Colic cases admitted to Onderstepoort Equine Clinic in 2021

Medical records of the University of Pretoria’s, Onderstepoort Veterinary Teaching Hospital, Equine Clinic of all horses presenting with colic in 2021.

Excel sheet: Data collected from the questionnaire includes signalment (age, breed, sex, date of birth, pregnancy status, parity, use and exercise regime), general history (ownership duration, travel history and medical history), environmental data (GPS location, residential province), husbandry data (stabling duration, pasture duration, water source and delivery, pasture type and access and exposure to toxic plants) and diet (concentrate and roughage source, amount and type). Data collected regarding the colic episode in question included duration of colic signs prior to veterinary examination, treatment and referral and reason for referral. The presence of pyrexia, diarrhoea and blood on the rectal sleeve was also recorded. Outcome data included time since discharge, complications after discharge and return to use.

Excel sheet: Data extracted from the medical records included physical exam parameters, severity of abdominal distension and pain, rectal palpation findings, transcutaneous abdominal ultrasound findings, abdominocentesis findings, nasogastric intubation findings and laboratory reports (haematological and blood chemistry). Treatment pursued (medical, surgical or euthanasia) and the reason was recorded. Surgical findings were recorded and included weather a pelvic flexure enterotomy was performed, severity of SCI, surgery duration and surgery outcome. Hospitalisation data included time to refeeding (short and long stem) and the presence of complications. Lastly short term survival (to discharge) was recorded.