How to Help Your Horse Survive Colic

Advances in diagnosis and treatment increase your horse’s chances for a swift and complete recovery

Parasites and dehydration and sand; Oh My! How to Prevent Horse Colic

From parasites to sand: impaction to pregnancy. Colic in horses can be caused by a variety of things, but responding quickly will give your horse the best odds to recover. Download our FREE guide How to Help Your Horse Survive Colic: Advances in diagnosis and treatment increase your horse’s chances for a swift and complete recovery.

I knew just enough about horse colic symptoms to panic when my mare refused her supplements.

Since refusing feed is one of the signs of colic in horses, I immediately jumped to conclusions when I offered the bowl of supplements and she merely lipped them. This, from a mare who always gobbled her food!

I stared hard at her and tried to recall all the signs of colic in horses: sweating, pawing and rolling. No, she did not show any of those horse colic symptoms. But in addition to not eating her food, she just didn’t look right to me. And then she wandered away from the rest of her herd and stood off by herself looking miserable, and that’s when I remembered something I had read in EQUUS magazine about signs of colic in horses:

“A horse in the initial stages of colic develops a mildly anxious, preoccupied look. His eyes are not focused on his surroundings, and he may separate himself from the herd or not react immediately to activity around him. In addition, he may wrinkle his nose or purse his lips. The base of his ears or the fold of his flank may be damp.

“Closely watch a horse exhibiting these horse colic symptoms. Colic in horses can become full-blown with the next half-hour, and you’ll be able to take action immediately. If his condition doesn’t worsen but you are still uncertain about him after two hours, call your veterinarian and apprise him of the situation.”

So I hit the horse colic panic button and called the vet. And, don’t you know it; by the time he arrived she looked fine, and was no longer showing any horse colic symptoms. I felt a little foolish, but from the scary stories I’ve heard about horse colic, I figured it was better to be safe than sorry.

So how much do you know about horse colic symptoms, or horse colic treatment? Fill any gaps in your knowledge by downloading our guide HERE.

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