Dietary and other management factors associated with colic in horses.

摘要

A prospective matched case-control study was carried out to determine whether dietary and other management factors were associated with development of colic in horses. Each month for 12 months, participating veterinarians in private practice in Texas were sent forms to collect information on 1 horse with colic and 1 horse that received emergency treatment for a condition other than colic. Information was collected on 1030 horses with colic and 1030 horses examined for other conditions. Case and control horses were compared using conditional logistic regression to identify factors associated with colic. Recent change in diet, recent change in type of hay, history of previous episode of colic, history of abdominal surgery for colic, recent change inweather conditions, recent change in housing, Arabian breed, administration of an anthelmintic during the 7-day period before examination, failure to receive regular deworming, age >10 years, and regular exercise (versus pastured at all times) were associated with increased risk of colic. It is suggested that changes in diet (particularly in type of hay) contribute to increased risk of colic. A regular programme for administration of anthelmintics may reduce the prevalence of colic, but recent administration of anthelmintics may predispose some horses to colic. Arabian horses may have an increased risk of colic, and horses at pasture may have a decreased risk of colic.