E2: Colic Flashcards
What clinical sign will “give it away” that your patient has colic rather than being tied up or laminitic?
Incessantly moving/walking around
What non-GI disorders cause abdominal distress and can mimic or present as GI colics?
Liver disease
Renal disease
Spleen abscesses
Generalized peritonitis
Reproductive conditions/disorders
Neoplasia
What are the broad classifications for GI colic based on?
Process
Location
What does it indicate if a colic horse presents with multiple self-inflicted wounds and abrasions?
Severe pain (and probably severe colic, unelss the horse is a giant pussy Arabian)
Why may a horse with colic be on his back (in dorsal recumbency) in the stall? How do you help it up?
Stuck there after rolling around - “Cast” in stall
or
Gastric ulcers (Could also sit like a doggie; In adult horses usually indicates this, foals might just like doing that)
Never be on the limb side of the horse, reposition using mane and tail and a buddy
What causes pain in a horse with colic?
Excessive distension of the gut wall
Pulling on mesentary
Inflammation
Gas accumulates -> Pressure builds up ->Distension and activation of mechanoreceptors -> Pull on mesentary as gut moves -> Pain
Which of the following breeds are known for being stoic? Which are less pain tolerant?
a. Arabians
b. TBs
c. Belgians
d. Paints
e. Ponies
f. Percherons
e. Ponies
g. Percherons (and other Drafthorses)
Less tolerant: Arabians
What does an above normal body temperature indicate?
Infectious disease
Could also be due to hyperactivity/ intense exercise
What does/can elevated heart rate indicate?
Pain
Degree of cardiovascular compromise: Sequestration, shock, poor perfusion
Anxiety, stress
What does/can an elevated respiratory rate indicate?
Systemic metabolic status
A/B status
Pain
Anxiety
What may cause a horse to be depressed with a colic?
Shock and toxicity due to the inflammatory disease which caused the colic
If was previously over-active the think rupture
What is in the left dorsal (LD) quadrant? RD? LV? RV?
LD: Small intestine, Small Colon, spleen, +/- left kidney
In between if going to the right can feel aoerta and trace it to mesentary
RD: Cecum (2 diff types of bands (4 at the base, taper to 2 at the apex); can feel 1 of each type)
LV: Large colon (left dorsal colon= smooth, ventral= lognitudinal band), Pelvic flexure (can sometimes feel)
RV: Large colon
What is the term for normal intestinal sounds?
Borborygmi
What are the 2 types of motility in the GIT?
Segmental
Propulsive
Which of the following segments follows aborally from the right dorsal colon (RDC)?
a. Transverse colon
b. Pelvic flexure
c. Right dorsal colon
d. Diaphragatic flexure
e. Cecum
a. Transverse colon
(Joins the small colon and right doral colon-
LDC -> DF -> RDC-> TC-> small/descending colon)
How many bands are present on the ventral colon?
4
(4 on the floor)
What is between the left ventral and left dorsal colon?
Pelvic flexure
(LVC -> PF -> LDC)
What is between the right ventral and left ventral colon? What is between the left and right dorsal colons?
Sternal flexure
Diaphragmatic flexure
What does a cranial distension (under the ribs) indicate?
Distended small intestine
Cranial displacement of large colon
What could a tick-like distension throughout indicate (flanks pushed out)?
Large colon distension
Generalized peritonitis
Gas distension of entire abdomen (esp if dorsal)
GIT rupture
T/F: If the horse’s stomach distends it will not deform the contour of the abdomen.
True
What may a distension of the right flank indicate?
Gas in the cecum
Why must a NG tube be placed prior to surgery and not after induction/sedation?
Horse must be able to swallow to get it in place
Where is the lesion if you get a moderate volume of <7pH fluid? Small volume?
Moderate: Small intestines
Small: Gastric lesion, Severe large colon distension causing stomach outflow obstruction
What could a large volume of alkaline reflux indicate (lesion location)?
Small colon lesion
Small intestine lesion
Which of the following segments can be palpated normally?
a. Base of cecum
b. Inguinal rings
c. Bladder/repro
d. Pelvic flexure (+/-)
e. Spleen, nephrosplenic lig
f. Caudal 1/3 of L kidney
g. Small colon w/fecal balls
h. Small intestine
A-G
Cannot palpate small intestine unless abnormally distended
Where are the ‘pace-makers’ of the GIT? What segements does each control?
Cecum: ventral colon
Pelvic flexure: dorsal colon
Which of these is the correct order of the first (most oral) 3 segments of the LC after the cecum?
- SF=sternal flexure, PF=pelvic flexure, DF= diaphragmatic flexure*
a. RDC, SF, DC
b. RDC, DF, RVC
c. LVC, SF, RVC
d. LVC, PF, LDC
e. RVC, SF, LVC
f. RVC, DF, LVC
e. RVC, SF, LVC
How many bands can you palpate at:
VC
PF
DC
SC
?
VC: 3
PF: 0
DC: 2
SC: 1
What occurs when there is nephrosplenic entrapment?
Left dorsal displacement of the large colon
Both the small colon and small intestine feel like loops of sausages, how do you differentiate them?
Small colon has 1 band