Colic on the Horses

No-one wishes to see their horse get colic. But what can be done to keep away from it?
Horses are "trickle feeders", best suited to eating small amounts of food throughout the day. Their intestines are filled with bacteria and protozoa that digest their food for them. Sudden changes in diet upset these micro-organisms. This can lead to altered gut activity and colic. Access to lush pasture is thought to be the most common cause of spasmodic colic. Feeding hard feed also increases the risk of colic. To minimise the threat of colic, all changes in diet ought to be made over a few days.

Small redworms are the most common cause of parasite-related colic. Modern worm treatments are effective - but there is a growing danger of resistance, to the benzimidazole group of wormers. Don't forget that by picking up the droppings you may be able to reduce the number of times you need to worm. Ask your vet about an appropriate worming program.

The benefit of effective worm control was demonstrated over0 years ago. Studs on which the horses were wormed regularly had fewer cases of colic than studs with inadequate worm control.

For lots of years, tapeworms were thought to be harmless. Now they know that they are associated with several types of colic. Lots of horses are infected. Most only have a few tapeworms and so are not at great risk. The aim is to identify heavily infected individuals and treat them. A blood check is now obtainable that can identify horses that are carrying a heavy tapeworm infection.

However cautious you are you cannot prevent or predict all cases of colic. It is important to keep a watchful eye on your horse and make sure that you notice colic early. If your horse does get colic, get an experienced equine vet to check him over as soon as feasible. The lovely news is that most horses with colic will reply to medical treatment. A few will have a serious issue that will need an operation. Prompt referral to a centre with surgical facilities will greatly increase the chances of a full recovery.