Clinical Conditions
Colic is a serious and potentially fatal clinical condition of horses. It is characterised by evidence of anxiety and abdominal pain. There are several types of colic ranging from excessive gas accumulation in the gastrointestinal tract to obstruction or strangulation.
The cause of colic may be inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract or ulceration of the gut mucosa. Although the name suggests that this is a condition of the colon, colic can involve any part of the gastrointestinal tract. Severe cases may require urgent surgical intervention to correct the cause, e.g. strangulation, whereas less severe cases may be managed conservatively with spasmolytic agents and anti-inflammatory drugs.Both acute and chronic colitis occur commonly in the dog. Acute colitis is usually due to the ingestion of some infectious or contaminated material. Bacterial or parasitic causes may be detected and are responsible for profuse and watery diarrhoea, often including mucus and blood. Chronic colitis presents as a persistent or recurrent diarrhoea that is difficult to define. Due to the important function of the colon in promoting resorption of water, dehydration is often a significant feature of colitis and necessitates fluid replacement.
Tumours of the colon occur but are not common in dogs and are usually benign polyps.