Colic

Question 1

What is colic?

Answer 1

any sort of pain manifesting from the abdomen
{doesnt necessarily have to be the GI}

hemoabdomen, major artery rupture, etc…

BUT usually it’s a GI issue

Question 2

If a horse has an Ilial impaction, what would it be due to?

Answer 2

Bermuda grass

Question 3

What disease process are we worried about when a horse presents with a small colon impaction?

Answer 3

Salmonellosis

Remember…
if they have 2/3 following criteria, s/he goes into iso:

1. Diarrhea
2. Febrile
3. Leukopenic {Neutropenic}

Question 4

Most common places for impactions?

Answer 4

• pelvic flexure
• right dorsal colon
• transverse colon
• small colon

Question 5

Where is the most common location for sand impactions? What could be a complication of surgery for this?

Answer 5

right dorsal colon

intestinal rupture

Question 6

How do we identify a cecal impaction on rectal vs. a large colon impaction?

Answer 6

• location
  
  • cecum is on the right
• If you try & put your hand around the cecum, you cant…
  
  • large colon should be free

Question 7

Medical vs. Surgical Tx for colonic impactions…

Answer 7

medical
fluid therapy

surgical
Pelvic Flexure Enterotomy

Question 8

It’s important to run a fecal egg count as a part of a colic work up with parasitic infections occurring frequently, recently. Which parasite causes thromboembolic dz {ischemic bowel} and how to we treat it?

Answer 8

Strongylus vulgaris
{Verminous arteritis}

Tx: anthelminthics/ivermectin

Question 9

Which parasite causes ileocecal intussusception in the horse?

Answer 9

Anoplocephala perfoliata

Question 10

What percent of SI colic are caused by strangulating lesions?

Answer 10

58-85%

Question 11

What are the boundaries of the epiploic foramen?

Answer 11

• Caudate process of the liver
• Portal vein
• Gastropancreatic fold

these anatomical structures are important bc
we might be concerned about potential catastrophic hemorrhage

Question 12

T or F:
33% of all colic undergo celiotomy.

Answer 12

true

Question 13

1 predisposing factor for colic?

Answer 13

MANAGEMENT

Question 14

Where do lipomas usually occur?

Answer 14

small intestine
{>90% of the time}

Question 15

Surgical treatment for EFE?

Answer 15

manual reduction

Question 16

Which way does the right ventral colon usually twist?

Answer 16

dorsal medial direction

Question 17

Abdominal ultrasound is a routine part of the colic exam. What can it confirm?
{4}

Answer 17

1. LDD
2. SI distention
3. bowel thickening
4. free fluid

Question 18

If a foal has colic, usually it’s FPT.

Answer 18

Look at umbilical a. {<1.3cm}
& umbilical vein {should be <1cm}

Question 19

If you have reflux in a suspected small intestinal colic case, what are the 3 top differentials?

Answer 19

1. anterior enteritis
2. impaction
3. strangulation

Question 20

What is cystorrhexis?

Answer 20

Bladder rupture in foals 2-5 days old…

males—> dorsal aspect of bladder
females—> urachal rupture

Question 21

How do we diagnose cystorrhexis based on peritoneal creatinine?

Answer 21

serum: peritoneal Crea → >1:2

Question 22

How do we diagnose peritonitis in the horse?

Answer 22

evaluate
pH & glucose

Peritoneal pH <7.2 w/peritoneal glucose <30mg/dL
= peritonitis

• OR -

serum-peritoneal glucose difference of >50mg/dL