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Discussion on Aftercare for mild colic
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Member:
vera
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Posted on Saturday, May 9, 2009 - 8:38 am:
My horse has a mild gas colic last night (big storm front went through) and now all is normal, but I'm not sure when to start feeding him again or if I should put him back out on the pasture. I witnessed one bowel movement while walking him and two more since. Lots of gas too
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Member:
hollyw
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Posted on Saturday, May 9, 2009 - 9:09 am:
Morning, Angela,
So scary to have to go through a colic episode, especially at night, and worse in a storm.
I have had to go through a few colic episodes over the years . . . a few impactions and several gas colics. My old fellow who used to get gas colic at least twice a year would be fine with eating/grazing the following day. Never did too much different for feeding him, but since he was on a large amount of complete pellets each day, I might have only given him 1/2 his ration after the colic episode depending on the severity and time of day.
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Saturday, May 9, 2009 - 10:00 am:
Hi Angela, if you have any grass hay I would give him all he wants. Hank gas colics and gets VERY gassy from grass. I would be careful with the grazing...slowly work him back on it and monitor his gas
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Saturday, May 9, 2009 - 10:26 am:
I usually feed smaller amounts more frequently after a colic. I would feed him whatever he is used to eating if I knew it was clean and good quality. If pasture, I'd think leaving him out for about an hour, then bringing him back in and keeping an eye on him would be good. Just what I'd do. Make sure he has plenty of clean water also.
I think the very changable weather this time of year can be rough on the horses. I know our vet says he sees more colics this time of year.
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Member:
vera
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Posted on Saturday, May 9, 2009 - 2:30 pm:
Thanks guys!
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Member:
scooter
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Posted on Saturday, May 9, 2009 - 3:10 pm:
I'm glad mine don't colic with changing weather...they would be in a constant state of colic!
Angela I live in Il. also and those storms were something, BUT also all the rain we've been having that grass couldn't be any greener or lush. Be careful with the grazing . I'm starting to eyeball the dry pen for the boys.
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Member:
vera
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Posted on Saturday, May 9, 2009 - 10:34 pm:
Yeah, we had a tornado in Alton and they also had one in Carbondale. I was supposed to be on an overnight trail ride in southern MO this weekend, and boy I'm glad that I didn't go b/c there were tornadoes down there too. Also glad that I was here to help my horse He had a number of good bowel movements today and is looking good.
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Member:
mrose
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Posted on Sunday, May 10, 2009 - 12:58 am:
Angela, glad you were able to avoid the tornados and be there to help your guy. Sounds like he's recovering fine.
I worry about all of you, and my relatives, that live where they get tornados. They're scary!
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Member:
vera
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Posted on Sunday, May 10, 2009 - 8:16 am:
Yeah, I've never experienced one (knock on wood), but there all around us here. I worry mostly about the horses. i wish that I could take them to the basement with me.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Sunday, May 10, 2009 - 9:35 pm:
Hello Angela,
If this happens again and you choose not to seek veterinary help, the section of the First Aid for Colic article entitled Is My Horse Normal Now deals with reintroducing the horse to food.
DrO
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Member:
vera
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Posted on Monday, May 11, 2009 - 12:38 pm:
Well I did choose to seek veterinary help. I left a message with the clinic and hadn't heard from them yet so I thought that I'd ask on this board. I also called the vet the night of. I get the impression that you think that I don't want to do what is right for my horses.
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Member:
vera
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Posted on Monday, May 11, 2009 - 12:40 pm:
Oh and your article says nothing about pasture just hay. And yes I know that they are both forages.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Monday, May 11, 2009 - 8:26 pm:
My apologies about the impression Angela. My purpose was to convey factual information and to help show you how to get it without having to wait for a reply. It is always best to get the opinion of someone who has examined the horse but we will be here whether you need our help by choice or not.
You are correct in that they are both forages. The important thing is that you do not change the regular diet of the horse. However if the horse is adjusted to hay, most choose to keep the horse up and use hay so they can watch the horse.
DrO
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Member:
vera
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Posted on Tuesday, May 12, 2009 - 11:01 am:
Yes, I agree about the opinion, but my vet had not come out that night. I called him and talked to him and he said that all that could be done was a dose of banamine. He didn't seem like he wanted to come out. Actually seemed quite irritated by the emergency call. I left a message for him the next morning and got a call back from the receptionist. I called again yesterday and left a message but haven't heard back yet. I think that he doesn't like me either. I was in the middle of introducing them to the spring grass and we were just about to start the 3rd week (8 hours) when this happened so I guess you could say that their normal forage would be 50-50 grass and hay. I know grass can be a natural laxative so I thought that it might be a good thing to get him out there a little bit. I really think that it was brought on by the abrupt change in weather so I didn't think that the grass was solely to blame. They are back out in the pasture now for ~5 hours. This is the third week. Would it be OK to go back to the protocol and increase to 8 hours? I'm having some difficulties with the 8 hour schedule during the week b/c I work in St Louis and live in IL so my days are closer to 9-10 hours and at night I have a hard time staying up late enough to bring them in. Also, there is another storm front coming tomorrow. Should I assume that I might see a repeat of the colic? Should I keep them in the dry lot that day?
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Member:
stek
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Posted on Tuesday, May 12, 2009 - 4:52 pm:
Angela, I would personally stick to the lesser turnout schedule for now so I could make sure the colic was just a minor incident and be sure my horse was eating, drinking and passing manure normally. It will probably turn out to be unnecessary but in my opinion you can't be too careful.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Tuesday, May 12, 2009 - 8:37 pm:
While there are differing opinions about the effects of weather on the incidence of colic we are sure changes in diet increase the chance a horse will colic. Instead of going to 8 how about just add a hour this time?
DrO
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