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Articles

Psyllium and Sand Colic Prevention

Colic in horses is a painful and sometimes deadly abdominal condition. There are a number of causes including ulcers, parasites, foreign objects and intestinal blockage (impaction). The many twists, turns and "kinks" in a horse's intestinal tract make even healthy horses naturally prone to an attack. Colic is one of the most emotionally draining afflictions for all concerned. The intense, prolonged suffering of the horse, the usual late-night timing of the attacks, the expense and uncertainty of some treatments all combine to make this a highly stressful condition.

Colic is the most common medical condition encountered by horse owners. Signs can vary greatly from one horse to the other. The most common signs of pain include:

• Turning head toward the flank
• Kicking or biting the abdomen
• Standing frequently as if to urinate
• Rolling
• Sitting in a dog-like position
• Lying down more than usual
• Getting up and lying down repeatedly
• Putting head down to water without drinking
• Lack of bowel movements
• Absence of/or reduced digestive sounds
• Lip curling
• Pawing at the ground

The key here is awareness - Recognizing a potential issue or even a concern over something that doesn't seem right should be looked at. Time is of the essence. When in doubt call your Vet.

The good news is that, with many recent advances, colic is frequently not only curable, but preventable. Recent research, observation, and a little horse sense have given us a much better understanding of how to treat colic correctly at its earliest stages. Better still, much of what can be done to prevent colic is easy and virtually cost-free. The following information gives general guidelines, and is not intended to take the place of your veterinarian's advice or treatment. We hope you will find it useful, and any comments or suggestions will be welcome. Our goal remains to help you receive the greatest possible enjoyment from being a horse owner.

1. Change your thinking from treatment to prevention. Prevention, Prevention, Prevention. Start with your veterinarian. All horses should be on a continuing program of parasite control, and receive regular fecal examinations. Your vet may also be able to spot stable, field or feeding conditions that could unnecessarily lead to colic.

2. Feed less, more frequently. Now that a number of causes of colic have become better understood and controlled, Feed Management is seen as the next most important advance. Man, attempting to change nature to fit his own lifestyle, usually feeds his horse twice a day. Unfortunately, nature hasn't caught on yet. Horses in their natural state nibble throughout most of their waking hours, so their stomachs are never full or empty. It is important to come as close to reproducing these conditions as possible. If you can't adjust your schedule or buy a continuous feeding device, try to keep on a 12-hour schedule. Never overfeed, even if you're late on a feeding; Saturday night colic is common because owners who sleep in on Saturday morning sometime over-compensate for starving their horse.

3. Limit ground feeding. Sand and dust are major causes of impaction colic. Animals fed on the ground are more likely to take in sand and dust, which can create a very stubborn blockage. Additionally, ground fed horses can ingest all kinds of foreign objects (wood, rocks, etc.), a source of abdominal enteroliths.

4.Increase water. Fluid therapy (re-hydration) has been effective in helping to restore motility. Water as a preventive against impaction colic is now widely appreciated. Be sure there is always a fresh supply of water available, especially in hot or freezing weather. This is not only essential for normal digestive function, but as an aid in flushing out sand and dust.

5. Don't exercise immediately after feeding. The problem mentioned previously of feeding large amounts is compounded when followed too quickly by exercise. Blood that should be flowing to the intestinal tract for digestion is instead diverted to the muscle.

6. Get dental check ups. Horses unable to properly chew their food will be more prone to impaction. While a horse of any age may have this problem, older horses especially need to have their teeth checked often.