ABSTRACT
The clinical presentation of foals with colic, with or without abdominal distention, is fairly common in equine practice. Accurate diagnosis is critical for successful management of these conditions. Particularly challenging is the determination of the need for exploratory surgery. No specific findings on clinical examination unequivocally indicate that surgical or medical treatment is indicated, and the synthesis of various diagnostic procedures is important in determining the correct treatment. Many of the diagnostic methods applicable to the adult horse with abdominal pain are not useful in the neonate, and conversely many techniques valuable in the neonate are not used in the adult. A fundamental issue is in attempting to determine whether obstruction is present. If so, surgical exploration is immediately required. Delaying exploration in these cases can decrease the survival as well as increase the risk of adhesion formation associated with distention. It is important to recognize, however, that ileus can be severe enough in foals to cause distention without physical obstruction.
