How to Recognize and Treat Colitis X in Horses

Take your horse's vital signs often to determine a baseline of your horse's health.

Colitis X is a toxic fatal disease of the colon in adult horses. It is suggested that the cause of Colitis X is a bacteria, which, for reasons unknown, cannot be cultured. In the early stages, the pulse and body temperatures of the horse are high, but the temperature falls to subnormal levels as shock intervenes. Death often occurs at this stage. However, if the horse survives for more than a few hours, a profuse watery diarrhea develops. Unfortunately, mortality rate for Colitis X is close to 100 percent.

Difficulty:

Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Stethoscope
• Rubber gloves
• Veterinarian's phone number
• Antibiotics
• Stool smear kit

Diagnosing Colitis X in a Horse

1. Record the color of the mucous membranes of the horse's mouth and tongue. Normal membranes will be pink in color. Gums, which are pale or deep red, indicate that the horse is suffering from hypovolemic shock. Hypovolemic shock is shock induced by a loss of normal blood and fluid volume.

2. Gently press on several areas of the abdomen to check for pain level. Record your horse's reaction. Listen to the horse's gut with a stethoscope and record whether there is excessive gut activity or no activity at all.

3. Collect a stool smear to give to your veterinarian for testing.

4. Record the horse's heart rate. Locate the mandibular artery under the horse's jaw. To do this, curl your fingers and place them in the groove between the horse's jaws. Pull your fingers back along the closest jawbone until you feel a cord-like structure. Push slightly against the jawbone to feel the pulse beating. Count the number of beats for 15 seconds. Multiply that number by four to get the number of beats per minute. A normal heart rate is 36 to 42 beats per minute.

5. Record the horse's respiration rate. A typical respiration rate is 8 to 12 breaths per minute. Use a stethoscope to listen to the inspirations in the chest and windpipe. Count the breaths for 15 seconds. Multiply that number by four to determine the breaths per minute.

6. Record the horse's temperature. A horse's normal temperature is between 99 and 101 degrees Fahrenheit. Insert a normal rectal or digital thermometer into the horse's anus for two minutes to take its temperature.

7. Check for capillary refill time by performing the "Skin tent test." Fold a section of skin from the lower chest. The skin should spring back into place after it is picked up into a fold. In horses with moderate to severe dehydration, the skin stays up in a ridge or returns very slowly.

8. Evaluate all the information recorded concerning your horse's condition and call the veterinarian immediately if you suspect your horse is suffering from Colitis X. A horse suffering from Colitis X often dies within hours, so immediate veterinarian attention is critical.

Treating Colitis X in a Horse

1. Discuss all symptoms and vital signs with your vet. Provide him with the stool smear you obtained.

2. Assist your veterinarian in administering intensive intravenous fluid therapy to counter dehydration and electrolyte loss.

3. Assist your veterinarian in administering the antibiotics prescribed, such as Penicillin.

4. Assist your veterinarian in administering Flunixin melamine to help stop the effects of toxemia, which is an abnormal condition associated with the presence of toxic substances in the blood.

Tips & Warnings

• A stressful event, such as deworming, transport, surgery, hard training or the administration of the antibiotics tetracycline or lincomycin often precede the onset of diarrhea.

• Colitis X can also occur in horses who have not been stressed and who are, in all other ways, entirely healthy.

• A horse suffering from Colitis X often dies within hours, so immediate veterinarian attention is critical.

References

• Journal of Veterinary Diagnostic Investigation: Equine Colitis X
• Equine Vet Services: Vital Signs
• The Merck Veterinarian Manual: Colitis X