Colic

Question 1

How do colicky foals behave?

Answer 1

Same as adults + lack of nursing (or short term nursing)
- ears laid back after suckling
- recumbency
- straining to defecate (sign of meconium impaction)
- rolling on back to reveal the abdomen

Question 1

Define colic

Answer 1

Abdominal pain - behaviors manifest in response to pain that point to the abdomen- demonstration of symptoms that are interpreted as evidence of abdominal pain

Question 2

What are some common behaviors that horses express when they are colicky?

Answer 2

Quiet- not eating much
- pawing at the ground
- Camped out stance - to stretch out abdomen
- horses look to flank
- can be down/rolling
- pointing with nose to abdomen
- kicking at abdomen
- flehmen response

Question 3

What is lethal white foal syndrome?

Answer 3

Generalized agangliosis of autonomic nervous system
- GI tract motility fails- genes carried by paint horses
- genetic testing has made this much less common
- no cure- these cases end up being euthanized

Question 4

What is the most common form of colic?

Answer 4

Simple gas colic (aka spasmotic)
- simple colic- usually will resolve on its own within 30 min to hour
- can give banamine dose to relieve pain and allow gas to pass

Question 5

Out of 100 horses, what is the average number that colic per year?

Answer 5

4/100

Question 6

What time of the year are horses most likely to show signs of colic?

Answer 6

Spring- at the start of the green lush pastures

Question 7

What is the historical, health related event that is associated with repeat colic?

Answer 7

Previous history of colic- history of colic surgery (can lead to adhesions)

Question 8

What percent of colic cases undergo surgery?

Answer 8

4%- complex colic cases

Question 9

What are the feeding practices that are associated with an increased risk of colic?

Answer 9

= domestication - making them sporadically work, feeding intermittently, feeding corn

Question 10

What are the different types of horse feeds? Roughages (hay) and concentrates

Answer 10

Roughages (hay) and concentrates

Question 11

What are 3 common types of hay given to horses? What is the other type of roughage that also is commonly given to horses?

Answer 11

-Fescue- very common in VA- very stable in environment, will stabilize the soil, will always come back. However, it can cause agalactia in mares (due to endophytes)
-Timothy
- Orchard grass
-Legumes (alfalfa and clover)- very rich hay- contains higher protein on per pound (dry matter) basis

Question 12

What is concentrate?

Answer 12

Contains a lot of grain heads
- high in simple carbs- not what they are designed to eat
- place at high risk of colic due to high amount of VFAs produced

Question 13

What is a complete feed?

Answer 13

Contains concentrate but also a lot of structural fibers
- much more similar to what horse would consume when out in pasture
- ex: Equine senior feeds- percent fiber should be at least 17%

Question 14

When should you use a high fat, low glycemic index feed in horses?

Answer 14

Horses with polysaccharide storage myopathies
- low carbs- these horses handle fats much better as an energy source

Question 15

T/F: even if a horse is not used for high levels of performance, they still need concentrates in their diet
T/F: mares must be off of fescue 4 weeks prior to parturition

Answer 15

False- can do just fine on good quality pasture/hay

Question 16

What percent of a horses energy comes from fermentation that occurs in the large intestine?

Answer 16

70%

Question 17

T/F: mares must be off of fescue 4 weeks prior to parturition

Answer 17

True- rare to have fungal free fescue

Question 18

Which class of hay is more calorie dense, has more calcium and has more protein?

Answer 18

Legumes

Question 19

What is the difference between first and second cut hays?

Answer 19

First cut- long growth period from winter-spring
-coarser-better for easy keepers

Second cut- after the first cut grows back (usually in august)
-softer, more palatable and energy dense

Question 20

How can you determine if hay is at its peak nutrition?

Answer 20

Right before the “booted out” phase of growth
- once seed head is apparent but has not come out of covering of leaves
-Also look at ratio of stem to leaf (want high leaf to stem ratio)- ideally >50% leaf
-Be sure there is an absence of dust/mold
-Be sure hay is free of weeds (horse nettle, pigweed), trash, animal carcasses (risk of botulism)

Question 21

Why is access to minerals/vitamins important?

Answer 21

Often are deficient in the local grasses- want them to have access to blocks/granules always

Question 22

What dietary factors make horses more likely to colic? Less likely?

Answer 22

More likely: high concentrate, prolonged periods in between feedings, expose to lush pasture too quickly

Less likely: fiber based diets decrease colic, also socialization, access to pasture, access to be a horse *when changing foods, introduce slowly

Question 23

What activity level is good for preventing colic?

Answer 23

1-2 hours of PREDICTABLE exercise per day

Question 24

What are the 3 broad categories of complex colic?

Answer 24

Inflammation, Obstruction, Strangulation

Question 25

Which portion of the GI tract is more emergent when it is the cause of colic?

Answer 25

Upper Gut- stomach and small intestine
- requires immediate attention

Lower Gut- cecum, large colon, transverse colon, small colon
- veterinary involvement should be related to the severity of the disease
*any lesion that disrupts the blood flow is a time dependent emergency

Question 26

What test could you run on peritoneal fluid to determine the degree of inflammation in the gut?

Answer 26

Lactate - compare to serum