COLIC QUIZ: Test YOUR knowledge about this common killer
Colic, a term used for any kind of abdominal pain originating in the horse’s gastro-intestinal tract, is one of the most common and most feared of any equine emergency. The high incidence of colic can be attributed to a number of factors including feeding strategies, environmental variables, and the physiology of the horse’s digestive system. The fear factor is due to colic’s well-deserved reputation as a killer of horses, and because many horse owners feel helpless when faced with the prospect of a colicking horse. However, despite its fearsome reputation, colic is usually not fatal, and most cases resolve without surgical intervention. A major study conducted by the USDA’s National Animal Health Monitoring System found that the incidence of colic was 4.2 events/100 horses per year, with a fatality rate of 11 percent. That means that less than one out of every 200 horses will die in any given year from colic. Still, horse owners who have ...