GIT Part 2 Flashcards
Condition involving disorder of the intestines, ranging from gas pains, impactions/blockages, twisted, displaced or strangulated loops of intestine
Colic
What is the survival rate if the capillary refill time is greater than four seconds
12%
What does a horse with colic look like?
Sweating, pawing, looking at flank
HR and respiratory rate elevated
Rolling
Refuse food, no pooping
How is colic diagnosed
Physical exam
Ausculting GI sounds
Rectal exam
NG tube
What will you hear with ausculting a horse with gas or spasmodic colic
Increase in sounds
What will you hear when ausculting a horse with impaction, displacement or twist colic
Decrease in sounds
How do you treat spasmodic or gas colic
Light exercise
How do you treat impaction or blockage colic
Administer laxative through NG tube, IV fluids
Other ways of treating colic?
Pain control (flunixin meglumine, phenylbutazone)
Sedative
Antispasmodic (buscopan)
Displacement or twist colic may require…
Surgical correction
What are the two categories of colic
Medical
Surgical
How serious is colic
Can be a minor bellyache or a life-threating condition requiring surgery
Full recovery = 3-6 months
When is colic season and why
Fall, water is cold/frozen (they do not want to drink it)
Forage is dry
Complications of colic?
Most medical resolve
Surgical has complications:
- endotoxins cause shock/laminitis
- scar tissue from incision = pain
Describe spasmodic vs gas colic. Symptoms?
Spasmodic = spasms/cramping of intestines
Gas = gas build up within intestines
Symptoms:
- acute pain
- Loud borborygmi
- Self-limiting (improves on its own)
Gas colic may progress to…
Displacement colic
Describe feed impaction colic
Blockage of feed in intestines
Mild, intermittent pain
Decreased fecal output
Quiet borborygmi
Pain management, laxatives, IV fluids
Good prognosis if uncomplicated
Rarely, during impaction colic, what can happen?
Intestines can rupture
What is enterolith colic
Stone forms in the intestines causing blockage
Acute intermittent pain as stone moves
Radiographs
Mild can resolve, some need surgery
Where is enterolith colic most common
Geographic areas with calcium
What is displacement colic
Loop of intestines moves into abnormal position
Mild -> acute/severe
Decreased borborygmi
Low fecal output
Pain management
Rolling techniques might slide it back into place
Often surgical
Good prognosis if identified quickly
What is torsion colic
Section of intestine twists around itself
Acute, uncontrollable pain
Toxicity: (may lead to intestine death)
- high HR
- muddy mucous membranes
- no borborygmi
Surgical
Guarded prognosis
What is strangulation colic
Section of intestine constricted when becomes trapped between two structures or something wraps around it
Acute, uncontrollable pain
Signs of toxicity
Surgical
Guarded prognosis
Most common form of strangulation colic?
Lipoma wrapping around loop of intestine
Tips to prevent colic
Deworm
Several small meals a day on schedule
High quality feed
Increase pasture time
Daily exercise
Fresh water
