Equine nutrition in the post-operative colic: of Diplomates of the College of Medicine and and Colleges of Medicine and Surgeons

Lawson, April L, Sherlock, Ceri E, Ireland, Jo L ORCID: 0000-0002-5737-1502 and Mair, Tim S (2021) Equine nutrition in the post-operative colic: of Diplomates of the College of Medicine and and Colleges of Medicine and Surgeons. EQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL, 53 (5). pp. 1015-1024.

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/evj.13381

Abstract

<h4>Background</h4>Evidence is lacking concerning re-introduction of feed and water following colic surgery.<h4>Objectives</h4>To describe current approaches of European and American specialists to re-introduction of feed and water in adult horses following surgical treatment of common intestinal lesions, assuming an uncomplicated recovery.<h4>Study design</h4>Cross-sectional survey.<h4>Methods</h4>Electronic invitations, with a link to the online survey, were sent to 1,430 large animal specialists, including Diplomates of the ECVS, ACVS, ECEIM and ACVIM colleges.<h4>Results</h4>The response rate was 12.6% including partial respondent data. Responses for each multiple-choice question were between 123 and 178. Results are expressed as the percentage of the total number of responses and as a range where specific lesions are grouped together. Respondents reported that horses with large intestinal displacements were offered free choice water (63%-65%) within 3 hours (55%-63%), whereas horses with a small intestinal strangulating lesion were offered < 2 L water (64%-74%) 12-24 hours (28%-34%) post-operatively. Horses with a large colon displacement were offered feed within 3 hours of surgery (16%) with the majority offered feed 6-12 hours (35%-36%) post-operatively. Horses with small intestinal strangulating lesions and small colon lesions were offered feed 24-48 hours (34%-42%) after surgery. Following small intestinal, small colon or caecal lesions, horses were re-introduced feed in handfuls (79%-93%) and initially with grass (41%-54%). Horses with large colon displacements were mostly fed handfuls (49%-50%) of forage initially, but a number of respondents would offer larger quantities such as a small bucket (35%-37%) and predominantly of hay (50%-51%).<h4>Main limitations</h4>Low response rate. This study did not take into account common post-operative complications that may alter the clinical approach.<h4>Conclusions</h4>This post-operative colic nutrition survey is the first to describe current clinical practice. Further research is required to investigate nutritional strategies in post-operative colic cases.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	horse, colic, exploratory laparotomy, re-feed, re-water
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	20 Jan 2021 10:38
Last Modified:	18 Jan 2023 23:02
DOI:	10.1111/evj.13381
Open Access URL:	https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.13381
Related URLs:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3114286