Diagnosis and surgical management of colic in the foal

Abstract

Over a six year period, 83 foals that where referred to the clinic because of colic underwent explorative abdominal surgery. Indication for an explorative laparotomy was based on the results of clinical examination, laboratory evaluation, abdominal radiography and peritoneal fluid analysation following abdominocentesis. Severe or persisting abdominal pain in combination with abdominal distension were predominant reasons for explorative surgery as well as radiographically visualized distension of small intestine or abnormal laboratory findings. Intraoperative findings included small intestinal ileus (n=41), large intestinal lesions (n=25), uroperitoneum (n=8) and others (n=9) like perforated gastric ulcer, peritonitis or ovarian torsion. Of the 83 foals subjected to abdominal surgery 49 (59%) could be released from the clinic in a good general condition without further signs of colic. 21 foals had to be euthanized during surgery because of a poor prognosis. Therefore there was a survival rate of 79% in those foals that were allowed to recover from surgery. With one exception all foals in which uroperitoneum was diagnosed were discharged fom the clinic. In the contrast to this prognosis for foals with small intestinal strangulation was judged to be poor due to the common intraoperative finding of severe damage in large sections of the small intestine and a survival rate of 46%. In foals with large intestinal lesions, a survival rate of 80% was found.