Retrospective evaluation of treatment of horses with colic over a period of 15 years

Abstract

Colic is a common reason for both veterinary consultation and death in horses and to help decision making in such cases recent data on the outcome of treatment and identification of prognostic indicators is important. Patient records of all horses with colic admitted to the internal medicine section of a veterinary teaching hospital (VTH) between November 2012 and October 2013 were reviewed. Age, heart rate (HR), blood lactate concentration (BLa), packed cell volume (PCV), white blood cell (WBC) count and blood pH at admission, treatment and outcome were recorded. Results were compared to those obtained at the same institution during 2006-2007 and 1999-2000. During the present study period 867 horses were admitted and 311 (36%) of these were admitted for colic, 207/311 (67%) of these horses were treated medically, 67/311 (22%) surgically and 37/311 (12%) were euthanized on admission. The short-term survival, defined as discharge from the hospital, for surgically treated colic cases was 60%, while the survival for medically treated cases was 86%. When all colic cases were analysed together HR (P< 0.01), blood lactate (P< 0.01), PCV (P< 0.01) and pH (P< 0.01) all differed significantly between survivors and non-survivors. When only treated cases (medical and surgical) were included HR (P<0.01), blood lactate (P< 0.01) and pH (P< 0.05) were still significantly different. In the medically treated group only HR (P< 0.01) and lactate (P< 0.01) were significantly lower in survivors than non-survivors, while in the surgically treated group there were no differences between survivors and non-survivors. Blood lactate (> 1.5 mmol/L), heart rate (>60bpm), PCV (>42%), acidosis (pH<7.35) and small intestinal lesions were associated with increased odds of death. The number of horses admitted to the VTH was considerably lower during 2006-2007 compared to 1999-2000, but remained more or less constant from 2006-2007 until 2012-2013, as did the percentage of colic horses. The percentage of colic cases treated surgically has decreased slightly and the percentage of horses euthanized on admission increased slightly. Increased blood lactate concentration, heart rate, PCV, acidosis and small intestinal lesions were associated with increased risk of non-survival.