Colic struck a devastating blow to young trainer Arjun Mangalorkar as he lost seven fashionably bred horses
in one day alone on Thursday at the Bangalore Turf Club. The unexpected turn of events has sent shock
waves in racing circles, with two other horses belonging to trainer Manohar and Karan Singh
succumbing to the killer disease. Colic has been routinely affecting and killing horses but it had
never happened on a mass scale, as has been the case this time. It may be recalled that India’s best-known
horses Storm Again, winner of Gr 1 Indian Derby and the Gr 1 Indian Turf Invitation Cup and Bonzer, winner
of Gr 1 Deccan Derby and Gr 1 Golconda Derby had become victims of colic a few years ago. For Arjun
Mangalorkar, the setback is something he may take a long time to recover from. About 15 horses from his
stable were affected by colic, seven have died and one of them is still battling for life while the others
have responded to the treatment.
Efforts are on find out the reason for colic striking in such big numbers. Post-mortem reports are expected
only by Tuesday and till such time; the exact cause will only be a matter of speculation. Royal Lord,
Beautiful Noise, Royal Achiever, The Warrior Saint, two-year olds Flitch-Boodles, Local Talent-Muniza are
among the victims.
What is colic and why it is a killer: As common as colic is, it remains misconstrued and lacks singular
explanation. Though extensive studies have been made on colic and tons of money spent in inventing ways to
make colic less fatal, the fact remains that it is still an offender of even the healthiest horses.
Colic has generally been defined as a spasm of any soft or hollow organ, such as the abdomen, that is
accompanied by pain. Broadly, colic in horses has been classified into three groups; intestinal dysfunctions,
intestinal accidents and enteritis or ulcerations.
There is a myriad of causes, but most colic cases fall under these three groups:
1) Intestinal Dysfunction — This is the most common category and simply means the horse’s bowels are not
working properly. It includes such things as gas distention, impaction, spasms and paralysis.
2) Intestinal Accidents — These occur less frequently and include displacements, torsions and hernias, whereby sections of the intestine become trapped or
pinched in body cavities. These almost always require emergency surgery.
3) Enteritis or Ulcerations — These are colics relate to inflammations, infections and lesions within the
digestive tract. They can be caused by numerous factors including stress, disease, salmonellosis and
parasites. Colic appears to be preceded by many complicated factors, and moreover is a major
cause of disease and death. Gastric distension/rupture: Results from a horse gorging itself or eating a substance, which
expands in the stomach. Since horses have small stomachs and are unable to vomit, their stomachs can
swell and burst in these cases. Just like in human babies, equine colic is defined simply as abdominal pain. However, while babies do indeed suffer from colic, they normally outgrow it
after a few months. In horses, it can prove fatal. In fact, colic is the main cause of death in horses.
Since it is difficult to determine how severe equine colic is when it begins, it is important to take
symptoms seriously and seek immediate help. Horses are more susceptible to colic because of their
gastrointestinal tracts, which have many "flexures" or bends that the food must travel through.
Some common signs of colic are:
1. Lying down more than usual
2. Repeatedly lying down and getting back up
3. Standing with the body stretched out, as if to urinate
4. Increased breathing rate
4. Sweating
5. Kicking at the abdomen
6. Rolling
What should do when a horse appears to be suffering colic? A veterinarian should be called immediately if
the horse is behaving violently, which is a sign of great pain. If the signs are less severe, the horse
can be observed for a short time before calling the veterinarian. The horse should be placed in a
comfortable stall without food or water and allowed to lie down. Try to walk it slowly if it wants to roll.
While observing the horse, gather the following information for the vet:
1. Temperature, pulse, respiratory rate
2. Color of mucous membranes
3. Behavioral signs
4. Do you hear digestive noises?
5. Horses' appetite over the last several days, as well as bowel activity
6. Any recent feeding or exercise changes
7. Recent water intake
8. Medical history, including recent medications How to avoid recurrences of colic?
1. Stick to a regular feeding schedule
2. Give access to clean water at all times. However,
when horses are excessively hot, they should receive
small sips of lukewarm water
3. At least half of diet should consist of hay or
forage
4. Access to forage as much as possible
5. Avoid excessive grain
6. No moldy hay or grain
7. Give hay and water before grain
8. Consistent exercise on a regular schedule
9. Allow slow changes to diet and exercise
10. Be careful of medications
11. Check potentially toxic substances in hay, bedding and pastures
12. Control intestinal parasites High-risk categories for colic include horses in intense training and those who have been recently
injured.