Cecal impaction is a fairly common cause of colic acoustic for half the horses with cecal disease, 5% of horses with impaction, and as much as 2% of horses referred to hospitals for treatment of colic in areas where coastal bermuda hay is fed. The cecum in the horse is a large blind sac that connects the small bowel with the large colon. It is essentially a fermentation vat where microbes go to work on the undigested fibrous portion of the horses diet...more.

Though experience is important a diagnosis of cecal impaction can often be made on the basis of results of rectal examination. One of the quandries with cecal impaction is what constitutes appropriate therapy. Both medical and surgical therapy have been used with success, it is not clear when surgery should be chosen and which surgery is best. There have been management and medical procedures associated with the development of cecal impactions. This article discusses the clinical signs, diagnosis, treatment options, prognosis, and prevention of cecal impactions.

Though cecal impactions are more often seen in middle age to older horses any age can be effected and there are no clear breed associations. Teeth problems, coarse hay, coastal bermuda hay, decreased water consumption, administration of bute or flunixin and infestation with tapeworms have been associated with an increase incidence. Cecal impaction are also seen occasioings in hospitalized horses that have undergone anesthesia and may be secondary to abnormal bowel motility as opposed to primary obstruction by ingesta. Post-op NSAID's further seem to increase the incidence. Horses with cecal impactions often have a history of recently having been moved.

Historically clinical signs of cecal impaction has been associated with the onset of mild colic symptoms that worsen over time, sometimes several days. Occasionally cecal impaction presents with severe pain. Heart rates will correlate with the degree of pain and have been correlated with prognosis. To differentiate CI from other causes of colic a rectal must be performed. A abdominal tap will help with assessing the health of the bowel wall.