Mortality in horses refers to the incidence and causes of death within equine populations. Understanding mortality is important for assessing health risks, improving management practices, and guiding veterinary care. Various factors contribute to mortality in horses, including age, breed, health status, and environmental conditions. Common causes of death in horses include colic, injury, infectious diseases, and age-related conditions. Mortality rates and patterns can vary significantly depending on the population and geographic location. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that investigate the epidemiology, causes, and trends of mortality in horses, providing insights into preventive measures and management strategies to reduce mortality rates.
Myhre MG, Azeem A, Barrett M.Medical records from 2009 to 2021 from a private equine referral hospital in Rochester, NH, USA were analysed for cases that underwent general anaesthesia for low-field MRI of the distal limb. These were used to determine peri-anaesthetic morbidity and mortality. Unassigned: Two hundred and forty-three anaesthetic episodes were recorded in horses undergoing low-field MRI. The peri-anaesthetic complication rate prior to discharge was 6.2% (15/243). No patients experienced a fatal complication. Ninety two of the 243 patients had multiple sites imaged, 90/243 received pre-anaesthetic dantrolene, ...
Bergstrom TC, Spriet M, Carpenter RS, Jacques KL, Stover SM.Condylar fractures are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in Thoroughbred racehorses. Condylar fractures have a variety of fracture configurations that suggest there may be differences in aetiopathogenesis. Objective: To determine if exercise history differs with condylar fracture location in a population of Thoroughbred racehorses. Methods: Retrospective analysis of clinical and exercise data. Methods: Exercise history of Thoroughbred racehorses that had condylar fracture repair between 1 January 2018 and 28 February 2021 was compared between racehorses that had fractures located radiog...
Duysens J, Graide H, Niesten A, Mouithys-Mickalad A, Ceusters J, Serteyn D.The main causes of mortality in horses are the gastrointestinal pathologies associated with septic shock. Stem cells have shown, through systemic injection, a capacity to decrease inflammation and to regenerate injured tissue faster. Nevertheless, to achieve this rapid and total regeneration, systemic injections of 1 to 2 million cells per kilogram of body weight must be considered. Here, we demonstrate for the first time the feasibility and expansion capacity of equine muscle-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (mdMSCs) in a functionally closed, automated, perfusion-based, hollow-fiber bioreact...
Neville EK, Hicks H, Neville CC.Horses are used for many recreational and occupational activities. They are large, strong, temperamental, and unpredictable animals and people involved with them are at risk for injuries, from minor abrasions to severe injuries that may lead to death. This review reports on horse trauma in relation to the characteristics of injured equestrians, characteristics of horse trauma, and clinical outcomes. Methods: A literature search was conducted from health-related electronic databases to identify studies from 2018 to 2023. The search returned 115 relevant full-text articles but after screening an...
Berghaus LJ, Cathcart J, Berghaus RD, Ryan C, Toribio RE, Hart KA.Rhodococcus equi (R. equi), a pneumonia-causing intracellular bacterium, results in significant morbidity and mortality in young foals, while healthy adult horses rarely develop disease. Survival and replication within alveolar macrophages (AMφ) are the hallmarks of R. equi's pathogenicity. The vitamin D receptor (VDR) and its ligand, the active vitamin D metabolite 1,25(OH)2D, are important in immune responses to intracellular bacteria. The vitamin D/VDR pathway regulates the downstream production of cytokines in infected human AMφ. The immunomodulatory role of the vitamin D/VDR pathway in ...
Lee HJ, Kim D, Do K, Yang CB, Jeon SW, Jang A.Sarcopenia, the age-related muscle atrophy, is a serious concern as it is associated with frailty, reduced physical functions, and increased mortality risk. Protein supplementation is essential for preserving muscle mass, and horse meat can be an excellent source of proteins. Since sarcopenia occurs under conditions of oxidative stress, this study aimed to investigate the potential anti-muscle atrophy effect of horse meat hydrolysate using C2C12 cells. A horse meat hydrolysate less than 3 kDa (A4<3kDa) significantly increased the viability of C2C12 myoblasts against HO-induced cytotoxicity....
Ryu SH, Sohn Y, Forbes E, Jeon HS, An SJ, Kim BS, Kyung SG, Lee I.The incidence of colic and the outcomes of colic surgery have not been surveyed in racetracks in Korea. Objective: This study examined the incidence, mortality, and case fatality of colic and investigated the effects of age and sex after an exploratory celiotomy on the long-term survival rate (return to racing), subsequent racing performance, and career longevity. Methods: The incidence, mortality, and case fatalities of colic were examined over an 11-year period. The records of 40 horses that had undergone a celiotomy, after participating in at least one race and 75 race-matched control horse...
Ellerbrock M, Wehrend A.Dystocia represents a life-threatening condition for mare and foal. Morbidity and mortality rates due to a difficult birth, as well as the influence on fertility of the mare were analyzed, based on a review of publications. This was aggravated by the fact that no standardized diagnostic code was used and that most publications do not clearly describe how extensively the examinations were performed beforehand. Retentio secundinarum is the most common complication caused by dystocia. Other complications are injuries to the soft birth canal and the colon. These occur more frequently after surgica...
Givan SA, Estell KE, Martinez-Lopez J, Brown JA, Wong DM, Werre SR.Diagnosis of colitis has been shown to impact morbidity and mortality in hospitalised horses. There are no studies to date that describe the incidence of infectious colitis after exploratory laparotomy. Objective: To investigate risk factors associated with the development of colitis and infectious colitis post-exploratory laparotomy. Methods: Retrospective case-control. Methods: Medical records of equids admitted from 2011 to 2020 were reviewed. The primary outcome was a diagnosis of colitis following exploratory laparotomy. Bivariable associations between colitis and risk factors were assess...
El-Menyar A, Khan NA, Naqvi SGA, Al-Thani H.The large animal-related injuries are emerging major trauma but remain underestimated public health problem worldwide. We aimed to determine the incidence, clinical characteristics, mechanisms and patterns of horse and camel-related injuries (HCRIs) in a Middle Eastern country. Methods: A retrospective analysis of all patients who were hospitalized due to HCRIs was conducted. Data included patient's demographics, mechanism of injury, anatomical location and severity of injury, and hospital outcomes. Results: Between November 2007 and December 2021, there were 273 hospitalized patients with HCR...
Naseri A, Akyuz E, Turgut K, Guzelbektes H, Sen I.The term "sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy" (SIC) is used to describe transient cardiac dysfunction in septic patients. However, there is no universally accepted definition of SIC; a reduction in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is often used. In addition to systolic dysfunction, diastolic dysfunction is now recognized as an essential component of SIC. It can be emphasized that previous animal experiments played an essential role in revealing SIC and hemodynamic instability in sepsis and septic shock. The diagnostic and prognostic capabilities of echocardiography for the assessment of SI...
François I, Lepage OM, Schramme MC, Salciccia A, Detilleux J, Grulke S.To report findings, outcome and determine variables associated with survival in horses with acquired inguinal hernia (AIH). Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: A total of 98 cases in 97 horses. Methods: The medical records (2005-2020) of horses diagnosed with AIH were reviewed. Retrieved data included signalment, history, clinical variables, surgical aspects, postoperative complications, and short- and long-term outcomes. Logistic regression analyses were used to determine factors associated with short-term survival (p < .05). Results: Manual reduction was attempted in a third of the...
Uchida-Fujii E, Niwa H, Senoh M, Kato H, Kinoshita Y, Mita H, Ueno T.We encountered 34 Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) infection (CDI) cases among Thoroughbred horses in Japan from 2010 to 2021. Among them, 79.4% (27/34) either died or were euthanised. The risk factors associated with CDI and mortality among Japanese Thoroughbred horses remain unclear. We used genetic methods to examine C. difficile strains and their relationships with prognosis. Twenty-two (64.7%) cases were hospitalised at the onset of colitis. Outcomes were balanced for hospitalisation rates at the onset of colitis. The mortality rates of cases treated with metronidazole (65.0%) were...
Bennet ED, Parkin TDH.Racehorse training and racing schedules in many parts of the United States and Canada were interrupted or otherwise reduced during the first three to six months of 2020. This was an indirect consequence of mitigations to prevent the spread of the pandemic virus COVID-19. Data from the Equine Injury Database, a census-level survey of all race starts made in the USA and Canada, were used to analyse the incidence of fatalities in 2009-2022 among three age cohorts of racehorses within each year. There was a statistically significant increase in the incidence of musculoskeletal fatalities among 2-y...
Gibson MJ, Legg KA, Gee EK, Rogers CW.The aim of this study was to examine the race-, horse- and jockey-level risk factors for race day fatality in New Zealand Thoroughbred jumps racing using retrospective race day data from the 2011/12 - 2021/22 seasons (n = 8,970 starts). There were 51 race day fatalities resulting in an incidence rate of 5.7 per 1,000 starts (95% C.I. 4.3 - 7.5). The majority of fatalities were the result of fractures (44/51, 4.9 per 1,000 starts, 95% C.I. 3.7 - 6.6). Steeplechase and hurdle races had the same incidence of fatal fractures of 4.9 per 1,000 starts (95% C.I. 3.7-6.6, p > 0.05). Most (70.5%) of...
Amory H, Cesarini C, De Maré L, Loublier C, Moula N, Detilleux J, Saulmont M, Garigliany MM, Lecoq L.The objective of this retrospective study was to evaluate the clinical significance of fecal quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) results when taking the cycle threshold values (Ct) into account. The study included 120 qPCR-positive fecal samples obtained from 88 hospitalized horses over a 2-year period. The mean Ct of the qPCR test was evaluated in regard to (1) clinical outcome and (2) systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) status (no SIRS, moderate SIRS, or severe SIRS) of the sampled horses. An ROC analysis was performed to establish the optimal cut-off Ct valu...
Brabon A, Labens R, Ramachandran A, Dart AJ, Dowling BA.Four adult horses with histories of moderate abdominal pain and inappetence were diagnosed with delayed gastric emptying and gastric impaction attributed to pyloroduodenal obstruction (three cases) or duodenitis (one case). A stapled side-to-side gastrojejunostomy was performed on all horses. Two horses returned to work and survived ≥3 years. One horse was euthanased 6 months post-surgery due to recurrent abdominal pain, and one was found dead 5 months postsurgery after an unattended foaling.
Linn-Peirano SC, Hepworth-Warren K, Kinsella H, Diaz-Campos D, Brenseke BM, Cianciolo RE, Schroeder E, Schreeg ME.Equine ingesta-associated choledocholithiasis is a rare cause of morbidity and mortality. We describe here the clinical, gross, histologic, and microbiologic features of this condition in 2 horses and compare the features to 2 previous cases. Case 1 was a 4-y-old Thoroughbred mare with colic. Case 2 was an 18-y-old American Paint Horse mare with colic, chronic weight loss, and inappropriate mentation. Both had elevated biochemical markers of hepatocellular injury and cholestasis and were euthanized given a poor prognosis. Case 1 had a well-formed 5-cm choledocholith surrounding a piece of hay,...
Roe H, Macpherson M, Denagamage T, Hopper S, Woodie B, Embertson R.Mare and foal survival are increased with prompt dystocia management. Data regarding mortality outcomes in mares and foals, when mares are recumbent at admission for dystocia resolution, are scarce. Objective: To evaluate recumbency at hospital admission as a risk factor for survival of mares and foals following dystocia management. Subsequent mare fertility was also evaluated. Methods: Retrospective cohort. Methods: Data were obtained from medical records at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital of mares with dystocia between 1995 and 2018. Mare signalment, ambulation status, survival data and foal...
Mouncey R, Arango-Sabogal JC, de Mestre AM, Verheyen KL.Up-to-date estimates of early-life morbidity and mortality in Thoroughbreds are lacking. Methods: A birth cohort was established on Thoroughbred stud farms across the UK and Ireland. All veterinary interventions for disease or injury between birth and 18 months of age or leaving the study were recorded. Multilevel Poisson regression models with farm and foal as random effects were fitted to estimate incidence rates. Results: Data were available for 3328 foal-months at risk for 275 foals on seven farms. The overall rates of disease and injury requiring veterinary intervention and mortality were...
Brito G, Damián JP, Suárez G, Ruprechter G, Trigo P.RHU is the oldest endurance sport in Uruguay. However, despite 80 years of racing, there are no studies to characterize this type of competition, explore rates and causes of death, and identify the associated risk factors. The aim was to characterize the Raid Hipico Uruguayo (RHU) competencies according to the distance (short (SR, 60 km) vs. long (LR, 80-115 km)), the causes of deaths, and the associated risk factors. The study population comprised horses ( = 16,856) that participated in RHU rides from 2007 to 2018. LR were more frequent than SR ( < 0.001). The average speed of winners was ...
Mair T, Sherlock C.Most recurrent episodes of non-specific colic are self-limiting, and the results of clinical examinations are unremarkable. Differentiating these cases from serious diseases can be difficult, but repeated evaluations are warranted. Horses presenting with very frequent bouts of colic are more likely to have serious diseases and a higher mortality rate compared to horses presenting with less frequent bouts of transient colic. Horses with recurrent bouts of prolonged colic are more likely to have motility issues or partial intestinal obstruction. Non-gastrointestinal diseases can also cause recur...
Cameron-Whytock HA, Parkin TDH, Hobbs SJ, Brigden CV, Bennet ED.Equestrian eventing is a dangerous Olympic sport, with 16 rider and 69 horse fatalities at competition in the last 10 years. Despite this, there is limited research that aims to improve safety within the sport. Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors for horse falls, which are the leading cause of rider fatality within the sport. Methods: Retrospective cohort study. Methods: Competition data between January 2005 and December 2015 were analysed. Descriptive statistics followed by univariable logistic regression to identify risk factors for inclusion in a multivariabl...
Spadari A, Gialletti R, Gandini M, Valle E, Cerullo A, Cavallini D, Bertoletti A, Rinnovati R, Forni G, Scilimati N, Giusto G.The occurrence of colic could be influenced by the characteristics of a population, geographical area, and feeding management. The aim of this study was to report the short-term postoperative complications and survival rates and to identify factors that might affect the outcome of horses that underwent colic surgery in three Italian surgical referral centres. Data of horses subjected to colic surgery in three referral centres (2018-2021) were analysed. Comparisons of the outcomes were performed using a Mann-Whitney or a Chi square test. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) c...
Runge KE, Bak M, Vestergaard A, Staerk-Østergaard J, Jacobsen S, Pihl TH.Predicting non-survival in horses with acute colitis improves early decision making. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prognostic value of serum amyloid A (SAA) and other clinicopathological and clinical variables in adult horses with acute colitis. Clinical variables, SAA and other blood biomarkers, including plasma L-lactate (lactate), were assessed in 176 horses with acute colitis. A multivariate model for the prediction of non-survival was constructed. Icelandic horses were analysed separately. Admission SAA was similar in survivors (median 548 mg/L; range 0-5453 mg/L) and...
Gibson MJ, Legg KA, Gee EK, Rogers CW.Race day fatalities as a consequence of catastrophic musculoskeletal injury and cardiac failure are both a welfare concern and provide a challenge for the social perceptions of equine welfare within the racing industry. To reduce race day fatalities, the risk factors under New Zealand racing conditions need to be identified. The aim of this study was to examine race and horse-level risk factors for fatalities in New Zealand Thoroughbred flat racing using retrospective race day data from the 2011/12-2021/22 racing seasons. Horse and race-level factors associated with a suspected cardiac failure...
Peachey KL, Lower T. To assess demographic and causal factors of fatal farm incidents involving animals in Australia. Descriptive study of the National Coronial Information System for persons fatally injured by an animal on an Australian farm over the 2001-20 period. Data were analysed in relation to age, sex, state where incident occurred, work-relatedness and causal agents. There has been little change in the mean number of animal-related injury deaths across Australia in the 2001-20 period (mean 6.5), however this is a 35% reduction on an earlier 1989-92 assessment (mean 10). The majority of incidents (81%) ...
Dobiáš R, Jahn P, Tóthová K, Dobešová O, Višňovská D, Patil R, Škríba A, Jaworská P, Škorič M, Podojil L, Kantorová M, Mrázek J....Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) may be a rare cause of granulomatous pneumonia in horses. The mortality of IPA is almost 100%; direct diagnostic tools in horses are needed. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and serum samples were collected from 18 horses, including individuals suffering from IPA (n = 1), equine asthma (EA, n = 12), and 5 healthy controls. Serum samples were collected from another 6 healthy controls. Samples of BALF (n = 18) were analyzed for spp. DNA, fungal galactomannan (GM), ferricrocin (Fc), triacetylfusarinin C (TafC), and gliotoxin (Gtx). Analysis of 24 serum s...
O'Donovan KA, Aarnes TK, Hubbell JA, Parker EM, Mollenkopf D, Lerche P, Ricco Pereira CH, Bini G, Bednarski RM.To report anesthetic-related complications and determine risks associated with anesthesia in draft horses. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: A total of 401 anesthetic records for draft horse breeds that underwent general anesthesia from January 2010 through December 2020 were reviewed; horses euthanized during general anesthesia were excluded. Methods: Demographics, perioperative drugs used, procedure type and duration, time to extubation, number of attempts to stand, use of sling in recovery and perioperative morbidity and mortality were investigated. Morbidity and mortality statistical ...
Ashraf R, Rashid S, Rasheed I, Asif S.This paper includes the study of early embryonic death (EED), predisposing factors of EED and treatment. EED refers to the fetal mortality which varies in mare and camelids but most probably not later than 50 days of gestation. This duration may be divided into very early mortality, early mortality and late embryonic mortality. This also varies in mare and camelids. There are different embryonic, maternal, environmental/external, and infectious and noninfectious factors which lead to early embryonic loss. Diagnosis is very difficult as in most of the cases resorption of fetus occurs but it is ...
Selvey LA, Wells RM, McCormack JG, Ansford AJ, Murray K, Rogers RJ, Lavercombe PS, Selleck P, Sheridan JW.To describe the clinical and epidemiological features of an outbreak of a viral infection affecting humans and horses. Methods: Stables in Hendra, a suburb of Brisbane. Methods: Affected horses and humans, and at-risk human contacts. Results: A pregnant mare died two days after arrival from a paddock elsewhere in Brisbane. Eight to 11 days later, illness (depression, anorexia, fever, dyspnoea, ataxia, tachycardia, tachypnoea and nasal discharge) was reported among 17 other horses from the same or an adjoining stable. Fourteen horses died or were put down. Five and six days after the index mare...
O'Sullivan JD, Allworth AM, Paterson DL, Snow TM, Boots R, Gleeson LJ, Gould AR, Hyatt AD, Bradfield J.In September, 1994, an outbreak of severe respiratory disease affected 18 horses, their trainer, and a stablehand in Queensland, Australia. Fourteen horses and one human being died. A novel virus was isolated from those affected and named equine morbillivirus (EMV). We report a case of encephalitis caused by this virus. Results: A 35-year-old man from Queensland had a brief aseptic meningitic illness in August, 1994, shortly after caring for two horses that died from EMV infection and then assisting at their necropsies. He then suffered severe encephalitis 13 months later, characterised by unc...
Johnston GM, Eastment JK, Wood J, Taylor PM.To document the equine perioperative mortality rate and to highlight any factor associated with an increased risk of death up to 7 days after anaesthesia. Methods: A prospective observational epidemiological multicentre study. Methods: Data were recorded from all equidae undergoing general anaesthesia in 62 clinics. Power calculations indicated that 45 000 cases were required to detect the significance of important variables. Details of each horse, operation, anaesthetic agents and clinic personnel were recorded. Outcome at 7 days was recorded as: alive, put to sleep (PTS) or dead. Data were a...
Morales MA, Barrandeguy M, Fabbri C, Garcia JB, Vissani A, Trono K, Gutierrez G, Pigretti S, Menchaca H, Garrido N, Taylor N, Fernandez F, Levis S....West Nile virus (WNV) was isolated from the brains of 3 horses that died from encephalitis in February 2006. The horses were from different farms in central Argentina and had not traveled outside the country. This is the first isolation of WNV in South America.
Guo Y, Wang M, Kawaoka Y, Gorman O, Ito T, Saito T, Webster RG.In March 1989 a severe outbreak of respiratory disease occurred in horses in the Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces of Northeast China that caused up to 20% mortality in some herds. An influenza virus of the H3N8 subtype was isolated from the infected animals and was antigenically and molecularly distinguishable from the equine 2 (H3N8) viruses currently circulating in the world. The reference strain A/Equine/Jilin/1/89 (H3N8) was most closely related to avian H3N8 influenza viruses. Sequence comparisons of the entire hemagglutinin (HA), nucleoprotein (NP), neuraminidase (NA), matrix (M), and NS...
Marsh GA, Wang LF.Henipavirus, including Hendra and Nipah viruses, is a group of emerging bat-borne paramyxoviruses which were responsible for severe disease outbreaks in humans, horses and pigs. The mortality rate of human infection varies between 50 and 100%, making them one of the most deadly viruses known to infect humans. Its use of highly conserved cell surface molecules (ephrin) as entry receptors and its highly effective replication and fusion strategies are believed to be important characteristics responsible for its high pathogenicity. Henipavirus also encodes multiple accessory proteins which play a ...
Field H, Schaaf K, Kung N, Simon C, Waltisbuhl D, Hobert H, Moore F, Middleton D, Crook A, Smith G, Daniels P, Glanville R, Lovell D.To determine the epidemiologic and clinical features of a 2008 outbreak of Hendra virus infection in a veterinary clinic in Australia, we investigated the equine case-series. Four of 5 infected horses died, as did 1 of 2 infected staff members. Clinical manifestation in horses was predominantly neurologic. Preclinical transmission appears likely.
Bonnett BN, Egenvall A.From 1995 to the present Agria Animal Insurance, Sweden (Agria Djurförsäkring, Stockholm, Sweden) has provided data on both health care and life insurance claims for descriptive and analytical research. From these data we have published extensively on insured dogs and horses and have recently submitted a study on cat mortality. Over the periods studied most extensively (1995-2002 for dogs, 1997-2004 for horses and 1999-2006 for cats), Agria has insured approximately 200,000 dogs, 100,000 horses and up to 200,000 cats per year. Estimates based on formal research or market surveys suggest that...
Herholz C, Miserez R, Nicolet J, Frey J, Popoff M, Gibert M, Gerber H, Straub R.The incidence of a new, yet unassigned toxin type of Clostridium perfringens containing the genes for the alpha-toxin and the recently described beta2-toxin in horses with intestinal disorders is reported. The study included 18 horses suffering from typical typhlocolitis, 7 horses with atypical typhlocolitis, 16 horses with other intestinal disorders, and 58 horses without intestinal disease. In total, 20 samples of ingesta of the small and large intestines, five biopsy specimens of the intestinal wall, and 74 fecal samples were analyzed bacteriologically. C. perfringens isolates were typed fo...
Johnson BJ, Stover SM, Daft BM, Kinde H, Read DH, Barr BC, Anderson M, Moore J, Woods L, Stoltz J.Necropsies were performed on 496 horses that had a fatal injury or illness at a California racetrack during the period February 20th 1990 to March 1st 1992. The primary cause of death was categorised by breed, activity at time of injury or illness and organ system affected. Most of the submissions were Thoroughbred horses (432) and Quarter Horses (46). Most of the injuries occurred while racing (42%) and in training sessions (39%); with fewer non-exercise (12%) and accident (7%) related injuries or illnesses. Musculoskeletal injuries accounted for 83% of the Thoroughbred and 80% of the Quarter...
Venter M, Human S, Zaayman D, Gerdes GH, Williams J, Steyl J, Leman PA, Paweska JT, Setzkorn H, Rous G, Murray S, Parker R, Donnellan C, Swanepoel R.Serologic evidence suggests that West Nile virus (WNV) is widely distributed in horses in southern Africa. However, because few neurologic cases have been reported, endemic lineage 2 strains were postulated to be nonpathogenic in horses. Recent evidence suggests that highly neuroinvasive lineage 2 strains exist in humans and mice. To determine whether neurologic cases are being missed in South Africa, we tested 80 serum or brain specimens from horses with unexplained fever (n = 48) and/or neurologic signs (n = 32) for WNV. From March 2007 through June 2008, using reverse transcription-PCR (RT-...
Ely ER, Avella CS, Price JS, Smith RK, Wood JL, Verheyen KL.While fractures and tendon injuries are known to be important diseases in National Hunt (NH) racehorses during racing, there are no accurate estimates of their incidence in NH training yards. Objective: To estimate the incidence of fractures and tendon and suspensory ligament injuries (TLIs) in NH racehorses in training; to describe the injuries incurred and to compare injury incidence rates by horse age, trainer, gender and background (ex-flat vs. ex-store horses). Methods: Cohort data were collected from 14 UK NH training yards for 2 racing seasons. Daily exercise regimens and details of fra...
Ball CG, Ball JE, Kirkpatrick AW, Mulloy RH.Horseback riding is more dangerous than motorcycle riding, skiing, football, and rugby. The purpose of this study was to identify the incidence and injury patterns, as well as risk factors associated with severe equestrian trauma. Methods: All patients with major equestrian injuries (injury severity score > or = 12) admitted between 1995 and 2005 were reviewed. A 46-question survey outlining potential rider, animal, and environmental risk factors was administered. Results: Among 7941 trauma patients, 151 (2%) were injured on horseback (mean injury severity score, 20; mortality rate, 7%). In...
Lyle CH, Uzal FA, McGorum BC, Aida H, Blissitt KJ, Case JT, Charles JT, Gardner I, Horadagoda N, Kusano K, Lam K, Pack JD, Parkin TD, Slocombe RF....To improve the understanding of exercise related sudden death in Thoroughbred racehorses. Objective: To describe the post mortem findings in cases of sudden death associated with exercise in 268 Thoroughbred racehorses. Methods: Gross and histological post mortem findings of 268 cases of sudden death were collated and reviewed. Cases originated from 6 racing jurisdictions around the world. Sudden death was defined as acute collapse and death in a closely observed and previously apparently healthy Thoroughbred racehorse, during, or within one hour after, exercise. Cause of death as determined b...
Traub-Dargatz JL, Kopral CA, Seitzinger AH, Garber LP, Forde K, White NA.To estimate the national incidence of, operation-level risk factors for, and annual economic impact of colic among horses in the United States during 1998 and 1999. Methods: Epidemiologic survey. Methods: 21,820 horses on 1,026 horse operations in 28 states. Methods: Horses were monitored for colic for 1 year, and results were recorded in a log that was collected quarterly. Operation-level data were collected via 4 on-site personal interviews. Associations between colic and independent variables adjusted for size of operation were determined. Results: Annual national incidence of colic in the ...
Young SS, Taylor PM.Patient data, physiological variables and recovery quality were extracted from 1,314 records of equine anaesthetics covering a 7-year period and analysed retrospectively. Better recovery quality was significantly associated with shorter duration of anaesthesia, longer recovery times, less invasive surgery, a lower pulse rate at induction and higher pulse and respiratory rates during anaesthesia. Nineteen animals suffered serious anaesthetic-related problems (1.4% incidence) and 9 died (0.68% incidence). Clinical treatment of hypotension during anaesthesia significantly reduced the hypotensive ...
Roy MF, Kwong GP, Lambert J, Massie S, Lockhart S.Despite its widespread use in equine medicine, the clinical value of the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) concept in horses remains unknown. Objective: To study the prognostic value of measures of SIRS in horses and identify the best model of severe SIRS to predict outcome. Methods: A total of 479 consecutive adult horse emergency admissions to a private primary referral practice. Methods: Prospective observational study. All adult horses admitted for emergency treatment over the study period were included. Multivariate logistic regression and stepwise model selection were used. ...
Angenvoort J, Brault AC, Bowen RA, Groschup MH.West Nile virus (WNV) is a flavivirus transmitted between certain species of birds and mosquito vectors. Tangential infections of equids and subsequent equine epizootics have occurred historically. Although the attack rate has been estimated to be below 10%, mortality rates can approach 50% in horses that present clinical disease. Symptoms are most commonly presenting in the form of encephalitis with ataxia as well as limb weakness, recumbency and muscle fasciculation. The most effective strategy for prevention of equine disease is proper vaccination with one of the numerous commercially avail...
Scheinberg P, Marte M, Nunez O, Young NS.Clones of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchor protein-deficient cells are characteristic in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria and are present in about 40-50% of patients with severe aplastic anemia. Flow cytometry has allowed for sensitive and precise measurement of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchor protein-deficient red blood cells and neutrophils in severe aplastic anemia. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria clones measured by flow cytometry in 207 consecutive severe aplastic anemia patients who received immunosuppressive therapy with a h...
Cohen ND.A prospective study was conducted to describe the causes of and farm management factors associated with disease and death in a population of foals in Texas. Data from 2,468 foals at 167 farms were provided by veterinarians for all 12 months during 1991. Among 2,468 foals, 116 deaths were reported (4.7%). Pneumonia was the most commonly reported cause of death, followed by septicemia. When considered as a group, musculoskeletal disorders (traumatic, infectious, or deforming problems) represented the most common cause of all reported deaths. Daily risk of death was greatest during the first 7 da...
Myers LL, Shoop DS, Byars TD.Enterotoxigenic Bacteroides fragilis (ETBF) was isolated from the feces of 10 of 40 Thoroughbred foals with naturally acquired diarrhea. Of the 10 foals positive for ETBF, 6 were less than or equal to 7 days old. Fecal specimens from 4 of the 10 foals also were positive for rotavirus, and one fecal specimen was positive for Salmonella enteritidis. Clinical or hematologic differences were not evident between foals infected with ETBF only and those infected with ETBF and another recognized enteric pathogen. Only 1 of 10 foals infected with ETBF died. Of 25 adult rabbits with ligated ceca, 23 dev...
van Niekerk S, Human S, Williams J, van Wilpe E, Pretorius M, Swanepoel R, Venter M.Old World alphaviruses were identified in 52 of 623 horses with febrile or neurologic disease in South Africa. Five of 8 Sindbis virus infections were mild; 2 of 3 fatal cases involved co-infections. Of 44 Middelburg virus infections, 28 caused neurologic disease; 12 were fatal. Middelburg virus likely has zoonotic potential.
Parkin TD, Clegg PD, French NP, Proudman CJ, Riggs CM, Singer ER, Webbon PM, Morgan KL.Considerable variation in the rates of equine fatality at different racecourses draws attention to probable risk factors at the level of course or race that might be partly responsible. Distal limb fractures are the most common cause of equine fatality on UK racecourses and identification of risk factors for such injuries and subsequent implementation of intervention strategies could significantly reduce the total number of racecourse fatalities. Objective: To identify race- and course-level risk factors for fatal distal limb fracture in Thoroughbreds on UK racecourses. Methods: A case-control...
Laurenza C, Ansart L, Portier K.A retrospective analysis was performed to determine mortality and morbidity rates for elective and emergency cases in an equine university teaching hospital. It investigated the effect of horse-, anesthetic-, timing, and clinician experience-related variables on anesthetic complications. In total, 1,161 horses undergoing general anesthesia between January 2012 and December 2016 were included in the study. Patient information and details of the anesthetic, recovery period and immediate complications were retrieved from an archival database. Statistical analysis of qualitative and quantitative f...
Fielding CL, Higgins JK, Higgins JC, McIntosh S, Scott E, Giannitti F, Mete A, Pusterla N.Equine coronavirus (ECoV) is associated with clinical disease in adult horses. Outbreaks are associated with a low case fatality rate and a small number of animals with signs of encephalopathic disease are described. Objective: The aim of this study is to describe the epidemiological and clinical features of two outbreaks of ECoV infection that were associated with an high case fatality rate. Methods: 14 miniature horses and 1 miniature donkey testing fecal positive for ECoV from two related disease outbreaks. Methods: Retrospective study describing the epidemiological findings, clinicopatholo...
Padalino B, Hall E, Raidal S, Celi P, Knight P, Jeffcott L, Muscatello G.Equine transportation is associated with a variety of serious health disorders causing economic losses. However; statistics on horse transport are limited and epidemiological data on transport related diseases are available only for horses transported to abattoirs for slaughter. This study analysed reports of transport related health problems identified by drivers and horse owners for 180 journeys of an Australian horse transport company transporting horses between Perth and Sydney (~4000 km) in 2013-2015. Records showed that 97.2% (1604/1650) of the horses arrived at their destination with no...
Dugdale AH, Taylor PM.To review the literature concerning mortality associated with general anaesthesia in horses and to assess whether there is evidence for a reduction in mortality over the 20 years since the Confidential Enquiry into Perioperative Equine Fatalities (CEPEF). Methods: PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar. Search terms used: horse; pony; equine; anaesthesia; anesthesia; recovery; morbidity, and mortality. Conclusions: The most recent studies, in which isoflurane and sevoflurane have been more commonly used for anaesthesia maintenance, report fewer intraoperative cardiac arrests than older studies in whi...
Salazar P, Traub-Dargatz JL, Morley PS, Wilmot DD, Steffen DJ, Cunningham WE, Salman MD.To determine outcome of equids in the western United States with clinical signs of West Nile virus (WNV) infection and identify factors associated with risk of death in infected equids. Methods: Cross-sectional study. Methods: 484 equids in Nebraska and Colorado. Methods: Owners of 484 equids with laboratory-confirmed West Nile virus infection in Nebraska and Colorado were contacted by telephone, and a questionnaire was used to obtain information on signalment, management, clinical signs, date of disease onset, duration of disease, WNV vaccination status, and health status at the time of the i...
