Evaluation of Diagnostic, Prognostic Indicators and Surgical Outcome in 20 Cases Treated for Equine Intestinal Colic
Authors: J. Khosa, A. Anand, V. Sangwan, S. K. Mahajan, J. Mohindroo, Sultan Singh
Journal: Indian Journal of Animal Research
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Surgical Management of Equine Intestinal Colic Whilst medical management resolves colic in the majority of equine cases, approximately 10% of affected horses require surgical intervention—a procedure that remains underutilised and poorly documented in India due to limited surgical infrastructure and expertise. Khosa and colleagues retrospectively evaluated 20 horses undergoing emergency exploratory celiotomy for moderate to severe, medically refractory colic, assessing pre- and intraoperative parameters including physical examination findings, blood biochemistry and peritoneal fluid analysis alongside surgical outcomes. Large colon impaction emerged as the most common surgical diagnosis (8 cases), followed by small colon displacement (6 cases), with non-survivors demonstrating significantly elevated heart rates, respiratory rates and blood lactate concentrations compared to survivors—suggesting these parameters hold useful prognostic value. Postoperative morbidity was substantial, with peritonitis and ileus affecting six horses, seroma formation in seven, and diarrhoea in six; short- and long-term survival rates reached 55% and 50% respectively. These findings underscore the importance of early recognition of prognostic indicators (particularly tachycardia, tachypnoea and elevated lactataemia) to guide surgical decision-making, whilst highlighting the considerable perioperative challenges clinicians face when managing surgical colic cases in resource-limited settings.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Elevated heart rate, respiratory rate, and especially blood lactate are key prognostic indicators—horses with these markers warrant careful surgical risk assessment before celiotomy
- •Even with surgical intervention, expect approximately 50% long-term survival; manage owner expectations and counsel on major postoperative complications including peritonitis, ileus, and seroma formation
- •Large colon pathology drives most surgical colic cases in this population; surgical expertise and infrastructure for celiotomy remain limited in India, highlighting the need for referral networks and training programs
Key Findings
- •Large colon was the most common site of colic requiring surgery (40% of cases), followed by small colon (30%)
- •Non-survivors had significantly higher mean heart rate, respiration rate, and blood lactate levels compared to survivors
- •Short-term survival rate was 55% and long-term survival rate was 50% in surgically managed colic cases
- •Major postoperative complications included peritonitis/ileus (30%), subcutaneous seroma (35%), diarrhea (30%), and pyrexia (20%)