Premium
Surgical treatment for colic in the foal (67 cases): 1980–1992
Author(s) -
VATISTAS N. J.,
SNYDER J. R.,
WILSON W. D.,
DRAKE CHRISTIANA,
HILDEBRAND SUSAN
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
equine veterinary journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.82
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 2042-3306
pISSN - 0425-1644
DOI - 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1996.tb01606.x
Subject(s) - foal , medicine , horse , surgery , anesthesia , biology , genetics , paleontology
Summary Sixty‐seven foals age <150 days underwent a ventral celiotomy for colic. Of the 67 foals, 51 foals (82%) recovered from anaesthesia and 42 (63%) were subsequently released from the hospital. Three (6%) of the 51 foals were subjected to a repeat celiotomy. Long term follow‐up was available on 36 foals. Twenty‐nine (57%) of the 51 foals recovered from anaesthesia, were alive at least 2 years following surgery. Adhesions were identified in 8 (17%) of the foals which recovered from general anaesthesia but were subsequently subjected to euthanasia due to recurrent colic. Strangulating lesions were associated with a lower survival rate. Nineteen per cent of foals with strangulating intestinal lesions survived >2 years following surgery, compared to 69% of foals with nonstrangulating lesions. The age of foals on admission had a significant effect on survival. Only 10% of foals less than 14 days of age survived, compared to 45.8% of foals between age 15 and 150 days.