Epidemiology of equine colic

Question 1

What are most colic cases?

Answer 1

Undiagnosed / spasmodic

Question 2

What is colic?

Answer 2

• Clinical sign of abdominal pain - usually related to GIT
• important to differentiate from non- gastro-intestinal causes (False colic)

Question 3

What are horse level risk factors?

Answer 3

• Specific types of colic do have specific age/sex risk factors
• SI volvulus = younger horses
• Congenital abnormalities = younger horses
• Pedunculated lipomas = older ponies / geldings
• Large Colon Volvulus = more common in brood mares
• Epiploic Foramen Entrapment = taller horses
• Idiopathic Focal Eosinophilic Enteritis = younger horses
• Crib biting / windsucking - EFE, SCOD, Recurrent colic
• Weaving - shifting weight from side to side

Question 4

What are management level risk factors?

Answer 4

• Geography - sand colic, enteroliths, equine gras sickness, IFEE
• Seasonal patterns
• Feed types - sudden change in diet, certain feed types (coastal bermuda hay)
• Stabling + access to pasture
• Dental care
• Parasites + anthelmintic administration
• Access to water
• Transport
• Exercise

Question 5

What is epidemiology of pedunculated lipoma strangulation?

Answer 5

• Older horses and ponies (>8 y.o)
• Ponies»horses
• Geldings>mares
• Small intestine most common
• Occasionally small colon & other sites

Question 6

What is epidemiology of Large colon volvulus?

Answer 6

• Mares – post foaling
• Larger horses
• Increased stabling
• Dental disease
• Feed - especially changes

Question 7

What is epidemiology of Large colon impaction?

Answer 7

• Change in management – stabling
• Autumn/winter
• Box rest (e.g. hospitalised) – Motility and water balance
• Straw bedding
• Good prognosis (possibly worse in donkeys and in older animals)

Question 8

What is epidemiology of Epiploic foramen entrapment?

Answer 8

• Seasonal - Dec, Jan, Feb
  – Increased stabling
  – Other factors: feed, turnout etc.
• Crib biting/wind sucking behaviour

Question 9

Which type of colic has the worst prognosis post surgery?

Answer 9

• Epiploic foramen entrapment

Question 10

What are Post operative complications that decrease survival time?

Answer 10

• Ileus, surgical site infection, Jugular thrombosis,
• Risk increase with increased HR or PCV on admission
• Post operative colic (11-35%)
  – SI strangulation
  – Large colon torsion
  – Re-laparotomy
  – Resection

Question 11

What is equine grass sickness?

Answer 11

• Polyneuropathy affecting the central and peripheral nervous systems of horses
• Clinical signs related to neuronal degeneration in the autonomic and enteric nervous systems
• Varying degrees of severity – Extent of neuronal degeneration
• Diagnosis:
  – Clinical signs
  – Histology - Ileal biopsy - surgery / Post-mortem examination

Question 12

What are acute / subacute signs of grass sickness?

Answer 12

– colic
– reflux
– tachycardia
– SI distension
– sweating
– salivation
– difficulty swallowing
– ptosis = drooping of eyelashes

Question 13

What are chronic signs of grass sickness?

Answer 13

– weight loss
– dysphagia
– tachycardia
– patchy sweating
– muscle fasciculation
– Rhinitis sicca = dry nose
– ‘elephant on a barrel’ stance / ‘greyhound’ like

Question 14

What are management risk factors of gras ssickness

Answer 14

• Access to grass – Longer time at pasture
• Recent change in pasture (e.g. changed fields previous 2-4 weeks)
• Pasture disturbance (e.g. mechanical removal of droppings)
• Element levels in soil
• Avoid turning out young horses to a pasture that has previously had GS in Spring time