Non-Surgical Colic Treatment

Start by checking their stall to see if the amount of manure is normal or reduced. Next, you will want to check your horse's heart rate and temperature to see if they are elevated, and then call our veterinary team and report their symptoms.

You will need to remove all food and forage from your horse and closely monitor them until the vet arrives. Don't leave them alone because their clinical signs can worsen in a very short period of time. Light hand-walking (10 - 15 minutes at a time) may help alleviate some discomfort. Do not keep walking to the point of fatigue.

Please do not administer any medication unless advised by a veterinarian. Some medications may be harmful or mask the condition, making it more challenging for your veterinarian to make a diagnosis.

There are a number of signs that can indicate colic in horses. If you see your horse exhibiting any of the the following signs, contact our vets right away.

• Turning the head toward the flank
• Biting or kicking their flank or belly
• Repeatedly lying down and/or rolling
• Little or no passing of manure
• Passing dry or mucus (slime)-covered manure
• Poor eating behavior, may not eat all their grain or hay
• Change in drinking behavior
• Heart rate over 45 to 50 beats per minute
• Tacky gums
• Long capillary refill time
• Off-colored mucous membranes
• Groaning
• Pawing
• Stretching out as if trying to urinate without doing so
• Sitting in a dog-like position or lying on the back
• Backing into a corner or post
• Putting head down to water without drinking
• Absence of or reduced digestive sounds
• Sweating excessively
• Flared nostrils
• Depression
• Lip curling (Flehmen response)
• Cool extremities

Every colic is unique so this is a very difficult question to answer. But generally, here are a number of things you can do to prevent the likelihood of colic:

• Always have fresh, clean water available to your horse. In colder weather, opt for warm water if possible to encourage drinking.
• Limit changes in feed. Make all changes as gradually as possibly, including from one batch of hay to the next.
• Use quality forage and avoid round bales.
• Feed a daily pre-biotic containing saccharomyces, especially during times of feed change.
• Avoid feeding hay on the ground in sandy areas.
• Get your horse's teeth examined every six months to a year.
• Get your horse on a proper parasite control regiment.
• Keep a watchful eye on broodmares and horses who have coliced in the past.
• Do not administer medications such as Banamine, Bute or antibiotics without prior discussion with your veterinarian.

Horses may colic for a wide variety of reasons, depending on a number of factors and predispositions, such as age and lifestyle. For example, a geriatric horse is more likely to colic due to a mass causing strangulation of the intestines, which leads to a blockage of the gastrointestinal tract. Young horses are more likely to colic due to an impaction from worms if they have not been dewormed appropriately.

Some common causes of colic include:

• Changes in diet (grain or hay)
• Changes in routine or exercise
• Weather changes
• High parasite infestation
• Sand ingestion 
• Overweight 
• High grain diets/low forage
• Long periods between forage/feeding
• Decrease in water intake
• Dental issues
• Long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications
• Stress