Colic in horses is generally described as abdominal pain that originates in the gastrointestinal system. Equine colic can range in both cause and severity, sometimes resulting in death without proper medical treatment. It’s important to be informed about the different types of equine colic and be prepared if your horse starts exhibiting symptoms.
Mild cases may be resolved with a simple injection of an injectable painkiller such as Dipyrone or Banamine. While many colic cases can be resolved with these medical treatments, there are some cases where colic surgery is necessary to save the patient.
Our goal with all cases of horse colic is to find a medical solution and avoid surgery if at all possible. Once it’s been decided that surgery is the only course of action for a horse, time is of the essence. The sooner the life-saving surgery is performed, the higher the chance of survival. During the surgery, owners have the option of watching the procedure from an observation room. The procedure typically lasts about two hours.
The articles in this section outline important information about horse colic.