b'COLIC INFEATURE| e d u c a t i o nHORSES: SIGNS TO WATCH FOR AND WHEN TO CALL THE VETERINARIANCOLICISAGENERAL TERMusedtodescribe abdominal pain in horses and isoneofthemostcommon medical emergencies in equine practice. While some cases are mild and resolve quickly, others can become life-threatening intoreducerisk,andwhentoinvolveaRaising Morea short period of time. Knowing theearlywarningsigns,how veterinarian can make a critical difference in outcome.WHAT IS COLIC? Than ChickensColic is not a single disease, but a symptom of many possible prob-lems within the horses gastrointestinal tract. These problems can range from gas, ulcers, intestinal twists, displacements, or impactions.Fort Meade FFA Students SIGNS OF COLICColic signs can vary from subtle to severe, so early recognition isLearn, Serve, and Give Backessential. Mild or early signs may include, decreased appetite or refusing feed,by REBEKAH PIERCEreduced manure production, lying down more than usual, pawing orphotos provided by ASHLEY WHEELERlooking at the flank.Moderate to severe signs may include repeatedly lying down and getting up, rolling, kicking or biting at the abdomen, sweating withoutA about more than just basic agricultural principles. Its shown exercise or increased heart and breathing rates.A HANDS-ON PROJECT in raising chickens has taught Fort Meade FFA Some horses show very dramatic pain, while others may exhibitstudents only quiet signs. Any behavior that is unusual for the individual horsethem the power of community, the value of sustainable food, and the should be taken seriously. impact of giving back.IF COLIC IS SUSPECTEDRemove access to feed and observe the horse closely.You can doAshleyWheelerisanagricultureeducationteacheratFortMeadeHigh light hand-walking but do not force movement. Contact your veter- School, teaching Ag Foundations as well as Animal Science and Agrowtechnolo-inarian if your horse is showing moderate to severe pain, there is nogy. She recently led an initiative that brought together more than 160 middle and improvement after mild signs or if you are unsure or uncomfortablehigh school agriculture students, one that had a resounding impact on the larger with the situation. Do not administer medications unless directed by your veterinarian. Polk County community.VETERINARY EVALUATION AND TREATMENT Secretly, I want to be this kind of pioneer housewife who does their own Veterinary treatment starts with a physical exam and pain assess- meat birds and canning, Wheeler laughs. So I thought it would be a cool oppor-ment. A rectal exam is used to evaluate position of the hindgut, checktunity to explore this with the kids.for impactions and manure. Horses cant vomit so a nasogastric tubeAccording to Wheeler, in Polk County alone there are roughly 92,000 families is used to check for reflux, evaluate emptying of the stomach and givedealing with food insecurity. fluids/mineral oil. Treatment depends on theThey dont know where their next meal comes from, and a lot of them are cause and may include pain relief, fluids,right in our backyard. laxatives, or referral for surgery.ColicisaseriousandpotentiallyAfter a conversation with the schools career and technical director, Wheeler life-threateningcondition,butmanyasked herself, How can we give back to our community, but at the same time, cases resolve successfully with promptteach our students where our food comes from?recognition and veterinary care. HorseThe two came up with the idea of raising meat birds, which they thought ownerswhounderstandthewould produce a high yield of food in a short period of time. warning signs and know when tocalltheveterinarianplayaIf you think about a chicken, typically one chicken will serve six to eight peo-huge role in a positive outcome.by DR. KATIE HENNESSY ple. If you make things like chicken soup, chicken and dumplings, chicken and This column is sponsored by Polk Equine, and the opinions expressed herein may not reflectricebecause it can go further, youre taking it off the bone and shredding it, a those of CFAN or of its advertisers.family of four [receiving] a chicken can now get six to eight meals, she explains.BIO:Dr.KatieHennessygraduatedfromtheUniversityofIllinoisCollegeofVeterinaryAnd not just any meat, but quality meat. Medicine in 2008 with a degree in large animal health and equine medicine. She completed an advanced internship at The Equine Medical Center of Ocala and is currently the owner andI have enough protein for six to eight meals, from the food bank, that I know practicing veterinarian at Polk Equine. Her expertise ranges from small and exotic creatures towhere it came from. I can reach out to Fort Meade and say, How was this chicken large animals, specializing in equine medicine. fed? Was it handled humanely? They know where their food was coming from, 12 | CFAN FloridaAgNews.com'