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Colic Review Points
• First Contact: Always evaluate demeanor and pain level before touching the horse.
• Critical Threshold: Heart rate > 60 bpm signals emergency hospital referral.
• Sand Check: Listen underneath the middle of the abdomen (the "seashell" sound).
• Lactate: Normal is < 1.5. Skepticism starts above this level.
• Meds: Flunixin (Banamine) takes ~45 mins and isn't a sedative. Buscopan shuts down GI spasms.
• NG Tube: Used to check for reflux and provide hydration.
• Mineral Oil: Its primary purpose is a passage marker (front to back).
• Ultrasound: Excellent for identifying Nephrosplenic Entrapment.
