \u2013 infections elsewhere in the body and pregnancy can also cause the symptoms.<\/p>\n Colicky foals may not show typical signs of colic and instead may lay on their back with their legs tucked.<\/p>\n Feed 80ml or as directed by a veterinary surgeon. Can be fed again after 4 hours. In situations of recovery from Colic it is recommended to feed ProbioForte for a period of 1 month to support the recovery of the horse.<\/p>\n Note:<\/strong>\u00a0Fresh drinking water should always be available<\/p>\n <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Colic symptoms appear suddenly, not gradually and can include: \u2022 Pawing \u2022 Rolling \u2022 Bloating \u2022 Sweating \u2022 Distress \u2022 Uneasiness \u2022 Loss of interest in food and water \u2022 Peculiar postures, such as sitting or stretching \u2022 Absence of gut sounds \u2022 Decreased faeces production and\/or dryness of manure Determine the cause. The …<\/p>\nFeeding Instructions<\/h4>\n