Hi everyone, it’s been a rough few days. My 21 yr old mare colicked Tuesday evening. Extremely gassy, and on rectal exam was determined to have a left dorsal colon displacement. I was quoted upwards of $15,000 for surgery at our local equine hospital (Cornell University). Unfortunately that is out of the picture, I just can’t do it. We elected to medically manage on the farm, tried phenylephrine to contract the spleen and exercise to attempt to move colon back into place but it was not successful. The next day she was acting alert, happy, and VERY hungry. But on exam, it was found to be the same, just less gas. Day 3- same story, starting to slowly transition back onto hay and grass. Lots of lunging and hand walking to stimulate GI Motility in hopes to get intestines back in place. Still looking great today, very hungry and ready to be out of her stall. We will continue to monitor on farm in hopes she stay comfortable and a miracle happens.

Has anyone had these go back into place after several days on their own- without surgery? Even though she’s acting normal I’m just so scared that this is going to turn for the worst in a matter of minutes. If she continues to show no improvement on the exam, when do I decide that enough is enough, even though she acts as if nothing is wrong? My vet is “cautiously optimistic” but hearing that doesn’t make me optimistic at all. I don’t want to get my hopes up, I feel awful I can’t get her fixed in surgery. Just looking for some other experiences, good or bad 😕