1. At BVEH your horse’s health is our passion. Our goal is to care for each patient, from conception through retirement, with the highest quality care available at a reasonable cost. As highly trained and dedicated professionals, we are committed to exceeding expectations and to helping each horse reach its full athletic potential.

2. The Equine Acute Abdominal Crisis Colic Ben Buchanan, DVM Brazos Valley Equine Hospital Board-certified Specialist Internal Medicine Emergency and Critical Care

3. Slided Developed By AAEP www.aaep.org/horseowner

22. Photos courtesy of –Ben Espsy, DVM, DACT –Diana Zimmel, DVM, DACVIM, DABVP www.aaep.org/horseowner

23. Surgery? Most cases of colic resolve with medical treatment Surgical cases minority of total colics

24. Surgery? Most common cause of equine mortality –These are the ones that don’t resolve Treat every case as it is surgical

25. Indications for Surgery Pain –Recurrent or intractable –The longer it persists, the less severe required to indicate surgery Gastric reflux (large amount) –Not necessarily

26. Indications for Surgery Rectal exam –Small intestinal distention –Displacement or distended large colon –Mass Ultrasound –Thickened bowel wall –Gas in bowel wall

27. Indications for Surgery Absence of borborygmi –Ileus Peritoneal fluid –Increased protein –Serosanguinous

28. Normal Mucosa

29. Strangulation Obstruction Endotoxin

30. Verminous Arteritis

31. Contraindications for Surgery Fever –Most often means enteritis CBC –Neutropenia: enteritis Auscultation –Good motility

32. Preoperative Prognostic Indicators Cardiovascular status (shock) –Indicates severity of problem –Reversible? Small intestinal distention –Usually strangulated –Small intestine has more postoperative complications –Peritoneal fluid elevations

33. Thank You Ben Buchanan, DVM, DACVIM, DACVECC –Brazos Valley Equine Hospital –bbuchanan@bveh.com –936-825-2197