The Biggest Fear of Every Horse Owner is Colic
Foal colic can be unexpected and deadly
What to do...
|
Colic can occur at any age, including the first few hours of life.
A foal with colic can be a challenge for any horse owner, let your veterinarian make the diagnosis since the signs of colic can be mistaken for another diagnosis.
Horse owners may perceive a foal laying down as lameness or stomach ulcers lot when it could be colic .
Other misdiagnosis of colic could be abdominal pain including problems with the respiratory tract, fractured ribs, fecaliths (stones in the intestines, especially in miniature foals) or a ruptured bladder.
It’s critical you that you have all your foal’s history ready for your vet when he arrives to help make the best diagnosis based on ALL the available information...
First ... Signs you should watch for
Colic in foals typically manifests itself very acutely and will progress at variable rates depending on the cause and severity. Colic generally presents as restlessness (stress), pawing, lying down frequently, rolling up on the back, and/or decrease in nursing frequency.
As your foal’s condition worsens so do his symptoms such as violent rolling or thrashing behavior. Symptoms that are condition specific include straining to have a stool, tail flagging, straining to urinate and grinding their teeth.
Changes in your foal’s mucous membranes and the whiteness around the eyes could indicate a serious problem so they should be monitored closely. Your foal’s heart rate is the most important when looking at vital signs. A persistent pulse of 120 in the foal suggests a surgical intervention. Respiratory rate and temperature should also be monitored in the sick foal.
Questions your veterinarian may ask
- What is your foal’s pulse, respiration’s and temperature?
- Have there been or are there currently any problems with other horses on the property; fevers, diarrhea, etc?
- Has the foal that is sick had previous or current problems or therapies that might make him susceptible to digestive diseases? If the foal has been on antibiotics recently this can lead to the disruption of normal flora with subsequent digestive tract upsets.
- Have there been changes in management of the foal, including feeding?
- When was the foal last seen before noticing the abdominal pain? Foals with severe prolonged colic may be beyond pain that leads to severe depression to stupor.
- What were the signs of pain noticed and were there any other health signs noted
Medical tests used for diagnosis
A rectal exam can be done to some extent in a foal, but radiography and especially ultrasound is very useful in foals. Routine lab test can also be helpful.
Your foal’s digestive system is delicate and it is important to take his level of discomfort that might seem minor seriously because it can have life threatening consequences. Never wait too long to call your vet when your foal is sick, things can turn bad very quickly.
- Chamomile and Fennel to reduce inflammation and gas
- Meadowsweet to reduce pain and inflammation
- Cramp bark and licorice to reduce cramping
There are also natural based ingredients recommended in the “Veterinary Herbal Medicine” book on the market for reducing and preventing chronic colic:
It’s not your fault
Many times there’s nothing that you did that created the colic in your foal.
But if you’re like me that still stings.
As a horse Moms I want to be able to protect my foal or any of my horse friends.
For me to feel like I am in control and actually helping my foal and my mare I developed horsemoms supplements to encourage their good health naturally.
By using Organic plant based ingredients found in my horse’s natural diet I’m taking care of them and offering them a Holistic health & wellness supplement that isn’t artificial or masked with all sorts of chemicals to make it palatable.
It makes me feel better to know I can prepare and care for my friends in a natural and safe way.
Learn
Horse Colic Symptoms
|
|
|
What Bugs You?
|
Home > Equine Resource Page > General Equine Facts > Growing Foal Equine > Foal Colic
Contact Us
Mon-Fri 9-4 E.S.T. GMT-5
Help Center
1-800-881-9304
Encouraging Your Horse’s
Good Health - Naturally -
|
Equine “Life Stage” Supplements
Using only Natural & Organic plant based
ingredients found in your horse’s natural diet
