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EQM351 > Colic > Flashcards

Colic Flashcards

1
Q

Colic

A

-non-specific term for abdominal pain
-can be gastrointestinal
-can be non-gastrointestinal

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2
Q

What can present as colic?

A

pneumonia and muscle pain

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3
Q

Can colic lead to laminitis?

A

yes

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4
Q

Can laminitis lead to colic?

A

yes

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5
Q

Are the majority of colics gastrointestinal or non-gastrointestinal?

A

gastrointestinal

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6
Q

Where can colic occur non-gastrointestinally?

A

-liver
-spleen
-kidneys
-repro tract

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7
Q

Non-gastrointestinal causes of colic

A

-hepatic disease
-renal/urinary tract disease
-reproductive tract
-laminitis
-pleuropneumonia
-myopathy
-peritonitis
-neoplasia
-internal abscesses
-ruptured bladder (foal)
-toxic causes (NSAIDS, blister beetle, poisonous plants, etc.)

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8
Q

Mild colic clinical signs:

A

-increased HR (50-55)
-discolored mucous membranes
-inappetence (only eats good food)
-pawing
-looking at sides/flanks
-biting at sides/flanks
-frequently up and down
-recumbency
-mild sweating
-“parking out”

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9
Q

Moderate to severe colic clinical signs:

A

-increased HR (60-65)
-discolored mucous membranes (white, brick red, purple)
-anorexia
-dull attitude/depressed
-agitation/restlessness
-distended abdomen
-rolling
-thrashing
-self-inflicted trauma
-sweating

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10
Q

What causes GI pain:

A

-tension on mesentary (the bowel itself)
-distended bowel
-bowel ischemia or infraction
-smooth muscle spasms
-adhesions (parts of the organs get glued to each other)
-peritonitis

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11
Q

What causes GI pain:

A

-tension on mesentary (the bowel itself)
-distended bowel
-bowel ischemia or infraction
-smooth muscle spasms
-adhesions (parts of the organs get glued to each other)
-peritonitisG

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12
Q

General colic risk factors:

A

-anatomy
-management practices (when feed, what feed, how feed, turnout, etc.)
-sand
-weather (dramatic changes, extreme weather, dehydration)
-diet/nutrition
-cribbing
-pregnancy
-NSAIDS

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13
Q

Why can a horses stomach explode?

A

it doesn’t reach the abdominal wall when its full, so horses do not get the feeling of being “full” and can keep eating until their stomach explodes

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14
Q

What is a common site in the intestines for blockage?

A

the pelvic flexure (in between the left ventral colon and dorsal colon)

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15
Q

What is the path of food through the GI tract?

A

stomach - duodenum - jujunum - ileum - cecum - right ventral colon - sternal flexure - left ventral colon - pelvic flexure - left dorsal colon - transverse colon - descending colon - rectum

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16
Q

Plumbing goes from ______ to _______ size

A

large to small

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17
Q

When should you walk a horse that is colicing?

A

only walk them when they are thrashing, rolling, pawing, etc. (don’t walk them when they are standing or laying quietly)

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18
Q

Medical GI causes of colic:

A

-primary tympanic colic
-spasmodic colic
-impactions/sand
-proximal enteritis
-most left dorsal displacements (nephrosplenic entrapment)
-mild right dorsal displacements
-gastric or duodenal ulcers

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19
Q

Which colic self resolves?

A

spasmodic colic

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20
Q

What is done to resolve medical colics?

A

medications are given and palpations

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21
Q

Surgical GI causes of colic

A

-enterolithiasis
-pedunculated lipomas
-right dorsal displacements
-intestinal volvulus
-intussusceptions
-hernias
-mesenteric rents
-epiploic entrapment

22
Q

Enterolithiasis

A

calcified deposit (usually from alfalfa)

23
Q

Pedunculated lipomas

A

loops/loop strangles the intestine

24
Q

Intestinal volvulus

A

surgery reconnects live parts of the body

25
Q

Hernias

A

when an organ is somewhere it shouldn’t be

26
Q

Mesenteric rents

A

a mesenteric tare
-loop goes through the tare

27
Q

Who is more prone to epiploic entrapment?

A

cribbers

28
Q

What are signs your horse should go to surgery?

A

-severe abdominal pain that is refractory to analgesics (won’t react to banamine)
-abnormal peritoneal fluid (discolored/hemorrhagic; increased protein and white cell count)
-distended or displaced bowel on rectal exam
-progressive deterioration of cardiovascular status
-significant gastric reflux
-recurrent abdominal pain with unknown etiology

29
Q

Characteristics of tympanic colic

A

-gas distension or flatulent colic
-abdominal distension
-passage of large amounts of gas

30
Q

What causes primary tympany colic?

A

microbial fermentation of lush pasture, grain, or pelleted feed

31
Q

What causes secondary tympany colic?

A

obstruction of the cecum or colon

32
Q

Is primary or secondary tympany more serious?

A

secondary

33
Q

Characteristics of spasmatic colic:

A

-spasm and hypermotility of intestinal tract
-loud, frequent gut sounds
-bouts of sharp pain
-very common cause of colic
-spontaneous recovery
-responsive to NSAIDS

34
Q

What causes spasmodic colic?

A

unknown but could be
-imbalances in autonomic nervous system
-gut irritation by parasites, enteritis, bad feed

35
Q

What types of horses are predisposed to spasmodic colic?

A

hyperexcitable horses

36
Q

Characteristics of impaction/sand colic

A

-dry or indigestible feed or sand obstruction
-firm, sand/feed filled large colon, ileum, cecum, small colon

37
Q

Where does impaction colic often occur?

A

-pelvic flexure
-transverse colon (at right dorsal colon)
-ileocecal opening
-dry mucus covered fecal balls

38
Q

What can cause impaction colic?

A

-coarse feed
-poor dentition
-dehydration
-cold weather and reduced water intake
-meconium in foals

39
Q

Characteristics of left dorsal displacement:

A

-nephrosplenic entrapment
-nephrosplenic space (space formed by the left kidney, nephrosplenic ligament, dorsal edge of the spleen, and dorsal body wall
-large colon becomes lodged in nephrosplenic space
-gas distention causes colon to rise over top of the spleen
-180 degree twist

40
Q

What to look for when ultrasounding for a left dorsal displacement?

A

you cannot visualize the left kidney

41
Q

What horses are more prone to left dorsal displacements?

A

warmbloods and large thoroughbreds

42
Q

What is the medical management of a left dorsal displacement?

A

-at a farm or equine hospital
-analgesia (banamine is first administered, then xylazine, then butorphanol)
-decompression via nasogastric tube
-fluid therapy (oral or IV) - electrolyte solution, mineral oil, epsom salts, psyllium hydrophilic mucilloid
-buscopan, antibiotics, laminitis prophylaxis
-dietary modification or withhold feed
-anthelminitics
-dentistry

43
Q

Strangulation colic

A

vascular supply cut-off (an area of the intestines)

44
Q

Pathophysiology of strangulation

A

-venous return stopped
-region swells as arteries continue pumping blood
-arteries cease to pump blood in
-ischemia and necrosis of that region
-loss of mucosal barrier integrity (bacteria and endotoxin move across compromised intestinal wall; loss of fluid/electrolytes)
-dehydration
-cardiovascular compromise due to endotoxic shock
-decreased peripheral perfusion

45
Q

Symptoms of strangulation:

A

-acute, rapid, and severe clinical course
-sever, unrelenting pain
-sweating
-increased HR
-increased RR
-more ischemic = more necrosis = poorer prognosis (need to move fast)

46
Q

Characteristics of pedunculated lipoma

A

-pendunculated benign fatty tumor (“ball and chain”; mesenteric fat)
-wraps around small intestine (rarely colon)
-closed loop strangulating obstruction

47
Q

Symptoms of pedunculated lipoma?

A

distension, ileus, and gastric reflux

48
Q

What horses are more prone to pedunculated lipoma?

A

-geldings and ponies > 12 yrs. old
-horses that are over or under weight

49
Q

Characteristics of Intussusception

A

-telescoping of a piece of bowel into an adjacent segment
-ileum, jejunum, cecum
-stabilize and correct surgically

50
Q

Causes of intussusception

A

-caused by a change in motility
-enteritis
-diet changes
-parasites (ascarids, tapeworms, migration, treatement)
-intestinal surgery or foreign body

51
Q

Symptoms of intussusception

A

-acute or chronic pain
-depression, anorexia
-gradual shock and dehydration

EQM351 (28 decks)

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