Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Psychogenic colic in a horse.

M J Murray, S L Crowell-Davis

    Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
    |February 15, 1985
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    This study identifies displacement activity as the cause of colic-type behaviors in horses. Repeatedly being displaced from food by other horses triggered stress responses mistaken for colic.

    Related Concept Videos

    You might also read

    Related Articles

    Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

    Sort by
    Same author

    In silico interrogation of the miRNAome of infected hematopoietic cells to predict processes important for human cytomegalovirus latent infection.

    The Journal of biological chemistry·2023
    Same author

    Use of the ACTH challenge test to identify the predominant glucocorticoid in the southern sea otter (<i>Enhydra lutris nereis</i>).

    Conservation physiology·2020
    Same author

    Evasion of a Human Cytomegalovirus Entry Inhibitor with Potent Cysteine Reactivity Is Concomitant with the Utilization of a Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycan-Independent Route of Entry.

    Journal of virology·2020
    Same author

    An ethogram of post-anesthetic recovery behaviors in horses: comparison of pre- and post-anesthetic behaviors.

    Veterinary anaesthesia and analgesia·2017
    Same author

    Biology of childhood germ cell tumours, focussing on the significance of microRNAs.

    Andrology·2014
    Same author

    Serum levels of mature microRNAs in DICER1-mutated pleuropulmonary blastoma.

    Oncogenesis·2014

    Area of Science:

    • Equine behavior and welfare
    • Veterinary internal medicine
    • Animal psychology

    Background:

    • Colic-type behaviors in horses can be challenging to diagnose, with multifactorial causes.
    • Stress and environmental factors are increasingly recognized as contributors to behavioral issues in equine patients.

    Observation:

    • A 4-year-old gelding exhibited persistent colic-type behaviors (pawing, flank-biting) for five days.
    • Behavioral symptoms improved when the horse was eating but reappeared when food was visible but inaccessible.
    • The horse was repeatedly displaced from food by conspecifics, leading to owner intervention and protection.

    Findings:

    • Medical evaluations failed to identify an organic cause for the "colic."
    • The persistent colic-type behavior was attributed to displacement activity, a stress response to social competition for food.

    Related Experiment Videos

  • The owner's intervention during these episodes reinforced the behavior by providing protection from competitors.

    • Implications:

    • Highlights the importance of considering behavioral causes, such as displacement activity, in equine "colic."
    • Emphasizes the role of social dynamics and feeding management in equine stress and behavior.
    • Suggests that understanding and modifying feeding environments can prevent stress-related behaviors in horses.