ABSTRACT
Of the horses with abdominal diseases referred to tertiary care facilities, 3% to 18% are evaluated because of abnormalities involving the small colon. The frequency of obstructive disorders of the small colon that require abdominal surgery is approximately 4%.1-4 Successful diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the small colon depends on a thorough understanding of its anatomy and physiology (see Chapter 1). The mid-section of the small colon is relatively mobile within the caudal abdomen; however, its most oral and aboral segments are fixed in position. These anatomic features facilitate transrectal palpation of the majority of the small colon and are advantageous in the diagnostic approach to small-colon disease. In contrast, these same features hinder surgical access to the entire length of the small colon, making visual inspection of the proximal and distal aspects of the small colon impossible during a ventral midline laparotomy. These and other distinctive physiologic characteristics are important because they affect the approach to common diseases affecting the small colon.
