Equine Colic causes and signs

nNumber one killer of horses!

nDefinition

¨Clinical signs associated with abdominal pain

¨Encompasses a wide variety of disease processes

nIncludes gastrointestinal and extra-intestinal causes of pain

nThe gut is the shock organ of the horse 

Signs of Colic

 

nPoor appetite/loss of appetite

nPosturing to urinate/stretching out (“camping out”)

nLooking at abdomen (“flank-watching”)

nDecreased fecal output

nKicking at abdomen

nBruxism

nPawing

nAbnormally distended abdomen

nGetting up and down frequently

nRolling

n

nTachycardia

¨Mild increases associated with non-strangulating large intestinal disease

nTachypnea

nMucus membrane color

¨Pale ð pain, hemorrhage or vascular compromise/strangulation

¨Injected ð toxemia, infection or other inflammation

nGastrointestinal sounds

¨Vary from hypermotile to absent depending on disease process

¨Gas ping may be ausculted over cecum

nAbdominal distention

nAbnormal fecal consistency

¨Mucus-coated ð GI stasis

¨Melena ð ulceration, bowel necrosis

¨Watery ð colitis, diarrhea

¨

 

Sources of Abdominal Pain

nDistention of viscus

¨Gas

¨Fluid

¨Ingesta

nIschemia/reperfusion

nMesenteric tension

nPeritoneal pain

¨Peritonitis

¨Adhesions

n

¨

n

nMucosal injury/inflammation

¨Ulceration

¨Infiltration

nAlterations in motility

¨Ileus

¨Uncoordinated

¨Hypermotility

Gastrointestinal Causes

nSpasmodic

nObstruction

nInflammation

nInfection

nUlceration

nThromboembolism

nNeoplasia

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Extraintestinal Causes

n

nPeritonitis

¨Septic peritonitis

¨Uroabdomen

¨Hemoabdomen

nHepatic disease

¨Cholangiohepatitis

¨Pyrrolizidine alkaloid toxicosis

¨Hepatic lipidosis

¨Neoplasia

nPleuritis

nPericarditis 

 

nRenal disease

¨Acute renal failure

¨Hydronephrosis

¨Urinary tract obstruction

nReproductive disease/trauma

¨Uterine torsion

¨Uterine artery rupture

¨Endometritis

nEncephalitides

nAny intra-abdominal abscess

 

n

n

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