Last night one of our mares, a broodmare with
a foal at her side, began to paw. In a few minutes she was down. I gave her
banamine. When I checked her gut sounds I found her silent on all four
quadrants. I called the vet who left a meeting and drove an hour and a half to
see to her.
When he passed the tube into her stomach before
giving her oil, there was reflux, so he dropped the end of the tube to the
ground and watched what came out--pure water.
Although this mare is turned out on the hills with
her foal and other horses, with ample exercise and constant access to
water, she apparently didn't drink for some time, then drank too much. I'm not
sure I've got this right, but I think that made her gut shut down as if she had
an impaction.
If the vet had added oil--or if I had used a
drench--her stomach might have ruptured. If she had colicked during the night
instead of right in front of me, her stomach could have ruptured.
I had never seen reflux before, nor had I seen a
horse's stomach syphoned off---very simple, yet amazing. Once her stomach
emptied, he put in some oil.
She hasn't needed any more pain killers and this
morning is very bright. Our vet says this points to a god recovery.
Perhaps ironically, a couple of months ago I asked
him about stomach rupture and its causes, and he mentioned that it can
happen to a thirsty horse who drinks too much.
I'm not sure there are any lessons from our
experience: we were lucky in the timing, and luckier that we have a wonderful
veterinarian who is hugely experienced, caring and cautious. But I offer it to
Ridecampers as it might add to the general discussion of colicks and ruptured
stomachs.
