Surgical management of enterolith-induced colic in a horse

A horse with severe colic of three days’ duration, unresponsive to fluids and analgesics, was referred for surgical management. Clinical findings included tachycardia, pyrexia, tachypnoea, abdominal pain, reduced gut motility, and gastric reflux. Exploratory laparotomy revealed an enterolith obstructing the small colon. Enterotomy and intestinal closure with polyglycolic acid were performed, followed by routine abdominal closure. Anaesthesia was induced with xylazine and ketamine and maintained with intermittent doses of both drugs. The horse recovered uneventfully, highlighting the significance of timely surgical intervention in managing enterolith-associated colic.