The Colic Monster
Posted: Mon Apr 10, 2017 4:15 pm
What a monster colic is.
I work for the barn I keep Phoenix at, and have for 2 years. It pays my board and lately has helped finance Phoenix's training also.
Yesterday, on my watch, we had the most severe case of colic I've personally seen yet... and it happened so fast.
She ate her breakfast fine. The only thing I noted in the morning was she seemed itchy but she was very dirty so we planned to bathe her in the afternoon.
She ate her lunch at 11:30 just fine. No signs of anything going on.
We pulled her out and bathed her at 1:00 and she seemed fine.
She went back in her stall around 2 after drying a bit, and it was noted she immediately rolled. But of course we assumed it was just the bath. I went ahead and washed another horse and took her out to graze for a bit to dry. Came back and noted she was wanting to roll again and immediately alarm bells were going off in my head. This was around 2:30pm. I got her up and noticed she was uncomfortable, kicking at her stomach and immediately wanting to lay down again. Right away I was calling the BO and got her out and started walking. All the reinforcements were called in and the vet arrived about 30 minutes later. By that point she was almost collapsing as we walked, had a heart rate of at least 70, was sweating, and almost frantic. I knew deep down this was a bad one.
The vet palpated and determined there was a lot of distention on one side, and a void on the other. He felt all the signs pointed towards her needing to go to the clinic. She was sedated and given a large dose of Banamine and loaded on the trailer.
We thought she was a bit better when she arrived and we were hopeful, but at 3am her owner received a call asking permission to go ahead with surgery.
This morning I'm told she's awake but groggy, and we don't know for sure if we're out of the woods.
The vet commented I caught it early, and everyone kept telling me I did a good job. But man, having a colic that bad when you're on duty really sucks. Its hard to hear that I "did good" because I think I'll always wonder if I should have known something was up right after the bath. I'm so attached to all of these horses, mine or not.
So, hug your horses tight... and always be aware of odd behavior. She went from seeming fine to almost collapsing withing about an hour. I know I went out and gave Phoenix big hug and kiss, thanking my lucky stars.
I work for the barn I keep Phoenix at, and have for 2 years. It pays my board and lately has helped finance Phoenix's training also.
Yesterday, on my watch, we had the most severe case of colic I've personally seen yet... and it happened so fast.
She ate her breakfast fine. The only thing I noted in the morning was she seemed itchy but she was very dirty so we planned to bathe her in the afternoon.
She ate her lunch at 11:30 just fine. No signs of anything going on.
We pulled her out and bathed her at 1:00 and she seemed fine.
She went back in her stall around 2 after drying a bit, and it was noted she immediately rolled. But of course we assumed it was just the bath. I went ahead and washed another horse and took her out to graze for a bit to dry. Came back and noted she was wanting to roll again and immediately alarm bells were going off in my head. This was around 2:30pm. I got her up and noticed she was uncomfortable, kicking at her stomach and immediately wanting to lay down again. Right away I was calling the BO and got her out and started walking. All the reinforcements were called in and the vet arrived about 30 minutes later. By that point she was almost collapsing as we walked, had a heart rate of at least 70, was sweating, and almost frantic. I knew deep down this was a bad one.
The vet palpated and determined there was a lot of distention on one side, and a void on the other. He felt all the signs pointed towards her needing to go to the clinic. She was sedated and given a large dose of Banamine and loaded on the trailer.
We thought she was a bit better when she arrived and we were hopeful, but at 3am her owner received a call asking permission to go ahead with surgery.
This morning I'm told she's awake but groggy, and we don't know for sure if we're out of the woods.
The vet commented I caught it early, and everyone kept telling me I did a good job. But man, having a colic that bad when you're on duty really sucks. Its hard to hear that I "did good" because I think I'll always wonder if I should have known something was up right after the bath. I'm so attached to all of these horses, mine or not.
So, hug your horses tight... and always be aware of odd behavior. She went from seeming fine to almost collapsing withing about an hour. I know I went out and gave Phoenix big hug and kiss, thanking my lucky stars.