Nov/Dec 2009 www.horsepower-magazine.com

Equine Colic: The #1 Cause of Premature Death

glycogen stores and are vital to anaerobic metabo-lism that enables horses to compete in speed orendurance related events. It is the starch sources,processing, and intake, coupled with the quality andtiming o orage eedings and individual dierencesbetween horses that can aect digestibility.

What are the signs of colic?

According to Dr. Ward, “Colic is not a disease.Rather it is a combination o signs that alert usto abdominal pain in the horse.” Listed under thegeneral heading o colic, there are three types o conditions and degrees o severity to which theterm applies:

Parasitic/Disease Colic

Gas Colic

,and

Impaction Colic

, ranging rom

mild

lethal

.While there are many causes, colic signals its ap-pearance in a pattern o distinct behaviors whichmay vary rom horse to horse but will oten includeany or a combination o the ollowing:•urning the head toward the ank•Lack o appetite (anorexia)•Pawing•Putting head down to water without drinking•Kicking or biting the abdomen•Lack o bowel movements•Stretching out to urinate without doing so•Absence o, or reduced digestive sounds•Repeatedly lying down and getting up•Sweating•Rolling, especially violent rolling•Rapid respirations and/or ared nostrils•Sitting in a dog-like position, or lying on the back

Take Immediate Action

Dr. Ward states that time is perhaps the mostcritical actor i colic is to be successully treated.While a number o cases resolve without medi-cal intervention, a signifcant percentage requireprompt medical care. I you suspect your horse issuering rom colic, the ollowing action plan issuggested:Remove all ood and water, andNotiy your veterinarian immediately. Be preparedto provide the ollowing specifc inormation:•Pulse rate•Respiratory rate (breathing)•Rectal temperature•Color o mucous membranes•Capillary refll time (tested by pressing on thegums adjacent to the teeth, releasing, then count-ing the seconds it takes or the color to return)•Behavioral signs (listed above)•Digestive noises, or lack o them•Bowel movements, including color, consistency,and requencyFor animals o such size and strength, horsespossess notoriously delicate digestive systems. Withstomachs that barely comprise 7% o their digestivetract, horses need to graze almost continuously inorder or them to take in the necessary nutrients.Horses are oragers by nature and when in the wildoten journey up to 20 miles per day in order tofnd suitable nourishment. Domesticated horses,however, are most times not able to roam and or-age at will. Oten confned to small areas and edaccording to our schedule, horses have now becomesusceptible to a variety o abdominal disturbances.

Understanding a Horse’s Digestive Tract

Understanding the digestive process is the frststep in recognizing equine colic. Next to water, itis energy that comprises the majority o a horse’snutritional needs. Almost 90% o nutrient intake inthe orm o fber, at, and starch is required to ulflldaily energy demands.o remain healthy, a horse needs to eat a highfber diet, the carbohydrates (starches and sugars)o which are digested in the stomach and smallintestine. It takes only about 30 - 90 minutes or thisto be accomplished beore the fber, proteins, andother nutrients are passed through to the cecum(hind gut) and colon where they are broken downurther.Digestive problems start when the carbohy-drates are not properly broken down in the stomachand small intestine and enter the cecum wherespecialized enzymes are not able to process excessstarch. Gastrointestinal distress begins when thesecarbohydrates are let to erment. John Reagor PhD,Chie o oxicology, exas Veterinary Medical Diag-nostic Laboratory is quoted as saying, “Te num-ber one cause o death rom colic is rom eedingmismanagement due to starch overload.”

The Effects of Starch

Horses only can eat 1.5% - 3% o their bodyweight per day, yet they must have enough energydensity (calories per pound) or growth, reproduc-tion, maintenance, and perormance. Tat is whyeeding roughage or quality hay is an essential parto the equine diet – it is

THE

undamental resourceor nutrients. While hay is important, it is relativelylow in energy and can fll up a horse without itsmeeting necessary calorie requirements. Tat iswhy grains or concentrated eeds are oten used asan additional energy resource to accommodate thestrenuous demands made on today’s horses.Starches and sugars are key components toenergy. Tey are necessary to replenish muscle