Study results suggest that owners' responses to colic signs vary considerably based on their knowledge and experience. | Photo: iStock

What do you do? Call the vet? Check his vital signs? Give him some bran mash? Take him for a walk? Just wait and see?

Recent study results from researchers in Britain have revealed that owners’ actions and decisions in response to signs of colic vary considerably and depend on their knowledge and experience with horses and colic. But there are some similarities within certain groups of horse owners. And veterinarians could benefit from knowing their owners better to foster veterinarian-client communication and improve outcomes of colic episodes.

“For every colic case, there is an owner involved with a variety of beliefs and preferences about how the case is managed, and vets are required to cater to clients with a range of different views,” said Claire Scantlebury, BSc, BVSc, PhD, MRCVS, of the University of Liverpool’s School of Veterinary Science, in the U.K. “It is hoped that by understanding a little more from the owner’s point of view, this work can contribute to the design of messages to assist people with decision-making around managing suspected colic cases and, crucially, when it is best to call the vet