colic due to snow consumption

solupe · Dec 29, 2005

My friend has a colt that ate too much snow and now has colic....what would be the best treatment for that kind of colic...he is allready at the vets but still would like some ideas ......

thanks

Happy · Dec 29, 2005

snow is only water once he eats it so l wouldn't think that was the main problem unless he ate a whole bank and his insides got very cold. ours eat snow all the time when to lazy to walk up to the fence for a drink. but l'll be watching to see some other answers in case l learn something new today. which l'm always hoping for as l guess you can never know it all without experience right.

Danielle_E. · Dec 29, 2005

I find it strange that the vet would have said the colic was due to snow. I doubt that is what the vet said. If the colt was eating lots of snow obviously he wasn't getting enough water which would lead to impaction. It is so very important to ensure that horses drink enough water in the winter time in the northern climates. A heater for the outdoor water supply is truly a must because if the water is iced totally they can't get to it or if it's too cold they won't drink it either. I am sure the vet will do everything to treat the colic now that the colt is in his/her care. Tell your friend my thoughts and prayers are with her and the colt for a speedy recovery.

Minimor · Dec 29, 2005

I second what Danielle said. Here we water our horses 2x a day with warm water in the winter time. On days when we get a fresh snow fall many of the horses don't drink much--obviously they are eating some snow & aren't too thirsty--but they do get offered the water even so. Sometimes they'll eat some snow otherwise--I saw one of the Morgans chowing down on a snowbank last night just after he was watered--but never, ever have I known a horse to "eat too much snow". We do not have a problem with winter colics here.

The only colic cases I've seen that are related to snow consumption are in those horses that do not get water at all--they have to eat snow for whatever water they can get out of it. Horses on hay do not get enough water from eating snow, and like Danielle said, it is impaction colic that these horses get--it is not "snow colic"

So, I suspect you must treat this as typical impaction colic. To prevent its recurrance, make sure the horse has sufficient water.

SILVER · Dec 29, 2005

solupe said:
My friend has a colt that ate too much snow and now has colic....what would be the best treatment for that kind of colic...he is allready at the vets but still would like some ideas ......thanks

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Hi solupe, sorry to hear about your friends horse. Regardless of how the colt got the colic I am glad he is at the vets and hopefully on the road to recovery. If she/he thinks the colt got it from eating snow, and he wasn't getting enough water intake she/he should possibly consider other ways to get water into the little fella. Let us know how he makes out at the vets and when he/he gets him home. A good way to get extra water into them in the winter is throug well soaked beet pulp. This is information that you could possibly pass on to them. I hope all goes well for your friend and her/his boy.

attwoode · Dec 29, 2005

I agree with the other comments that the colic more likely came from lack of water than from snow eating. Horses should have water available at all times.

Dorrie & Frank · Dec 29, 2005

Even though we don't get very cold we find a higher rate of colic in the first few nights of colder waether - We add oil to their feed - seems to help - then watch them closely and give Banamine as early as possible.