We were branding calves in July, 1976 out on the OwyheeDesert. I was working for the Petan Ranch in Tuscarora, Nevada and it had been a hot, dry summer that year. We were catching horses ...
We were branding calves in July, 1976 out on the OwyheeDesert. I was working for the Petan Ranch in Tuscarora, Nevada and it had been a hot, dry summer that year. We were catching horses in the evening so we could get an early start.
It was Bones’ turn to wrangle. He saddled Perch and trotted off to find the horses. The buckaroo crew, halters in hand, were standing at the corral waiting for the cavvy. Looking west toward distant CalicoMountain you could see a pillar of dust rising long before you could make out any horses. Soon, the cavvy filed into the corral, but Bones the wrangler is nowhere in sight.
“Let’s go ahead and catch horses,” said Bud, the Buckaroo Boss. “A couple of you go see if you can find Bones. I hope Perch didn’t pick up a badger hole.”
As we’re catching horses, Bud noticed Butterfly didn’t come in with the cavvy. Now Bud really starts to worry. Just about then Fritz hollered out, “Here he comes”.
Bones trots up. “Hey Bud, Butterfly is down in the corner of the wrangle pasture, it looks like he’s real sick, he’s sweating and he’s been rolling a lot.” Fritz and Bones ride back out to fetch Butterfly and by time the rest of us finished feeding horses, they show up with the sick horse.
“Looks like colic” Bud says, “Try to keep him walking and don’t let him roll”. By now everyone realizes this is definitely an equine medical emergency and this horse is in a lot of pain. Thankfully, after some expert care from the senior horsemen on the crew (heck, even the cook offered his two cents), ol’ Butterfly slowly recovered. Some horses aren’t that lucky.
Leading killer of horses
Equine colic is the most common, most costly and most deadly of all equine medical conditions. Colic is the leading equine killer, affecting one in every ten horses each year. Luckily, most cases are mild and can be resolved with simple medical treatment.
Colic is not a disease but a symptom, a general term used to describe a broad range of abdominal discomforts; anything from mild spasms and gas distention to a life threatening gastro-intestinal abnormality or blockage.
Colic can be broken down into three basic categories:
1) Intestinal dysfunctions. This is the most common category, the horse’s digestive tract is not functioning properly and is accompanied by spasms, gas distention, impaction and decreased digestive motility. Class 1 colic often responds well to medical treatment, and is generally not life-threatening.
2) Intestinal Accidents (displacement, volvulus and torsion colic). These occur less frequently and include intestinal twists and entrapments. This type of colic causes a total blockage of blood flow and requires immediate surgery for the horse to survive.
3) Inflammation or ulceration. This category is identified by the affected bowel segment; enteritis, inflammation of the small intestine; or colitis, inflammation of the large intestine. Causes include many factors such as stress, medication, disease, infection or parasites.
To classify equine colic at its earliest onset is extremely difficult and the symptoms may be the same whether it is a mild case or a potentially fatal case that requires surgery. Symptoms may include:
1) Absence of appetite
2) Change in attitude, restlessness, depression
3) Repeatedly lying down
4) Pawing the ground
5) Stamping the hind feet
6) Turning the head toward the flank
7) Kicking or biting at the belly
8) Inappropriate sweating
9) Rolling excessively
10) Stretching out as if to urinate
11) Sitting in a dog-like position
12) Rolling repeatedly
There will be a lack of bowel movements and little or no digestive sounds. As the level of pain increases the behavior may become more violent in an effort to escape discomfort. Walking the horse may be a useful way of distracting him from his pain and prevent him from injuring himself.
When colic shows up on your outfit
If you recognize these symptoms of colic in your horse, he should be seen by a veterinarian immediately. Rapid diagnosis and treatment are vital. In severe cases, death often occurs in 12 to 48 hours.
Put the horse in a pen or stall where he can’t injure himself and he can be observed. Take the horse’s vital signs. Normal heart rate/pulse is 24-40 beats per minute; respiratory rate should be 12-18 breaths per minute; and a normal temperature is 99-100.5 degrees. Check capillary refill time and color of the gums. When pressing on the gums, normal refill time is 1-2 seconds, slower refill time indicates the onset of shock. Make note of any recent changes in management or diet. Has the horse gorged himself on grain or unusual feed? Has the feeding schedule been changed? Has water intake been normal? Has the horse received medication? When was the horse wormed last? Be prepared to relay these vital signs and dietary history to your vet so a timely diagnosis can be made.
Do not administer any drugs or attempt any procedures unless directed by the veterinarian. Veterinarians often perform a rectal exam to locate intestinal contents; their location may indicate presence or absence of intestinal function. This exam may also help to identify impaction or an obstruction. A stomach tube may be passed via the horse’s nose to collect gas or stomach contents which may help the vet to decide the type of colic and the appropriate treatment.
Treatments may include: pain relievers or sedatives; fluid therapy (intravenous or nasogastric – tube through the nose); laxatives (mineral oil) nasogastric; tranquilizers or surgery.
There is no “silver bullet” for the prevention of colic. Sometimes in an effort to treat our equine friends as one of the family we put them in the high-risk category by keeping them in small pens and feed high-powered hay and grain. We literally kill them with kindness. Management and diet may help in reducing the incidence of colic. Horses allowed to graze on pasture show decreased incidence of colic.
Remote ranching strategy
Meanwhile, back at the ranch … what about cowboys like Bud and horses like Butterfly. Most ranchers and cowboys live and work in remote locations. Luckily ranch horses are in the low-risk category. Diet and pasture grazing contribute greatly to their overall health. However, when the ranch horse does colic, the initial treatment may make the difference between life and death.
“In these remote situations, primary treatment will be your responsibility,” advises Dr. Boyd Spratling, veterinarian and rancher from Starr Valley, Nevada. “Educate yourself and be prepared to administer any necessary drugs and treatment.” Boyd’s practice includes many large ranches in northern Nevada where isolation is a way of life and survival depends on self-reliance. Boyd suggests working closely with your veterinarian to develop a solid, trusting relationship.
Colic is an unfortunate fact of life for horses, and proper management is the key to minimizing the risk.
Doug Groves is an accomplished horseman and rawhide braider who resides in Smith Valley, Nevada with his wife Patti, living the good life as a rancher. Doug has buckarooed some big outfits throughout Nevada, Idaho and Oregon, and spent several years as buckaroo boss of the massive T Lazy S Ranch near Battle Mountain, NV.
