Enfermedades del Tracto Gastrointestinal: Cólico Equino

Abstract

Colic is one of the oldest terms used in medicine and referred to pain in the colon. In modern medicine it is used for pain of abdominal origin, it does not determine a disease, but a set of signs. This syndrome is one of the most important medical and economic problems in equine clinic (Calderon, 2023). Colic syndrome is characterized by altered gastrointestinal motility, which manifests as abdominal pain and systemic involvement. The main causes of pain are hypermotility and distension; this includes direct pressure on the inflamed digestive mucosa, muscle distension or contraction, traction of mesenteric insertions and damage to the peritoneum. The general objective of the following work is to produce a monograph in order to create a practical summary to recognize and diagnose true colic with a resolutive approach both in the clinic and in surgical referral. The relevance of the work lies in the increase in the incidence of this syndrome due to the domestication of the species in which the ethology of this species is not respected. The diagnosis must be made to elucidate the cause and the mechanisms that produce the syndrome. Based on this, the possible therapeutic measures, medical or medical-surgical, are determined and a prognosis is established. The diagnosis must have a complete anamnesis of the animal and then continue with the inspection, evaluation of systemic involvement, temperature, abdominal auscultation, digital rectal examination, nasogastric tube and if necessary the following can be performed: endoscopy, abdominal paracentesis, X-ray, ultrasound, laparoscopy, biopsy, as well as fecal examination. A description of the general treatment of the syndrome was made taking into account hypopressive agents, analgesic therapy with the aim of relieving pain to facilitate the examination prioritizing the well-being of the animal. The implementation of fluid therapy in the gastroenteric patient with the objective of restoring intravascular volume by improving cardiac output and tissue perfusion. Development of disorders at different levels (stomach, GI and GI). Introduction to surgical maneuvers and finally the description of two clinical cases.