Equine Colic Flashcards
(41 cards)
List signs of mild colic pain
Inappetance Restlessness Weight shifting Flank watching Stretching out Posturing to urinate Laying down Intermittent pawing
List signs of moderate pain RE colic
Continuous pawing (front foot) Head tossing Penile protrusion Yawning Fleming Up and down Dog sitting Kicking at abdomen
Signs of severe pain
Violent pawing
Violent rolling
Collapsing/throwing themselves on the ground
Refusal to stand up from lateral recumbency
Yawning in horses is a sign of improper function of what system …
Liver disease, usually when they yawn consistently
Signs of abdominal pain can be related to abdominal or extra abdominal. Further the “abdominal” causes.
Can be GIT or other abdominal organ. From the GIT, it may relate to distension, ischaemia or inflammation.
List some sites of origin for GIT pain
Stomach, SI, large colon, small colon, rectum
WIth GIT pain, there are three major fields of causation. These are Ischaemia, inflammation and ______. List the third one and explain
Distension
- Can be due to abnormal gas production or obstruction, where obstructions can be functional or physical
List an example of a functional reason for distension of an organ involved in the GIT
Impaired motility
What are the two types of physical obstructions resulting in distension within an organ related to the GIT?
Intraluminal (impaction; conglomeration of dehydrated ingests), foreign material
Extraluminal (kinked pipe)
Causes of abdominal pain in horses involve three major categories as a result of GIT pain. These are Distension, inflammation and _________. List an example of this third cause
Ischaemia, strangulation
Causes of abdominal pain result from 3 major categories when originating from the GIT tract. These are distension, ischaemia and __________. What is the missing cause?
Inflammation
Pain can originate from other abdominal organs. How common is this, and what are these other abdominal organs?
Less common
- Hepatic pain
- Renal pain
- Urinary system pain (urolithiasis)
- Peritoneal pain
- Reproductive system pain
Pain is originating from the reproductive system in this case. Two of the likely causes in this pregnant mare include:
Uterine torsion, dystocia.
Pain is originating from the reproductive tract in this stallion. List one example of a condition causing this.
There are many, but testicular torsion is a possibility.
Extra-abdominal disease can be misinterpreted as colic. Conditions that present similarly are (starting with your number 1 DDX)
Musculoskeletal system: laminitis (no.1 differential)
Nervous system: Hendra virus,botulism
Liver disease: Hepatic encephalopathy
Respiratory: pleuropneumonia (pleural pain)
Cardiovascular: heart failure
Immune system: Shock, vasculitis
Metabolic: hyperkalaemic periodic paralysis, hypocalcaemia
Not eating is the earliest sign of …
Hendra, and probably a heap of other shit
Compare the ligaments in a ruminant holding the rumen in place compared to those holding the colon in place in horses
There are none holding the colon in place. It is attached on the right hand side.
Explain the poor design of the GIT
U turns (pelvic flexure), bottlenecks (pelvic flexure, caecocolic valve), freely moveable intestines (mesentery)
Why are horses so frequently affected by GIT disease resulting in colic?
Hindgut fermenter (large fermentation fat), unable to educate from this. DOmestication (changed diet, changed use/housing/management) Poor GIT design (pelvic flexure, caecocolic valve, freely moveable intestines).
How do we apply a problem oriented approach to horses with signs of abdominal pain?
History Physical exam Diagnostic tests Treatment options Prognosis
What are the minimum data requirements for consult scheduling?
Age, sex, breed,
Hendra vax status
Primary complaint (summary of signs owner observes)
- Duration
- Severity
Medications admin.
Pertinent changes in management or history
What are the most important questions to ask in regards to the history of colic patients
Recent CHANGES - Diet, housing, level of exercise, water intake, weather Nutrition - Grain, concentrates, hay (quality) The Ds: dentistry & deworming Medication - NSAIDs, Antibiotics Patient disease history - Previous colic episodes Other animals affected
When looking at age, regarding to the signalment of your history taking, what parasites and pathogens might we expect to cause disease in a young animal?
Par ascaris equorum
What is the difference in survival rates for geriatric horses?
None. Age is not a disease you asshole
