Investigation of the colic case?

Question 1

What is colic?

Answer 1

Abdominal pain in the horse

Question 2

What are clinical signs of colic?

Answer 2

*Flank watching
*Lying down
*Pawing the ground
*Rolling
*Repeatedly getting up and down
*Violent thrashing around

Question 3

Why is colic important?

Answer 3

*One of the most common cause of death in horses,

Question 4

What is the pathophysiology of colic?

Answer 4

-anything that prevents normal progression of intestinal contents
1. Intraluminal obstruction
2. Extraluminal obstruction
3. Intravascular occlusion of the blood supply

Question 5

What is the pathogenesis of colic?

Answer 5

1. Loss of vascular supply to mucosa
2. Absorption of endotoxins into circulation
3. Systemic inflammatory response syndrome ‘SIRS’
   4.Eventual death due to multiple organ dysfunction + failure

Question 6

What are different colic classifications?

Answer 6

*Spasmodic
*Impactions
*Gas distention - flatulence
*Obstructions (simple / strangulating)
*Non-strangulating infarction
*Inflammation (enteritis / colitis)
*Idiopathic

Question 7

What advice would you give the owner over the phone with colic?

Answer 7

*put horse in well bedded stable
*Remove buckets, feed, any sharp objects
*Let the horse roll

Question 8

What should be done first when seeing a horse for colic?

Answer 8

*Quickly assess heart rate
*Then administer IV xylazine

Question 9

What should be checked when history taking?

Answer 9

*signalment, use + pregnancy status
*Stereotypic behaviour
*Horse’s usual management
*Routine parasite prophylaxis + dental care
*Changes in feed
*Medical problems
*Previous history of colic

Question 10

What specific questions should you ask regarding colic?

Answer 10

*Signs observed
*When signs started + when last seen normal
*Feed intake + faecal output over last 24hrs
*Any diarrhoea
*History pf grass sickness of premises

Question 11

What should your clinical exam include?

Answer 11

*HR, RR + rectal temp
*Abdominal auscultation - motility
*Rectal exam - check for distention
*Abdominocentesis
*Nasogastric intubation
*Ultrasonography

Question 12

What is abdominocentesis?

Answer 12

*Assessment of the peritoneal fluid
-clip + scrub, 18g, 1.5inch needle

Question 13

How should peritoneal fluid look?

Answer 13

*Not too much
*Straw coloured
*Clear
*Ingesta present

Question 14

What can cause colic signs in neonatal foals?

Answer 14

*Meconium impaction
*Ruptured bladder
*Atresia ani / coli - congenital abnormalities

Question 15

What is seen with colic in donkeys?

Answer 15

*Usually present with signs of dullness - if they don’t eat = hyperlipidaemic
*Impaction colic common - dental disease common
*A lot of abdominal fat = spinal needle needed for abdominocentesis

Question 16

What is equine dysautonomia?

Answer 16

Grass sickness
*Frequently fatal intestinal disease
*Toxico-infection with C. botulinum
*Diagnosis = clinical signs +/- biopsy

Question 17

What are clinical signs of grass sickness?

Answer 17

*Tachycardia
*Ptosis - drooping of eyelashes
*Patchy sweating
*Muscle fasciculations
*Gastric reflux (acute)
*Large colon impaction (chronic)
*Weight loss (chronic)