Colic is the most common cause of death in horses beyond old age. Rapid recognition, prompt veterinary response, and management risk reduction are essential for horse welfare and survival.
Colic causes acute abdominal pain ranging from mild discomfort to agonizing, incapacitating pain in severe cases. Horses with large colon torsion experience some of the most intense pain of any species before surgical intervention or humane euthanasia. Rapid assessment and decision-making are essential welfare imperatives: delay in calling a veterinarian for a colicking horse risks deterioration from a medically manageable condition to a surgical emergency or fatality. Owner education about the signs of colic, appropriate first response including monitoring vital signs and removing hay, and the threshold for calling a veterinarian is among the most important welfare education topics for horse owners. Management risk reduction through adequate water, forage provision, and parasite control prevents many common colic types.