Colic Surgery in Horses: A Retrospective Study Into Short- and Long-Term Survival Rate, Complications and Rehabilitation toward Sporting Activity.

This research paper explores the outcomes and potential complications experienced by horses that undergo surgery for colic, with a specific focus on both short-term recovery and long-term return to sporting activities.

Study Overview

• The study is retrospective in nature, meaning it looks back at past cases to find patterns or correlations. The cases analyzed involved 283 horses that underwent colic surgery at a veterinary teaching hospital.
• As part of the study methodology, owners of the horses were contacted and asked to complete a questionnaire which focused on the first year of rehabilitation after surgery.

Results Overview

• Out of the 283 horses that were operated on, 167 (about 59%) were discharged and returned home. However, 34 of these horses were lost to follow-up.
• From the remaining 133 horses, 128 survived after 1 year, indicating a survival rate of 96.2%. The other 5 horses had to be euthanized due to the recurrence of colic.
• There were several horses that did not survive the hospitalization period, with 73 horses being euthanized during the operation itself, and 36 horses during their intensive care unit (ICU) stay.
• The survival rate of horses entering the ICU and eventually being discharged from the hospital was 79.5%.

Rehabilitation and Recurrence

• During rehabilitation, approximately 60% of the horses that returned home experienced at least one recurrence of colic.
• About 63.4% of the discharged horses were able to achieve at least their preoperative level of performance in their sporting activities.
• Owners reported altered behavior and problems related to a horse’s gait, especially during specific elements of riding such as collecting or lateral bending.
• These gait-related problems and altered behaviours were reported in up to 46.2% of the horses.

Conclusion

• The researchers suggest that to further improve the performance and welfare of horses after recovery from colic surgery, more effective veterinary aftercare and collaboration with other disciplines (such as physiotherapy and saddle fitting) may be beneficial during the rehabilitation process.