Equine Colic Surgery by Mei Thum, CLFS

Any kind of equine surgery is an extraordinary procedure to watch – the large size of a horse means it must be anaesthetised in a padded room and mechanically lifted onto the operating table. A harness system must be used to support the horse, who can weigh up to 1,000 pounds. The preparation for surgery in itself requires a skilled team of veterinary nurses, anaesthetists and veterinarians to ensure the horse is secure, the area to be operated on is sterile and the horse is stable in its blood oxygen and blood pressure levels, among other factors which must be monitored. As O’Brien (2013) states, a catheter is positioned in an artery in the face to monitor blood oxygen levels and an endotracheal tube positioned in the trachea and attached to a ventilator to inflate the horse’s lungs. The sound of the lungs being continuously inflated with air can be clearly heard in the operating room – perhaps either a reassurance or an unnerving reminder for the veterinary surgeon that time is of the essence while the patient is unconscious.

The term colic describes any “clinical signs of abdominal pain or discomfort in the horse (and) is the most common equine emergency and cause of death in horses worldwide” (The British Horse Society, 2022). This is can be caused by a range of factors “from simple indigestion to a twisted gut” (The Blue Cross, 2023). Colic can be divided into two categories: medical colic, in which medical management alone can treat the horse; and surgical colic where, as Rippingale (2023) explains, clinical signs are usually more severe and surgery is required. Majority of colic cases are medical colics but when surgery is required, surgeons must act quickly to prevent the blood supply of areas of the small intestine from being cut off or the condition becoming fatal.

The colic surgery process varies depending on the type of colic being treated. The surgeon begins by making an incision along the midline of the horse or occasionally towards the right or left. The following procedure can then involve “correction of displaced intestines, resection of necrotic (dead) intestines, or removing intraluminal obstructions” (ACVS, 2023). University of Liverpool (2023) explain that removing impacted material, which usually involves making an incision in the intestine to remove built-up waste, and collecting biopsies can also occur in a colic surgery. Although the procedure carried out may vary, all colic surgeries share the final goal of resolving the problem causing abdominal pain to ensure the horse can achieve a full recovery.

After colic surgery, a recovery period of around 4 months is necessary to allow the surgery site to heal. If the horse recovers successfully, there is no reason for them not to return to their usual work routine once they have regained their fitness. Colic surgery is one of the most frequently performed surgeries on equines. This is remarkable considering a horse’s size and is just one fascinating example of the many conditions that veterinary surgery can resolve.

ACVS, 2023. Colic Surgery in Horses. [Online]
Available at: https://www.acvs.org/surgical-procedures/colic-surgery-horses
[Accessed 30 April 2023].

The Blue Cross, 2023. Horse Colic Prevention and Management. [Online]
Available at: https://www.bluecross.org.uk/advice/horse/health-and-injuries/horse-colic-prevention-and-management
[Accessed 30 April 2023].

University of Liverpool, 2023. Guide To Equine Colic Surgery. [Online]
Available at: https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/equine/common-conditions/colic/colic-surgery/
[Accessed 30 April 2023].

O’Brien, A., 2013. Behind the Scenes of Equine Surgery. Pet MD.

Rippingale, M., 2023 . Nursing the Equine Colic Patient. Improve Veterinary Practice .

The British Horse Society, The University of Nottingham , 2022. Colic in horses. [Online]
Available at: https://www.bhs.org.uk/horse-care-and-welfare/health-care-management/horse-health/equine-diseases/colic/
[Accessed 30 April 2023].