URGENT!!! what are the first signs of colic

time to put all that halter breaking to use! Walk him as much as possible. Do NOT let him lay down, just walk walk walk back and forth and no food or water. Walk him until the vet is there. Anytime a horse is down and won't get up is a serious problem. Keeping positive thoughts for you, hoping for the best. Please let us know the outcome.

Unless the horse is rolling or thrashing, walking isn't the best thing for them.

Vets now recommend if the animal is lying still, to let them be and keep an eye on them.

Banamine will help with the pain, as will sometimes cold hosing the front legs.

If it's an impaction rather than gas colic, letting him eat can make it worse.

I don't know about Ireland, but here in the U.S., I keep more than one vet on my call list. If one is busy or not available, I call one of the others.

In a case of impaction colic, the sooner the vet gets out there, the better.

I agree that if he's just lying there - let him. There is no harm in that. If he starts rolling THEN you should get him up and walking around. If you have a trailer and can load him you can take him for a short ride - the bumpiness of it sometimes helps with gas colic.

hi this is bubblegums sister, she on a call to a second vet but he isnt availble either he is busy, bailey is now out for a long walk in circles out of the stable, landlord has gone to another vets (his vets) to bring him, his car broke down a few miles away so she is hopeing they hurry on. she is really worried about him and is near tears so keep your fingers crossed everyone, i posted the last post too and the pic,

I work in a hospital with several equine surgeons (I'm actually a vet student there), we do about 4 colic surgeries per week. I have never once seen them recommend letting a down horse lie there.

To bubblegum and her sis. Please try to keep calm. I know it is hard, but it is going to help Bailey more if you can all keep your heads. He has come to trust her, she needs to be the cool calm leader he is expecting to see. She has come a long way with this guy, I know she can make it through this. Keep the updates coming.

tealamutt - If the horse is lying there and is not thrashing about, then they are comfortable and you can just let them be. It's pretty much the same thing as standing there - there is no chance of the gut twisting.

They get into trouble when they roll - that's when you walk them to keep them from going down and to try to jiggle out any gas that may be causing the problem.

Just because the horse is colicking doesn't mean you have to walk them til their feet fall off - you want them to stay comfortable until the vet gets there, so you give banamine and monitor. Walking them if necessary to prevent them from rolling. But if they are lying there comfortably then it's probably not a very severe case.

I will 2nd or 3rd or whatever the theory that if they are down and comfortable (not trashing or such) then it is OK to let them be. That is what the vet explained to me last time I dealt with a mild impaction colic.

Tealamutt, each vet has his or her own idea of what's best or not for a colicing horse.

Where I live, the general consensus is if the horse is lying still, there's no reason to make it get up and walk in circles. If it's thrashing, trying to roll, or being otherwise fussy, then yes, get it to its feet and start walking.

I think it makes a lot of sense, actually. How much would you want to walk around, if you were in excrutiating pain? If you're willing to lie still, don't you think you should be able to?

Speed Racer is correct. It is better to allow a horse to quietly when colicing. With a baby it's pretty serious and a vet needs to be called asap. It almost sounds like there is more then just colic going on with the gunk in the eye. I hope all turns out well.

vet will be here soon,