Evaluation of the colic in horses: decision for referral.
Abstract: This article presents an overview of key factors that should alert the practitioner toward referral of a colic patient to a facility capable of surgical exploration or intensive medical management. Discussion includes a review of important aspects of colic history, signalment, physical examination findings, and diagnostic test results that indicate that a more serious medical or surgical condition exists, and advanced therapy is necessary.
Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2014-06-10 PubMed ID: 25016497DOI: 10.1016/j.cveq.2014.04.001Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Review
- Clinical Examination
- Clinical Findings
- Clinical Pathology
- Clinical Signs
- Clinical Study
- Clinical Symptoms
- Colic
- Diagnosis
- Diagnostic Technique
- Disease Diagnosis
- Disease Management
- Disease Treatment
- Emergency Care
- Equine Health
- Equine Medicine
- Horses
- Hospitalization
- Veterinary Care
- Veterinary Medicine
- Veterinary Practice
- Veterinary Procedure
Summary
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This research article discusses the factors that should lead to the referral of colic in horses for surgical inspection or intense medical management, focusing on the examination findings, history, and diagnostic test results related to this severe ailment.
Overview of the Research
- This research study explores the crucial factors that a vet should consider in deciding whether a horse suffering from colic—the severe, often fluctuating pain in the abdomen—should be referred for surgical examination or intensive medical management.
- These deciding factors range from physical examination findings to the horse’s medical history and the results of diagnostic tests.
Key Factors in Decision Making
- The article recommends that specific findings in the horse’s colic history, signalment (which refers to the general characteristics of the horse, such as its breed, age, sex, and use), and diagnostic test results might indicate the existence of a more severe medical condition that requires advanced therapy.
- The research implies that understanding these key factors can help vets make informed decisions about referral and treatment that align with the horse’s welfare while ensuring that resources are allocated in the most efficient manner.
Importance of Advanced Therapy
- This study emphasizes the importance of advanced therapy, such as surgical exploration or intensive medical management, in cases where severe medical or surgical conditions are suspected.
- Such conditions are often not manageable through general veterinary practice, thus these horses need to be referred to specialized facilities.
- The research highlights the importance of timely referral in improving the prognosis of the horse.
Contribution to Veterinary Practice
- This research offers critical insights for veterinary practitioners dealing with horses suffering from colic.
- It equips vets with the knowledge to make better-informed decisions for the well-being of their equine patients and facilitates better utilization of medical resources.
- The findings are likely to contribute significantly to the improvement of horse health care, particularly in managing cases of colic.
Cite This Article
APA
Cook VL, Hassel DM.
(2014).
Evaluation of the colic in horses: decision for referral.
Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract, 30(2), 383-viii.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cveq.2014.04.001 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine, 736 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biological Sciences, Colorado State University, 300 West Drake Road, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA. Electronic address: dhassel@colostate.edu.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Colic / diagnosis
- Colic / therapy
- Colic / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / therapy
- Horses
- Referral and Consultation
Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Fikri F, Hendrawan D, Wicaksono AP, Purnomo A, Khairani S, Chhetri S, Maslamama ST, Purnama MTE. Incidence, risk factors, and therapeutic management of equine colic in Lamongan, Indonesia.. Vet World 2023;16(7):1408-1414.
- Lara F, Castro R, Thomson P. Changes in the gut microbiome and colic in horses: Are they causes or consequences?. Open Vet J 2022 Mar-Apr;12(2):242-249.
- Contreras-Aguilar MD, Rubio CP, González-Arostegui LG, Martín-Cuervo M, Cerón JJ, Ayala I, Henriksen IH, Jacobsen S, Hansen S. Changes in Oxidative Status Biomarkers in Saliva and Serum in the Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome and Colic of Intestinal Aetiology: A Pilot Study.. Animals (Basel) 2022 Mar 7;12(5).
- Lightfoot KL, Burford JH, England GCW, Bowen IM, Freeman SL. Mixed methods investigation of the use of telephone triage within UK veterinary practices for horses with abdominal pain: A Participatory action research study.. PLoS One 2020;15(9):e0238874.
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