ColicPrevention And Nutritional Management

Submitted By : Bharti RajSubmitted To: Dr.J.S.Hundal

COLIC : What is it? Colic is a

relatively common disorder of the digestive system.

Although the term colic, in the true definition of the word, simply means “abdominal pain,”

TYPES OF COLIC Impacted Colic Flatulent ColicSpasmodic ColicTwisted Gut Colic

IMPACTED COLIC Is the term used when

the the intestines become blocked by a firm mass of food or manure.

This is a fairly common type of colic

It is considered as a start of a more complicated case

FLATULENT COLICSometimes gas

builds up within the intestine most commonly in the large intestine and the caecum .

The gas stretches the intestine wall causing pain.

SPASMODIC COLICSome cases of

colic are due to increased intestinal contractions and abnormal spasms cause the intestine to contract painfully

TWISTED GUT COLICThis is mostly a result

of a more benign type of colic

There is displacement of a portion in the abdomen.

The large unfixed portions of the large intestine predisposes horse to this problem

ETIOLOGYOften the original cause of colic is

unknown but the most common causes include

Irregularities in feeding A sudden change of diet Gastric upsets or indigestionGas build up Too much concentrated feed Lack of water

ETIOLOGYStress or a stress filled

environment Too much food or water before or

after exercise Worms or the lack of a balanced

worming program Gas build up after eating cut or

mown grass.

CONDITION OF GRAZING A MAJOR CAUSE

In addition the condition of grazing can play a part, especially where the grazing is low and your horse ingests sandy or dry soil as it grazes the very sparse, short grass.

This can result in sand or impact colic, essentailly a build up of soil in the intestinal tract

NUTRITIONAL THERAPY FOR TREATMENT OF COLIC

FEEDING ALTERATIONS Whenever colic occurs, it is

useful to review any changes in the horse's management that may have led to colic, such as cold weather that may have decreased water intake or a change in hay or concentrate feeding (different source or an increased amount)

 Fasting for 12-24 hours is a good practice to decrease the amount of feed material in the horse's intestinal tract and allow the gut to rest.

NUTRITIONAL THERAPY FOR TREATMENT OF COLIC

Horses can be offered small, frequent drinks of water to maintain hydration.

Most veterinarians will recommend some period of feed restriction and decreased concentrate feeding for 1-2 days after a colic episode.

Short hand-grazing sessions (5-15 minutes) are excellent to allow some feed intake, and walking generally promotes movement of feed through the intestine.

If hay is restricted, it can be sprinkled throughout the horse's stall so that it takes the horse longer to eat and this simulates grazing.

FEEDING TO PREVENT COLICROLE OF FORAGEAdequate amount of

forage should be supplied to the horse as it helps in maintaining the digestive tract healthy

As quality and quantity of forage decreases, you have to rely on grains and supplements, which by nature are not as healthy for horse

FEEDING TO PREVENT COLICHAY CONTENTSAlways have a watchful

eye on your hay for contents that might cause a horse to colic.

Moldy hay, for instance smells musty and some kinds of moulds produce toxins which may cause severe digestive upsets.

FEEDING TO PREVENT COLICCONCENTRATESHorse should not be feed

on lot of grains i.e. concentrate diet as their digestive tract cannot absorb all the sugar before it reaches hindgut.

This directly affects the micro flora of digestive tract and leads to digestive upsets.

FEEDING TO PREVENT COLICHydrationHorses need

plenty of water to digest their food properly

Lack of improper water supply to horses lead to impaction

BIBLIOGRAPHYSaracenequinews.com

Thehorse.com