Equine Colic 101
From Ask The Horse by The Horse: Your Guide to Equine Health Care
April 10, 2026 · 58 min
About this episode
This episode discusses equine colic, its causes, symptoms, and the importance of early recognition and veterinary intervention.
Equine colic refers to abdominal pain rather than a single disease and can arise from many causes, ranging from gas buildup to intestinal impaction. Horses with colic might show subtle signs such as reduced appetite or lethargy, or more obvious behaviors like pawing, flank-watching, rolling, or repeatedly getting up and down. Because some types of colic can become life-threatening quickly, recognizing early signs and contacting a veterinarian promptly can improve the horse’s outcome. This episode is sponsored by CareCredit . About the Experts : Michael Fugaro, VMD, Dipl. ACVS , is the owner and founder of Mountain Pointe Equine Veterinary Services, in Hackettstown, New Jersey. Fugaro received his VMD at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine, in Kennett Square, where he graduated in 1997. He then completed a large animal internship at the University of Guelph, in Ontario, Canada, and a large animal surgical residency at Purdue University, in West Lafayette, Indiana. Previously, Fugaro was the resident veterinarian and a tenured full-professor at Centenary University, in Hackettstown. He has also taught as a visiting instructor at Rutgers University in the…
People in this episode
Host: Michael Fugaro
Guest: Michael Fugaro Vmd Dipl Acvs
Topics covered
- equine health
- colic
- veterinary care
Keywords
- abdominal pain
- gas buildup
- intestinal impaction
- veterinarian
Sponsors
CareCredit
Mentioned in this episode
Products: CareCredit
Books & works: PhD
Places: Hackettstown, New Jersey, Kennett Square, Ontario, Canada, West Lafayette, Indiana, New Brunswick, Morris County, Lexington
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