A Study on Clinico-Biochemical Evaluation in Equine Colic Patients

The aim of this study was to compare the clinical and biochemical parameters in colic horses (n=20) with that of healthy control animals (n=10). Further, the measured parameters were also compared between survived and non-survived colic patients. Clinical parameters included were rectal temperature, respiration rate (RR), capillary refill time (CRT) and heart rate (HR). Biochemical parameters estimated at the time of admission were sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). The data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U test. Except for rectal temperature, the vital parameters viz. RR (mean 28.8 vs. 17.2 breaths/min; P<0.05), CRT (mean 2.9 vs. 1.4 sec; P<0.001) and HR (mean 64 vs. 30.5 beats per min; P<0.001) were significantly elevated in the colic horses as compared to the control animals. No significant difference was observed in the levels of serum sodium, potassium and chloride between control and colic horses. However, mean calcium concentration was significantly lower (P<0.01) in colic horses (10.7 mg/dL) as compared to control horses (12 mg/dL). The LDH activity was significantly elevated (P<0.05) in colic group (mean 1289 U/L) as compared to control group (mean 649 U/L). A significant association (P<0.05) was found between abnormal LDH levels (>700 U/L) and proportion of horses with colic (70%) as compared to healthy ones (30%). Thirty percent (6/20) horses did not survive in this study and none of the measured parameters differ significantly between survived and non-survived colic horses (P>0.05). In conclusion, colic in equine patients results in elevation of RR, CRT, HR and LDH and decrease in serum calcium.