Impaction?

[maplegum]

Could someone please explain to me what cuases a horse to suffer with 'impaction'? I've been reading many threads on this topic, but with not much explanation.

Do I understand correctly that this means a horse is constipated and can't use it's bowels? The 'big' horses I had previously owned never suffered with anything like this and I'd like to know more about it before I bring my yearling miniature home.

Is this something that mini's suffer from more than larger horses?

 

[disneyhorse]

There are many different kinds of "colic". There is sand colic, gas colic, stress colic, impaction colic... colic is just a general term I think for "pain in the gut"!

Impaction is pretty much constipation. It is VERY common in horses from mini to draft. Many times, impactions are caused when a horse drinks less water than normal such as when the weather cools down. Sometimes impactions can be caused by blockages from eating baling twine, etc.

It is not any more common in minis than in large horses. In fact, surgeries are easier in minis than in bigger horses... and surgeries are near impossible on draft horses!

Just my opinion...

Andrea

 

[chandab]

Andrea explained it pretty well...

I had an AQHA mare that impacted 2' of her small intestine with coarse hay, she had surgery to correct it and was fine from then on.

 

[maplegum]

There are many different kinds of "colic". There is sand colic, gas colic, stress colic, impaction colic... colic is just a general term I think for "pain in the gut"!

Sand colic? They eat sand??

I'm learning something new here each day.

 

[chandab]

There are many different kinds of "colic". There is sand colic, gas colic, stress colic, impaction colic... colic is just a general term I think for "pain in the gut"!

Sand colic? They eat sand??

I'm learning something new here each day.

They don't typically eat sand on purpose, but rather pick it up while eating hay or grass. If you live in a really sandy area, it is advisable to put their feed in (hay rack, tub) or on something (rubber mat), so they don't pick up sand while trying to get all the feed picked up. If you are in a sandy area, it's probably a good idea to use Sand Clear or similar product (it's a commercial product that helps remove sand - someone else will have to explain it more, I don't live in a sandy area, so don't use it).

 

[disneyhorse]

Yes, horses ingest sand (either in dirty hay or while gleaning each little leaf off the ground). As previously mentioned, it is common with horses that live in sandy areas or who live on dry lots (not in a floored box stall or on grassy pasture). The digestive tracts of horses is rather poor, so sand tends to settle in the bottom of the stomach and build up over time. When there are large amounts of sand built up the horse gets uncomfortable and colics. My vet once had me listen to a stethoscope under a horse's belly... you could hear the sand swishing around down there.

Prescribed use of whole flax seed or a psyllium produce will help clear the horses' guts of sand. Although these products get sticky/gummy with the addition of water, it is a myth that the sand sticks to the product. These products have a mild laxative effect. The stomach convulses from the product, and the sand is then shaken up and able to pass through.

Andrea

 

[Marty]

Major types of colic

Impaction colic: This is the term used when the intestine becomes blocked by a firm mass of food. Impactions most commonly occur in the large intestine at one of the flexures. This is a fairly common type of colic which usually resolves relatively easily with appropriate treatment. However, an impaction may be just the first obvious sign in a more complicated case.

Gas colic: Sometimes gas builds up in the intestine, most commonly in the large intestine and/or caecum. The gas stretches the intestine, causing pain. Gas colics usually resolve fairly easily with appropriate treatment, although it is essential to ensure that there is no underlying reason for the problem.

Spasmodic colic: Some cases of colic are due to increased intestinal contractions, the abnormal spasms causing the intestines to contract painfully. These cases usually respond fairly well.

Displacement/volvulus/torsion ('twisted gut"): In a "displacement", a portion of the intestine has moved to an abnormal position in the abdomen. A "volvulvus" or "torsion" occurs when a piece of the intestine twists. The suspension of the small intestine from the mesentery (the "net curtain") and the unfixed nature of much of the large intestine predispose horses to intestinal displacements and torsions. Except in rare cases, these types of colic cause a total blockage of the intestine and require immediate surgery if the horse is to survive. In the early stages of a displacement/torsion colic, the signs may be similar to those of a horse with one of the more benign causes of colic. That is why it is important to take all cases of colic seriously, and to seek veterinary advice at an early stage.

Enteritis/colitis: Some cases of abdominal pain are due to inflammation of the small (enteritis) or large (colitis) intestines. These are serious medical cases and require immediate veterinary attention.

Gastric distension/rupture: When a horse gorges itself on grain or, even more seriously, a substance which expands when dampened like dried beet pulp, the contents of the stomach can swell. The horse's small stomach and its inability to vomit mean that in these circumstances the stomach may burst. Once this has happened death is inevitable. If you suspect that your horse may have gorged itself on concentrate feeds, seek veterinary advice immediately.

"Unknown": In many cases of colic it is impossible to determine the reason for the pain. Symptomatic treatment, close monitoring and attention to any adverse developments usually lead to resolution of the problem.

Signs of Colic

The signs of colic in horses range from almost imperceptible in mild cases to extremely violent in severe cases. The following list includes the most common signs:

lying down more than usual

getting up and lying down repeatedly

standing stretched out

standing frequently as if to urinate

turning the head towards the flank

repeatedly curling the upper lip

pawing the ground

kicking at the abdomen

rolling

What to do

The severity of the case will dictate what you do when you find your horse showing signs of colic. If he is behaving violently call your veterinarian immediately. Violent behaviour usually equates with great pain which usually equates with a serious case of colic. Time is of the essence here. Not all horses show the same severity of signs with the same type of colic, though, and some horses may become quite violent with a relatively "mild" case. If the signs of pain are less extreme, you can take a few minutes to observe the horse's appearance and behaviour before calling the veterinarian.

If possible, take his temperature, pulse and respiration rates.

Note what his appetite has been like in the past day or so, and the consistency and frequency of defecation.

Has his water intake been normal?

Are his gums a normal colour?

Think about whether he has had access to any unusual feedstuffs in the past day or so, whether any medications have been administered, and whether there have been any changes in management.

Now call your veterinarian. It is important to take all food away from the horse until the veterinarian arrives. If he is nibbling at his bedding, find a way to prevent this. Walking the horse can be a useful way of distracting him from the pain, but he should not be walked to exhaustion. If the horse insists on rolling, there will be little you can do to prevent it. If possible, try to get the horse to an area where he will do himself the least damage when he rolls. But do not get hurt yourself. Do not administer any drugs until your veterinarian has seen the horse, or unless he/she tells you to do so.

Prevention of colic

If you happen to be a horse, colic is probably an unfortunate fact of life. Annual colic incidences of approximately 10% are quite common. Listed below are some of the management factors which are thought to reduce colic incidence. Horses which fall into high-risk categories, such as stabled horses in intense training and fit horses recently injured, should be monitored particularly closely.

allow as much turnout as possible

maintain a regular feeding schedule

ensure constant access to clean water

provide at least 60% of digestible energy from forage

do not feed excessive digestible energy

do not feed moldy hay or grain

feed hay and water before grain

provide access to forage for as much of the day as possible

do not over graze pastures

do not feed or water horses before they have cooled out

maintain a consistent exercise regime

make all changes in diet, exercise level and management slowly

control intestinal parasites and assess efficiency periodically.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Author Janet Douglas earned her degree in Veterinary Medicine at the University of Cambridge, England. She continued her pursuit of excellence at the Equine Research Centre, Guelph, Ontario, where she focused on equine orthopaedics.

 

[maplegum]

I would like to say thank you for posting your replies.

When I owned my 'full sized' horses many years ago, I was aware of colic but I can say that my horses never suffered from it.

My horse was as hardy as they come, almost bullet proof. He suffered with very few medical problems and issues. It now seems that I was just lucky with him? My ex-husbands horse had some minor medical concerns over the years but nothing too alarming.

It just seems as if I am reading about so many cases of colic and impaction here on the forum, so that had me wondering if this condition is more common in the mini's, but it doesn't seem to be from what you all have said.

I just hope that my little guy stays in good health. I will take on board all of this information you have all posted for me and make sure I look out for the signs and symtpons.

Thank you all again, your help is invaluable.

 

[promise]

Another cause of an imapction that may or may not have been listed is worms.

I just went through a six month ordeal with a haflinger. Eventhough I worm all my horses on a regular schedule, give them vet care, shots, the whole nine yards, this horse had worms.

I owned her just shy of 6 months, four different vets worked together to diagnose her in this timeframe and two impaction clolics later, the culprit was worms.

Why was she so hard to diagnose? Well, she was putting on weight, had a healthy, shiney coat, no caughing, no drippy eyes, no nasal discharge, and she was on a regular worming program. After some research, it was found out that for the first 2.5 years before I owned her, neither of her previous owners wormed her, she was infested. When she got the proper food and care she needed, the worms blossomed and became resistant to regular over the counter wormers.

I did fecal checks and the whole nine yards, never showed a bit of worms. I even did a "vet check to buy" which is much more thorough than the vet check to sell, before she ame home.

The out come, after about $5000 in vet bills in less than 6 months, not to mention the cost of the horse, I GAVE her to the vets family to ensure she gets the proper care she deserves. She will most likely have health issues down the road due to this (possible liver, heart, and lung damage, not to mention chances of reinfestation if the worms continually prove to be resistant, and maybe even more impactions since her intestines are constricted to a smaller size than an average horse of her size due to the infestation, this problem can be fixed but can take up to 6 months of a soft diet several times a day in order to do so.)

Long story short, sometimes we can do all that is in our power to keep our animals healthy, but unfortunately due to others neglect, and in some instances, just freak every day occurances, the odds are stacked againt our critters.

I try not to beat myself up over this, if four vets couldn't figure it out I should be a little easier on myself, I just want to make sure that people know, you can have a horse that appearsto be healthy, and it can still have a big worm issue.

Carolyn :no:

 

[Mercysmom]

My mini mare Freedom celebrated two New Years Days with mild impactions... she is not the best water drinker in the cold weather... but so far, we are running on all cylinders!

We tried very wet beet pulp the first year and she still impacted, requiring the veterinarian to come out and treat her and it took her a few days to get herself right again.

Last year we were using soaked alfalfa cubes but the mix was still not wet enough. Indy also started to plug up but she did not need the tube or a vet visit - after consulting with our veterinarian, administering a shot of Banamine, allowing her to graze, walk around and then followed with a very wet bran mash that night, she was clear again. (This worked for Indy but would not have worked for Freedom - if your horse is showing signs of decreased manure output, consult with your own veterinarian as to the best course of action for your own baby.)

This year, both Freedom and Independence are getting very wet, sloppy beet pulp shreds and soaked alfalfa cubes (about a handful of the soaked stuff and four cups of the water with their handfuls of pellets. I added a heated bucket to their pen and when the veterinarian was out yesterday to check Nefertiti for a cough she had (luckily it was an irritated throat... her lungs and trachea are clear), Freedom made a point to start drinking water in front of us... I think she remembered two years of us fighting her to get the NG tube down her throat and the bloody nose she had received from her struggle before we opted for a mild tranquilizer was enough to remind her to drink! She seemed mildly relieved that she was not going to get stuck with a needle or have to get examined!

I am constantly checking water intake and manure output on everyone here... and our veterinarian left us with a syringe of Banamine, as if I did not ask for it, I am sure someone would have some belly troubles....

Hoping everyone stays impaction-free!

Denise

Silversong Farm