Question: How Do I Know My Horse Has Colic?
Your horse will exhibit any combination of the following symptoms:
Answer:
Visual Signs
- Pawing
- Biting at Flanks
- Restlessness/Pacing
- Apathy
- Sweating
- Standing stretched.
- Kicking at its abdomen.
- Substantially less or no manure produced.
- Rolling (If a horse is rolling to scratch himself, he will roll and perhaps rub his neck and head back and forth to give himself a good massage. He will then get up and have a good shake to get rid of the dust. If the horse has colic he will roll repeatedly and stand listless, looking uncomfortable, without shaking his body and head and often get down to roll again. If the horse is in extreme pain the rolling may be violent.)
Changes in Vital Signs:
Familiarize yourself with your horse's or pony's healthy vital signs before problems begin.
- Elevated pulse-the average is 27 and 43 beats per minute.
- Elevated temperature-the average is 98F to 100F.
- Elevated or depressed respiration-the average is 8 to 16 times per minute.
