Colic - the key facts
What is colic?
Horses have sensitive digestive systems and do not have the ability to vomit. This means that any food consumed will follow in one direction and if it cannot be digested, will cause blockages in the gut. This can lead to severe abdominal pain, commonly known as colic.
Sudden changes in feeding regime or diet can result in colic. If severe, its important for horses to receive treatment quickly to give them the best chance of survival.
Colic is often treated with surgery to resolve twisted gut, impacted food or to remove dead gut. The above image shows some typical signs of horses experiencing colic symptoms.
Hamish the miniature Shetland pony experienced colic after members of the public fed him inappropriate foods. His owner was able to seek veterinary treatment quickly, he underwent colic surgery and was very lucky to survive. You can read more about Hamish in our blog. Sadly many other horses haven’t been so lucky.
Find out more here: Colic Fact File
Partners
