Therapeutic management of impacted colic - a clinical study of five horses

Five horses with colic were reported with anorexia, intermittent pawing, rolling on ground, dull/ depressed condition and were kept on low quality grass and feedstuff. Clinical examination revealed increased heart beat, respiratory rate, pulse rate, CRT and body temperature. Animals had congested mucous membrane and absence of gut motility. Per-rectal examination showed empty rectum with severe straining and presence of mucous shreds on sleeves indicative of severe enteritis. Abdominal ultrasonography showed absence of peristalsis movement and presence of multiple aechoic pockets in intestinal segments indicative of impacted faecal material. All horses were advocated with anti-inflammatories, antihistaminics, antibiotic, antacids and fluid therapy. Liquid paraffin and anti-bloat were drenched via nasogastric stomach tube on alternate days. Two horses underwent warm soapy water enema twice daily for 3-4 days. All horses showed normal physiological parameters with improving gut motility without pain on fifth day of therapeutic management. All horses recovered uneventfully after seven days follow-up and regained normal appetite and owners were advised to keep an eye on defaecation, alertness and pain signs on daily basis.