Displacement colic

[eclipse]

Talk to me about left side displacement colic! Tonight Sullivan showed signs of colic after our ride so get was called. Upon examination she discovered that he had a left displacement so we immediately took him to the clinic.

heart rate is excellent, gut noises good but on ultrasound you can see the displacement (small intestine appears normal). So they tranqued and put the tube down and holy cow the amount of crap that came out was amazing (the smell yuck).

he was then Epsom salted but less than normal as they are worried about it not passing, so they will hand walk him every hour and monitor his hydration throughout the night. Tomorrow he will be ultra sounded again to see if things have moved back to normal position and he will stay at the clinic for a few days barring any other complications.

ive never dealt with any type of colic before and am freaking out (this horse has already survived a severed extensor tendon) so this is devestatating! If he recovers from this what are the chances it will happen again and any ideas of feed etc to help prevent?

[2tempe]

The left displacement of the large colon is over ligament between the kidney and spleen. It is known as a nephrospenic entrapment. Fairly common.

There are a number of medical ways that the clinic may treat depending on whether the horse has significant gas build up. Some include drugs, sometimes trotting the horse, sometimes rolling them in a controlled manner under anesthesia.
I believe there is a fairly high rate of fixing w/out surgery. If the horse has to go to surgery, and it is ONLY a displacement, it is one of the “easier” surgeries for colic.
Others may tell you differently but having been through two displacements, w/ surgery, no impactions, sand or other problems: the vets do not really know what causes them. They displace because they can…
My mare was on no grain, only ration balancer. Regular electroytes. On layup (turnout but no riding) for injury the first time, back in work the 2nd time. One was early winter, one was summer.

Re feed, it depends on what you are doing now, but lower carb food is better. Be sure that when new hay comes that you add it in gradually with old hay rather than sudden switch. Consider adding a pre/probiotic.

Displacements are known to recur in some horses; if you spend enough time googling (which I have done!) you can read about that but other than mares post foaling it seems more anecdotal than scientific studies.

Good luck

[eclipse]

Thank you 2tempe. Vet is hoping that they will not have to roll or do surgery but morning will tell us more after the 2nd ultrasound and bloodwork comes back! So far I’ve not had the dreaded 3am phone call so I’m assuming his night walks have gone well.

he is currently fed unlimited hay (outside and in a hay net in his stall). He’s a picky eater for a 6 yr old who likes to nible! I’m not sure of the amounts they feed for his grains but at 4pm he gets: soaked beet pulp; complete feed (srs format to help with weight and the fact he will eat it) and pellets (no oats as they make him excessively crazy and hot)!
we will also be starting him on electrolytes after this!

What at probiotic would you suggest? I’m luckily at a barn that will bring in anything a horse needs!

[Zu_Zu]

Jingles & AO for your gelding ~ ((hugs)) for you ~

Jingles & AO for your gelding ~

((hugs)) for you ~

[Hermein]

I have added extra salt, pre & probiotics, plus about an ounce of psyllium to really soupy mashes for my horse who’s prone to colics, now that he’s older. The colics have stopped–so far so good.

Jingles for you and your horse.

[2tempe]

Equine nutritionist recommended two different ones that Smart Pak carries; cant remember the 2nd one, but this is what I use as Pre/Probiotic:

https://www.smartpakequine.com/ps/digestive-support-formerly-ultraelite-digest-2206

[eclipse]

Sadly Smartpack don’t ship to Canada

Just heard from the vet: 5am his heart rate was up so she tubed him and got quite a bit more reflux out. Then trotted him every 2 hrs in the round pen.

He’s now passing normal manure and heart rate is back down. She ultrasounded and everything has gone back in place on its own, so she tubed him again and got no reflux and also did a rectal which is normal. She will hand walk every 2 hrs and slowly interoduce feeding.

She’s looking into wether a pre and pro biotic supplement will help him as well and what kind and has a nutritionist helping! Hoping he will be back home on Monday

[bugsynskeeter]

Did they give him phenylephrine or just jog him? The phenylephrine helps contract the spleen down, allowing the colon to “slide” back to the right spot.

[eclipse]

The initial vet talked about meds to slide things back into place if needed but I’m not sure if they had to use them or not. I’m headed up there this afternoon so will get better information now I’m not all panicked! Luckily we have a top notch vet clinic in Calgary and this is twice they’ve saved this dude … I’m so grateful for them

[SolarFlare]

eclipse, the vets here at Milton (Ontario) recommended Omega Alpha Biotic 8 or Equine Choice for probiotics for mine. He had right dorsal displacement, not left, and mine resolved medically thankfully without surgery.

Both are easily available in Canada

ETA - I’ve been using the Biotic 8. No recurrences, but then again they told me it wasn’t likely to reoccur.

[DQ01]

Eclipse, my mare had surgery in August for a right dorsal displacement and a twisted large colon. Also in Canada, no SmarkPak
My vet put her on Equine Choice pre and probiotics and she’s been on that ever since! I’m also working on getting her to outdoor board so she’s moving around more. Trying to get her as close to being a natural horse as possible in a boarding facility… Good luck with your guy, my dreaded 2am phone call was the worst night of my life but so grateful to have my girl with me now. And she also has been through a hind suspensory tear! I totally feel your pain.

[eclipse]

Good news: Sullivan came home today after a very good weekend. He’s back on full haynet and we are reintroducing his other foods over the next 4 days along with his new suplements (we have put him on the Equine Choice pre/pro biotics). Excercise will be increased over the next week or 2 to full work… Fingers crossed this doesn’t happen again!

[doublesstable]

So glad Sullivan came home!! You are so blessed to have him resolve on his own!!!

My horse just had surgery two months ago for a left dorsal displacement but needed surgery because his spleen flipped over.

I believe the gas was caused by a month treatment of Ulcer Guard. Each hose reacts to meds differently… but it does change their hind gut health so it makes sense to me.

I feed him as follows that is working really well:

Small hole hay net with Timothy hay all the time.

2 lbs Safe Choice Special care
Smart Calm ultra (since he is on lay up)
Electrolyte
Forco (product for hind gut health per the surgeon)
Elevate Vit E
Neigh lox (when needed for stress)
Flax oil
mixed in soaked Timothy pellets.

The wet pellets really helped his system function. Poop -

So now his diet becomes a science…