• Photos courtesy of– Ben Espsy, DVM, DACT – Diana Zimmel, DVM, DACVIM, DABVP

• www.aaep.org/horseowner

Surgery?

• Most cases of colic resolve with medical treatment

• Surgical cases minority of total colics

Surgery?

• Most common cause of equine mortality– These are the ones that don’t resolve

• Treat every case as it is surgical

Indications for Surgery

• Pain– Recurrent or intractable– The longer it persists, the less severe required to

indicate surgery

• Gastric reflux (large amount)– Not necessarily

Indications for Surgery

• Rectal exam– Small intestinal distention– Displacement or distended large colon– Mass

• Ultrasound– Thickened bowel wall– Gas in bowel wall

Indications for Surgery

• Absence of borborygmi– Ileus

• Peritoneal fluid– Increased protein– Serosanguinous

Normal Mucosa

Strangulation ObstructionEndotoxin

Verminous Arteritis

Contraindications for Surgery

• Fever– Most often means enteritis

• CBC– Neutropenia: enteritis

• Auscultation– Good motility

Preoperative Prognostic Indicators

• Cardiovascular status (shock)– Indicates severity of problem– Reversible?

• Small intestinal distention– Usually strangulated– Small intestine has more postoperative

complications– Peritoneal fluid elevations

Thank You

• Ben Buchanan, DVM, DACVIM, DACVECC

– Brazos Valley Equine Hospital– bbuchanan@bveh.com– 936-825-2197