Colic Awareness Week

The first week of October was Colic Awareness Week. The term ‘colic’ refers to all types of abdominal pain in horses and it can affect all ages and types, from a four-star eventer to a field companion.

The REACT Now to Beat Colic campaign launched back in 2016 and aims to educate as many owners as possible on the early signs of colic. We all know how quickly horses showing colic symptoms can deteriorate. Sometimes these symptoms are very subtle and so it is essential we are able to identify them and get the necessary veterinary help. It might be that a horse is experiencing a mild bout of discomfort that resolves itself, or that they are in need of medical intervention and possibly even surgery.

The REACT campaign stands for the five common warning signs of colic: Restless or agitated, Eating less or droppings reduced, Abdominal pain, Clinical changes, Tired or lethargic.

Any changes in your horse’s normal behaviour should always be investigated and never ignored; no one knows a horse better than their owner. We have a large number of horses and ponies in our care here at Remus, but we know each of them and their quirks so well that anything unusual is quickly spotted.

Read more about the REACT Now to Beat Colic campaign and sign up at: www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/it-could-help-save-your-horse-owners-urged-to-sign-up-for-colic-awareness-week-726637.

If you would like to make a donation to help with our veterinary bills, you can do so either online via our website, or a partner website, or via post or telephone. Full details can be found on our ‘Donate’ web page.