colic UPDATE

[chescar]

Rio was put to sleep today - there was nothing they could do to save her.

I'm numb. RIP sweet angel. Love and hugs to her owners.


Do you remember back in April I told you about a horse at our yard that died of colic? A beautiful grey TB mare. She had smashed her head to pieces throwing herself around and died before the vet could get there.

Well, the owner, very experienced lady - love her to bits, has part share in another horse. I went to the yard last night and the horse wasn't there!!!

She had been taken to hospital in the afternoon with colic.:(

I know i should be thinking of the said horse and owners but I can't stop thinking about losing Troy. I don't think I would be able to cope.

What can I do to prevent him from getting colic.

I think i'm just panicking.

Dreading going to the yard later - in case its bad news about the poorly horse.

[black crow]

Big hugs!

Main thing is just keep to your normal routine. Feed the normal feed he has, dont feed too much in one go, keep feeding and riding times seperate, make sure anything soakable is soaked, dont feed hay on sand, that kind of thing.

Colic can sometimes just strike and it cant be prevented, but you can keep doing all the normal things you do, which will help greatly.

You had a traumatic experience when it happened with the other horse too, which seems where this fear has come from. Go to the yard later, and take your time, give Troy a big cuddle. You are naturally worrying about it, im not going to say it's never going to happen, it could happen to any horse, but still. Big hugs
xxxx

[Catg]

Poor lady two in a row!

Don't worry Jo, It's an awful story about the grey mare but it does sound quite extreme. Zeb had colic a few years ago, there is always someone at the yard so it was caught early and the vet was called straight away. He was given a pain relief and was absolutely fine the next day.

As BC said, we can't tell you it'll never happen but not all colic is as serious as the poor grey mare.

Cat x

[My Crazy Clan]

Sometimes there is not certain cause for colic.

Just keeps things how they are, try not to worry as scary as it is, it might never happen.

[My Crazy Clan]

Oh no thats devastating, poor horse RIP xxxxxxx

[Tiaki]

Sorry to hear about the horse :( RIP :(

Kiwi had colic once. Came totally out of the blue. It was spasmodic colic and thankfully the vet came very quickly and Kiwi was fine within a couple of hours.
Ever since this one, I am totally paranoid about Colic with Kiwi. It was awful and I wouldn't wish it on anyone.
Sadly it can happen to any horse and there are so many triggers for it.

xxx

[Betseyboo]

Huni try not to worry as said above it is just one of those things. Keep your routine strict and you're doing all you can.
So sorry to hear about the horse xxx

[chescar]

I feel so angry.
The 2 owners are fantastic and the mare was the best looked after horse on our yard.

Some people don't give a damn about their horses and now we have someone who has lost 2 in 6 months.

It is so unfair.

K has had horses all her life and is from a racing background.

The saddest thing was seeing her empty the stable and her tack room tonight. She packed everything up in her waggon, gave me a hug and went.

I hate losing things you love. I just don't know how i will get up in the morning when Troy goes.

gutted

[Catg]

Oh no! So very sorry to hear that. RIP xxxx

[Teej]

So sorry to hear that. :( RIP Rio

Chip got an impaction colic this time last year and ended up in hospital. The vet was a little inexperienced and by the time he got to hospital, it had cleared and he was fine. He got it again on Christmas day but it passed on its own without any treatment (just lush, long, green grass which seemed to do the trick!) but I was in regular contact with the vet throughout the day.

I too am paranoid about colic and I try to keep Chip in a good routine. I add bran to his feed once or twice a week to clear his system out and I just hope that he's going to be ok this winter.

[chescar]

Is it a winter thing?

Should i give Troy bran as we don't get any turn out over winter - he gets an hour or so exercise each day but is in the rest of the time.

Rio was excercised more as she was an eventing horse

[Teej]

In Chips case we never got to the bottom of what caused it but we have very sandy soil and came to the conclusion that it could have been sand colic brought on by a lack of grazing/ very short grass. I started him on a course of pysileum husk powder after his first colic as it is known to clear sand from the gut. Soon after that he got his 2nd colic and the vet said that pysileum can sometimes cause an impaction so had the opposite effect!!!

Throughout the summer I added epsom salts to his feeds once a fortnight and I sometimes add it to the bran mash that I give him.

There are so many things that can cause colic and if you have a horse that is prone to it, you just have to be extra careful.

[coloredred]

RIP poor horse :(

Try not to worry about Troy too much, just stick with what you're doing with him :)