Surgical treatment of colic in the miniature horse: a retrospective study of 57 cases (1993-2006).
Authors: Haupt J L, McAndrews A G, Chaney K P, Labbe K A, Holcombe S J
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary Faecaliths represent the predominant surgical colic lesion in miniature horses, accounting for two-thirds of the 57 cases reviewed in this retrospective analysis from Michigan State University's Large Animal Teaching Hospital (1993–2006), with particular prevalence in foals under six months of age. The study examined clinical presentation, surgical management protocols, post-operative complications, and both immediate and long-term outcomes following celiotomy, with follow-up data collected directly from owners and trainers for horses discharged from hospital care. Short-term survival to hospital discharge was exceptionally high at 98%, whilst long-term follow-up of 45 horses revealed that 87% remained alive 12 months post-operatively, with post-operative diarrhoea and inappetance being the most frequently recorded complications—notably, intra-abdominal adhesion formation occurred in only 2 of 8 horses requiring second celiotomy, suggesting a lower incidence than previously anecdotally reported for the breed. These findings challenge the perception that miniature horses experience prohibitively high rates of post-operative adhesions and indicate that colic surgery in this population carries a favourable prognosis when foals with faecalith impaction receive prompt surgical intervention. For practitioners managing miniature horses with acute abdominal pain, particularly young foals presenting with signs consistent with large colon obstruction, early surgical referral should be pursued with confidence in achieving both short- and medium-term survival outcomes comparable to larger equine populations.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Faecalith impaction in the descending colon is the primary surgical colic lesion in miniature horses, especially in foals under 6 months—suspect this diagnosis in young miniature horses presenting with acute abdominal pain
- •Post-operative diarrhoea and inappetance are expected complications but most miniature horses (98%) survive to hospital discharge; long-term outcomes are favourable with 87% survival beyond one year
- •The risk of adhesion formation may be lower than traditionally believed in miniature horses undergoing colic surgery, though only a small proportion required second celiotomy in this series
Key Findings
- •Faecalith was the most common surgical lesion in 67% (38/57) of miniature horses with colic, predominantly in the descending colon
- •Faecalith obstruction was most frequent in miniature horses under 6 months of age (50% of faecalith cases, 19/38)
- •Short-term survival to hospital discharge was 98% (55/56 horses) with diarrhoea and inappetance being the most common post-operative complications
- •Long-term survival at 12+ months post-surgery was 87% (39/45 horses with follow-up), and intra-abdominal adhesions occurred in only 25% (2/8) of horses requiring second celiotomy