Understanding Horse Colic - Causes and Treatment

Colic is something that every horse owner fears. Colic is kind of a generic term for a gastrointestinal problem that afflicts millions of horses every year. Because of the delicate gastrointestinal system that a horse has, many things can cause bloating, impaction, or even a twist in the horse’s intestines. Colic is the largest cause of premature death for horses. The symptoms of colic are easy to miss if the horse just has a mild case but even a mild case of colic can lead to death.

There are many different things that can cause colic in a horse, which is why horse owners need to be so careful about the health of their horse. As much as 11% of the total population of the horses in the US has at least one bout of colic every year and, sadly, not all of that 11% will make it through that bout of colic.

Possible causes of colic include:

• If the horse eats a lot of grain at one time
• If the horse eats a lot food of any type very quickly
• If the horse drinks very cold water when it’s warm – always offer the horse cool water, not cold water, when it’s warm
• Parasites
• Infections or viruses
• If the horse eats its bedding, like straw bedding
• If the horse has ulcers
• If the horse is unable to digest a particular type of food
• Dehydration
• If the horse is fed on sand or fresh dirt ground, the sand or dirt can build up in the horse’s gut
• Stress
• Cancer or tumors

• Horse Colic Symptoms
• Treatment for Horse Colic
• Prevent Horse Colic