Complications and survival in horses with surgically confirmed right dorsal displacement of the large colon.

This study compared post-operative complications and survival in horses with right dorsal displacement of the large colon (RDD) and horses with other non-strangulating large colon (NSLC) lesions. Data were obtained from medical records of horses undergoing exploratory laparotomy from 2000 to 2016 and from owner questionnaire. Of 137 horses that fitted the inclusion criteria, 67 (49%) had RDD and 70 (51%) had NSLC lesions. Twenty-eight horses with RDD (42%) and 27 horses with NSLC (39%) experienced ≥ 1 complication after surgery. The RDD group showed more severe complications than the NSLC group ( = 0.0145). Horses with RDD were more likely to develop colic in the short term ( = 0.0111), but not in the long-term ( = 0.453), and were more likely to have a 2nd laparotomy ( = 0.0003). There was no significant difference in short- or long-term survival between groups. Major post-operative complications in the RDD group did not influence short- or long-term survival.