Equine Colic Study

Welcome to the website of the AAEP membership-based study of recurrent colic in horses. Recurrent colic in horses represents a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge for equine veterinarians. Information about the characteristics of horses with recurrent colic are scant. Thus, there is great need to characterize recurrent colic in a large group of horses, and to identify factors predisposing to this condition from multiple regions within the United States. Identifying characteristics of horses with recurrent colic relative to a control population should provide insight into predisposing factors. Identification of alterable predisposing factors – such as management practices – would provide a basis for intervention studies to reduce the burden of recurrent colic.

The purpose of this study is to describe the characteristics of a large number of horses with recurrent colic examined by AAEP members and to compare findings of signalment, history, and management of horses with recurrent colic to a group of control horses in order to identify factors predisposing to recurrent colic.

This website contains links to instructions for participation, including the study survey questionnaire. In addition, we will post updates and results of the study when we have completed analysis. We have tried to make the site and the study forms as user-friendly as possible. If you have comments or questions, you will also find a link for contact information.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST AND HELP. We plan to collect data for a 12 - month period. Once all data are collected, they will be analyzed. We will provide you with a report of results when all information has been returned and analyzed. Please contact us if you have any comments, questions, or concerns.

Noah Cohen, Nat White, Al Merritt, Chris Sanchez,
Allen Roussel, Bill Moyer and Michael O’Conor