Colic In Horses Essay

Among domesticated horses, colic is the leading cause of death. Many horses experience colic throughout their lifetime. There are different forms of colic, and many different causes as well. Almost all cases of colic are serious enough to warrant medical attention. Colic is any form of gastrointestinal condition that causes pain, and sometimes death; it has many different causes, and therefore; many different treatments. Colic is an age old problem that plagues horses. It is very painful, and also very serious. It has been said that 920,000 horses nationwide will colic in a year. Furthermore; more than 64,000 horses will have life-threatening complications due to colic. “Colic is reported by insurance companies and universities as the single …show more content…
Colic can be spasmodic, which is caused by excess gas in their stomach or bowels. It can also be caused by dehydration, or eating too much grain at one time. Another form of colic is caused by the ingestion of sand. The sand accumulates in the horse's intestines, and can create blockages. Other blockages can cause colic as well, blockages caused by bailing twine for example. Other types of colic are caused by other things that can’t be pinpointed. Some horses tend to be more colicky than others; that means that they might colic numerous times throughout their life. A horse's gastrointestinal tract is what makes horses so prone to colic. It is very complex, with many things that could go wrong. There are different things that a person can do to determine if a horse is colicking. Some methods include checking for gut noises (which a person would want to hear; it means that their digestive system is functioning normally), observing their behavior, a horse that is pawing at the ground or rolling is not a good sign, and looking at their level of hydration. Many different causes of colic exist, and it is important to know the signs of colic to determine whether a horse really is