I wouldn’t really recommend this attitude, but when I had an old pony who would get impaction colic about 5 times each winter, the first thing I would always do was toss him in the trailer and take him on a 10 minute drive. About 4 out of 5 times, that got things moving and he felt fine once we got home. That one time it didn’t, I’d call the vet and they’d usually have me give him banamine while waiting for them to arrive.
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Vets I have used in the past, in 2 States, have dispensed a tube of oral Banamine paste to me, to keep on hand for such issues. Since it is available in that form, it is much more convenient than the IV kind, especially since horse owners (relatively rarely) have the skills to do IVs.
Edited to add, I call Vet first, and give the Banamine after that phone consult, to get dosage advice, most of the time.
I always keep Banamine paste on hand. My policy is to call the vet first with vitals, give the Banamine and then check in with them in an hour.
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I have only had 2-3 colic experiences but I generally call the vet, who usually instructs me to give oral banamine and then report back.
Last summer, my mare had some weird gas colic that seemed to be sympathetic labor because it started right when a mare across from her started to foal. I was having a hard time reaching a vet, so we gave banamine first. She didn’t improve, but it soon became audibly apparent that it was a gas colic 
She was so in time with the mare that was foaling that the BO was momentarily worried that her pregnant mare was actually colicing as well from something they both ate! After an hour I started a new round of vet calls, but the only available vet was the single most expensive vet in the area. It would have been over $200 just to appear. Well, as soon as the foal stood up, my mare jumped up and started running the fence line, snorting like a dragon, with her eyes popping out of her head at the sight of the foal. I think she either wanted to kill it or steal it. It was bizarre, but at that point she appeared to be out of danger so I finally left the barn since the BO was going to be out all night watching her mare and the foal
A story I partially witnessed and heard the rest (from a completely reliable source, so NOT fake news):
I was stable-sitting (for a vet) on the weekend, and Saturday morning as I’m getting up to feed I notice a strange horse being led past the house. I go outside and the horse and leader is passing through the barn and over to the next door. About 45 minutes later the person comes rushing back through the barn and says she’s heading up to pick up some banamine to give to her colicking horse (ergo, why she was walking the horse through the vet’s property). 2 minutes later she passes back through. I offer any assistance, but she doesn’t respond. No problem, she may not have heard me or, since she doesn’t know me from Adam, decided to decline my offer. I don’t see her or the horse again. When I go back later that afternoon to do evening chores and feed, all is quiet next door, and same for the following morning.
Today I find out from the source that the horse died not 5 minutes after I saw the person returning through the barn. She administered (injected) the banamine, got 1/2 of it in and the horse went into seizure and died. She had called an on-call vet, but administered the banamine while waiting. By the time the on-call vet arrived the (apparently valuable) horse was cold dead.
Now, it’s possible the horse was in such shock or toxicity it was already dying, or if she had given the banamine orally it wouldn’t have had a seizure, or it could have died while the vet was administering the banamine, but it’s more likely the person injected into an artery and caused the seizure and death of horse.
Me, I ALWAYS call the vet first with symptoms, and TPR, and wait for the vet to arrive to assess the colic and let her administer the 1st dose of banamine, unless the vet specifically tells me to administer the banamine and then I only give it orally. I’ve had several impaction episodes with my horse, so I’m fairly familiar with the steps my vet wants me to take, and only deviate on her orders.
To go back to the story, not only has this person lost her horse, but lost out on the insurance also (if the horse was insured- likely, given its value) since it wasn’t under a vet’s control and no necropsy was performed.
Just something to consider for all the internet vets…
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When I say give banamine I absolutely meant oral paste in a tube. You set the dose dial like on a wormer, shoot down back of tongue. Fairly foolproof.
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The injectable banamine can also be given orally,my vet never advises an owner to do IV or IM banamine.
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This is why I won’t do IV meds. I know I’m a nurse but done incorrectly leads to death. Won’t do it.
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I give Banamine right away. I call my vet practice and alert them that I have a colic and might need someone to come out. One of the vets always calls me right back and we discuss what’s going on.
90% of the time the colic is fleeting (no sweating, no elevated heart rate, no frantic behavior) and horse returns to normal within the hour. But as soon as I see any signs of acute distress and/or that Banamine is only taking a slight edge off pain, vet is here within 20 minutes. Thankfully they are close to me.
The very few times I’ve had a colic that looked serious, it was serious. Very serious.
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At the vet clinic where I work a hell of a lot of Doc’s advice depends on the owner’s expertise, comfort level in managing the event and distance away from Doc. If it’s an experienced owner who can take & report accurate vitals and has non-emotional powers of observation she may advise a dose of banamine (that owner would have already purchased the product to have on hand) and check back in 30 minutes. A gas colic can pass that quickly. If the original report has specific indications of a serious colic Doc will drive right out.
Some owners are not comfortable dealing with colic in any form and Doc drives right out.
One of my horses is a choker. We’ve scoped her and there is no obstruction but if her concentrates aren’t hydrated enough she will choke. Best we can figure is that she bolts her food. Anyway, when a choke starts I’ll massage for 15 minutes and if that doesn’t clear it I call Doc to start the timer. She usually has me give 2cc of ace, massage, confine to a stall and remove all food and water. If after an hour the choke had not resolved she would come out to treat but so far the ace & massage have been the ticket to success. I work for her so she knows I’m comfortable doing this, no matter the outcome.
Hope your new guy is handling this cold snap ok!!
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Colic is something we don’t mess around with… I’ve seen too many of them go from being a “little uncomfortable” to down and thrashing by the time the Vet gets there. I take vitals and call my vet. Many times, especially if they are already down, we get them up and put them on a trailer to spend a few days at the Vet clinic. It’s just not worth it.
That being said, one should never give banamine IM. Google it. It has to do with a condition called clostridial myonecrosis. You can give the injectable banamine orally- so if all is on hand is injectable banamine you can draw it up in a syringe, pop the needle off, and put it in their mouth. Much safer to do this than giving IM or giving IV if you’re not experienced with them.
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Oh I know not to give it IM. I have paste.
That’s my MO as well. The $237 (to be exact) for barn call, exam, banamine and tubing) is well worth my peace of mind.
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Wow, that’s a steal! This will $600-$700. My vet is high but they are good…but high!
