Major equine surgery including colic surgery imposes significant welfare challenges during recovery; evidence-based post-operative management minimises pain and complications.
Post-surgical welfare in horses requires careful balancing of competing needs: immobility for healing versus movement for psychological welfare; pain management versus sedation that impairs normal function; gradual reintroduction of feed versus immediate appetite satisfaction. Multi-modal pain management that combines NSAIDs, opioids where appropriate, and local anaesthetic techniques provides better pain control than single-agent approaches. Psychological welfare during prolonged box rest requires the environmental management strategies discussed elsewhere, adapted to the specific post-surgical context.