Horse Colic: Emergency Welfare Management

Colic is the leading cause of premature death in horses and one of the most painful acute conditions they face, requiring prompt recognition and emergency veterinary care.

Key Facts

Colic — abdominal pain — kills more horses than any other disease and accounts for 28-33% of equine deaths
Types range from simple gas colic resolving with walking and medication to surgical emergencies
Signs include pawing, rolling, looking at flanks, sweating, reluctance to move and elevated heart rate
Time from colic onset to surgical intervention is a critical determinant of survival in surgical cases
Certain management practices including high-concentrate diets and restricted grazing increase colic risk
Dehydration is a significant colic risk factor — ensuring water availability and encouraging drinking is preventive

Welfare Considerations

Colic causes severe acute pain that makes it one of the most urgent welfare emergencies in equine care. The range of severity — from mild gas accumulation to life-threatening displacement or strangulation — means early veterinary assessment is essential to determine appropriate treatment. The welfare tragedy of equine colic is compounded when financial barriers to veterinary care delay treatment. Management practices that reduce colic risk — adequate forage, water access and gradual dietary changes — are investments in both welfare and economics.

What You Can Do

Learn to recognise early colic signs and call your vet promptly — early assessment saves lives
Never leave a severely colicky horse to "see how it goes" without veterinary assessment
Ensure horses have constant access to clean water to reduce dehydration-related colic risk
Implement gradual dietary changes and avoid sudden changes in feed type or quantity
Consider equine insurance to remove financial barriers to seeking emergency veterinary care