Risk factors in horses refer to variables or conditions that increase the likelihood of disease, injury, or other adverse health outcomes in equine populations. These factors can be intrinsic, such as age, breed, and genetic predisposition, or extrinsic, including environmental conditions, management practices, and exposure to infectious agents. Understanding risk factors is important for developing preventive strategies and improving health management in horses. This page aggregates peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the identification, assessment, and mitigation of risk factors in equine health, with the aim of enhancing disease prevention and promoting overall well-being in horses.
Smith K, Templeton A.Previous research suggests that shared social identification and expected support from others can reduce the extent to which attendees of mass events perceive that others pose health risks. This study evaluated the social identity processes associated with perceived risk at UK pilot sporting events held during COVID-19, including the government Events Research Programme. An online survey (N = 2029) measured attendee perceptions that other spectators adhered to safety measures, shared social identity with other attendees, expectations that others would provide support, and the perceived risk ...
Villa L, Gazzonis AL, Allievi C, De Maria C, Persichetti MF, Caracappa G, Zanzani SA, Manfredi MT.Tick-borne diseases in horses are considered an emergent problem worldwide; the geographical redistribution of ticks, due to climatic and ecological changes, and the movements of infected horses between different nations play important roles in the spread of tick-borne diseases affecting these hosts. In this study, a survey was planned to estimate the seroprevalence of the Gram-negative bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum and the piroplasmid protozoa Babesia caballi and Theileria equi in Italian horses, as well as to evaluate possible risk factors associated with seropositive cases. Serum samp...
Hussey GS, Giessler KS.Equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) myeloencephalopathy (EHM) is a devastating consequence of EHV-1 infection that has significant economic consequences. However, clinical EHM is relatively rare and occurs in only approximately 10% of infected horses. While there is a positive correlation between the duration and magnitude of viremia and incidence of EHM, it is likely that a combination of host and viral factors determine whether EHM occurs. The identification of these factors is of high interest for the equine community and has been the topic of much research for vaccine development and to predict w...
Malalana F, Ireland JL, Pinchbeck GL, McGowan CM.Risk factors for a first episode of primary uveitis in horses have not been determined. In addition, disease progression and the proportion of horses that develop recurrence following the original episode are not known. Objective: To determine the risk factors for the development of a first episode of primary uveitis in horses in the UK and to document the proportion of cases that experience recurrence following this first episode. Methods: Prospective case-control longitudinal study. Methods: Horses with a first episode of primary uveitis between July 2014 and August 2018 were recruited to th...
Knowles EJ, Elliott J, Harris PA, Chang YM, Menzies-Gow NJ.Quantifying risk factors for laminitis development requires improvement. Objective: To identify the most useful physical examination, metabolic and management factors to predict laminitis development in client-owned, nonlaminitic ponies. Methods: Prospective cohort study. Methods: Physical examination, metabolic and management data were collected from a pony cohort 6 monthly for up to 4 years. Ponies were monitored for the development of laminitis. Metabolic data included basal plasma concentrations of ACTH ([ACTH]), adiponectin ([adiponectin]), triglycerides and glucose. Serum insulin concen...
Raizner NT, Gedon NKY, Zablotski Y, Kania SA, Kühnle HF, Kühnle C, Mueller RS.Equine pastern dermatitis (EPD) is a common multifactorial clinical syndrome in horses. Treatment can be difficult; pathogenesis and triggering factors cannot always be determined. Objective: To assess risk factors for developing EPD in a large group of horses kept under the same conditions and to analyse whether or not a spot-on containing essential fatty acids and antimicrobial agents is able to prevent the development of EPD or accelerate the healing process. Methods: Each year 50 young, privately owned, warmblood horses were prospectively included. Methods: All horses were examined weekly ...
Gao S, Zeng Z, Wang H, Chen F, Huang L, Wang X.African horse sickness (AHS) is a devastating equine infectious disease. On 17 March 2020, it first appeared in Thailand and threatened all the South-East Asia equine industry security. Therefore, it is imperative to carry out risk warnings of the AHS in China. The maximum entropy algorithm was used to model AHS and Culicoides separately by using climate and non-climate variables. The least cost path (LCP) method was used to analyze the habitat connectivity of Culicoides with the reclassified land cover and altitude as cost factors. The models showed the mean area under the curve as 0.918 and ...
Vernemmen I, Van Steenkiste G, Dufourni A, Decloedt A, van Loon G.Transvenous electrical cardioversion (TVEC) is 1 of the main treatment options for atrial fibrillation (AF) in horses. Large-scale studies on factors affecting success and prognosis have primarily been performed in Standardbred populations. Objective: To determine factors affecting cardioversion success, cardioversion difficulty and recurrence in a predominant Warmblood study sample. Methods: TVEC records of 199 horses. Methods: Retrospective study of TVEC procedures of horses admitted for AF without severe echocardiographic abnormalities. Horse and procedural factors for success and cumulativ...
Mita H, Tamura N, Fukuda K, Kuroda T, Kuwano A, Sato F.We aimed to investigate the recent incidence of carpal fractures and the risk factors for recurrent ipsilateral fractures after arthroscopic removal of clinically active unilateral carpal chip fracture fragments in Thoroughbred racehorses. The findings for horses managed under the Japan Racing Association that developed carpal bone fractures between 2014 and 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. The proportion of cases that developed a recurrent carpal fracture in the originally affected joint was calculated, and the risk factors for recurrent fractures were analysed. In total, 2858 carpal fract...
Bennell AJ, Wright RJH, Malalana F, Senior JM.Catastrophic fractures or luxations (FoL) sustained during recovery from general anesthesia are a significant cause of mortality during equine anesthesia. There is a lack of evidence regarding potential risk factors for a FoL occurring in the immediate anesthetic recovery period. A single center, retrospective, case-matched study was performed to identify risk factors for sustaining a catastrophic FoL during recovery from general anesthesia. Clinical data were obtained for horses which sustained a catastrophic FoL when recovering from general anesthesia from January 2011 to June 2020 in a sing...
Takai S, Yoda A, Sasaki Y, Kakuda T, Suzuki Y, Oikawa M.Tracheal washing fluid was collected from 170 foals at 28 and 35 d old from February to July in a foaling season on horse-breeding farms with sporadic rhodococcosis in Japan and was investigated by quantitative culture. The history of the 170 foals followed up for the next few months. The proportion of R. equi-positive foals at 28 and 35 d old was significantly increased according to the birth month. Furthermore, the mean number of R. equi in the tracheal washing fluid of each month group increased according to their birth month with the rise in outside temperature. During the follow-up observ...
Tahoun A, Elnafarawy HK, El-Sharkawy H, Rizk AM, Alorabi M, El-Shehawi AM, Youssef MA, Ibrahim HMM, El-Khodery S.This work aimed to characterize S. aureus isolates from the eyes of healthy and clinically affected equines in the Kafrelsheikh Governorate, Egypt. A total of 110 animals were examined for the presence of S. aureus, which was isolated from 33 animals with ophthalmic lesions and 77 healthy animals. We also investigated the antimicrobial resistance profile, oxacillin resistance mechanism, and the major virulence factors implicated in many studies of the ocular pathology of pathogenic S. aureus. The association between S. aureus eye infections and potential risk factors was also investigated. The...
Lotfi Z, Pourmahdi Borujeni M, Ghorbanpoor M, Ghadrdan Mashhadi AR.Brucellosis, as a zoonotic disease, mainly occurs in horses by Brucella abortus, Brucella canis and Brucella suis. The disease in equines is often asymptomatic, but the clinical signs in horses are mostly characterized by bursitis, arthritis and tenosynovitis. This study, thus, aimed to determine the seroprevalence of brucellosis and its associated risk factors in the Arabian horses of Khuzestan province, South-west Iran. To that end, the blood samples randomly collected from 180 Arabian horses were analyzed for the presence of anti-Brucella antibodies by Rose Bengal plate test (RBPT), serum a...
Jaramillo-Morales C, Gomez DE, Renaud D, Arroyo LG.The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of S. equi in a horse population in Colombia, to determine the risk factors associated with its detection in the guttural pouches and to report the antimicrobial susceptibility of the isolates. Fifteen farms and 137 horses >6 months of age were enrolled. Sampling was randomly, stratified and proportional to the population size of each farm. The guttural pouch (GP) was swabbed via endoscopic guidance and culture was performed. DNA extraction and conventional PCR were performed in colonies compatibles with S. equi, the PCR products we...
Moustafa A, Elmetwally M, El-Khodery S, Hamed M, Gomaa N, Rizk MA.There is a paucity of information regarding the frequency and risk factors associated with the occurrence of an abdominal hernia in different equine species especially donkeys, and mules. In addition, the effectiveness of using polypropylene mesh for the surgical management of abdominal hernia in donkeys and mules is still unknown. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of using polypropylene mesh for the surgical treatment of abdominal hernia in horses, donkeys, and mules and to address the occurrence and risk factors associated with an abdominal hernia in the selected ...
Riley CB, Rogers CW, Thompson KR, Guiver D, Padalino B.Negative outcomes associated with the road transport of horses are a significant welfare issue. This study aimed to describe the injuries sustained by horses during road transport in New Zealand and factors associated with trauma while in transit. New Zealand horse industry participants were surveyed on their horse transport experiences and equine industry involvement. Participants were solicited through horse organisations. The data were tabulated, and a logistic regression was performed to identify significant ( < 0.05) factors associated with transport-related injury. In total, 201/1133 ...
Hellings IR, Skjerve E, Karlstam E, Valheim M, Ihler CF, Fintl C.There are no reports on the number of fatalities or causes of death in the Norwegian and Swedish harness racehorses. Objective: The incidence rates (IRs), risk factors, and postmortem findings in horses that died or were euthanized associated with racing between 2014 and 2019 were investigated. Methods: Thirty-eight Standardbreds and 10 Norwegian-Swedish Coldblooded Trotters died or were euthanized associated with racing. A total of 816 085 race-starts were recorded. Methods: Incidence rates were calculated for both countries and horse breeds. Risk factors for sudden death were identified us...
Merlin A, Ravinet N, Sévin C, Bernez-Romand M, Petry S, Delerue M, Briot L, Chauvin A, Tapprest J, Hébert L.Cyathostomins are considered as the most prevalent and pathogenic parasites of grazing horses. The development on pastures of the free-living stages of these gastrointestinal worms is particularly influenced by outdoor temperature. Understanding the bionomics of free-living stages is an important prerequisite to implement mathematical models designed to assess the parasitic risk for grazing equids. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of 3 constant temperatures under laboratory conditions (10 ± 1 °C, 23 ± 2 °C, 30 ± 2 °C) and one fluctuating temperature under outdoor c...
Merchán A, Koenig J, Côté N, Cribb N, Monteith G.The objective of this retrospective study was to determine the occurrence of joint-related complications after elective arthroscopy of the tibiotarsal joint (TTJ) in 329 horses, and the association with specific clinical parameters. Data were collected from medical records of horses undergoing elective tibiotarsal joint arthroscopy for fragment removal. Exact conditional univariate regression was used to determine significant risk factors for joint-related post-operative complications. Of 485 joints, 2 (0.4%) developed surgical site infection, 4 (0.8%) developed septic arthritis, 1 (0.2%) deve...
Hewetson M, Tallon R.This narrative review explores the etiopathogenesis, clinical signs, diagnosis and treatment of ESGD (equine squamous gastric disease) and discusses the impact of this commonly encountered condition on the equine industry. ESGD refers specifically to peptic injury of the squamous mucosa of the stomach. Prevalence is highest in performance horses, but the disease has been documented across many breeds and ages, including in feral horses and foals. The pathogenesis of ESGD is well understood. Intensive management and exercise are important factors that contribute to a disruption of the normal st...
Gomaa N, Elemiri M, Hegazy Y, Zeineldin M, Nassif M, Alcala-Canto Y, Barbabosa-Pliego A, Rivas-Caceres RR, Abdelmegeid M.A retrospective cohort study was conducted on two Egyptian horse farms with most of horses were suffered from abdominal pain to describe the associations between the occurrence of mycotoxicosis and equine colic. The farms owner complain was an unexpected increase in number of colic cases and deaths among horses. The association between colic and risk factors (sex, type of food either dry or mixed with roughages and hematobiochemical parameters) was compared using independent sample T-test. The associations between possible prognostic indicators for colic caused by mycotoxicosis was estimated u...
Iimori M, Tamura N, Seki K, Kasashima Y.The onset of severe injury to the superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) is extremely difficult to predict from slight changes in ultrasonographic findings in cases with no apparent clinical signs. This study investigated the relationship between an increased cross-sectional area (CSA) or edema in the subcutaneous tissue around the tendon and the subsequent onset of severe SDFT injury in Thoroughbred racehorses. Horses were classified into three groups based on ultrasound diagnosis (USD) findings: Group A included cases with enlarged tendons; Group B included cases with tendons of normal siz...
Temesgen T, Getachew Y, Negussie H.Equine herpesvirus (EHV) infections have major economic, health, and welfare impacts on equids. This study was performed in three selected zones of central Ethiopia with the objectives of detecting EHV-1, -2, and -5 in horses and donkeys with suggestive signs of respiratory tract disease and to assess epidemiological risk factors associated with infections. Methods: A total of 58 nasopharyngeal swab samples were collected from donkeys and horses showing clinical signs of respiratory disease. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect EHV-1, -2, and -5. Evaluation of the associated risk...
Obesity has become a serious health problem with frequent occurrence both in human and animal populations. It is estimated that it may affect over 85% of the human population and 70-80% of horses and cows by 2030. Fat cow syndrome (FCS) is a combination of metabolic, digestive, infectious, and reproductive disorders that affects obese periparturient dairy cows, and occurs most frequently in loose-housing systems, where periparturient and dry cows are fed and managed in one group disregarding the lactation stages. Equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) was named after human metabolic syndrome (MetS) a...
Hovda T, Love L, Chiavaccini L.Hypoxaemia is a common concern during equine general anaesthesia. The prevalence and predictors of hypoxaemia in horses undergoing elective anaesthesia in particular are poorly documented. Objective: To determine and compare the prevalence of hypoxaemia (defined as PaO2 ≤ 80 mm Hg, on the lowest value recorded) in horses undergoing anaesthesia for exploratory laparotomy and elective procedures, and to identify risk factors in both subpopulations. Methods: Retrospective cohort study. Methods: Data were collected from 774 records of 708 horses undergoing general anaesthesia between April 2...
Ribeiro DSC, Martins AV, Lobão LF, Ribeiro MS, Palmer JPS, Corrêa LL, Uchôa CMA, da Silva S, Meireles MV, Amendoeira MRR, Barbosa ADS.An analysis was made of the frequency of Cryptosporidium spp. in fecal samples from horses raised on farms in the Teresópolis city, state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and the risk factors that favored this infection. Between 2019 and 2020, 314 samples of equine feces were collected, 287 of which came from English Thoroughbred horses and 27 from ponies. Information on the horses and their management were retrieved from a stud book and forms filled out by trainers. The fecal samples were subjected to macroscopic analysis, modified Sheather's and Lutz parasitological techniques, safranin staining,...
Joó K, Trúzsi RL, Kálmán CZ, Ács V, Jakab S, Bába A, Nielsen MK.In Hungary, equine parasite control is mostly based on traditional approaches involving rotational anthelmintic treatment at regular intervals. Almost no farms utilize fecal egg counts (FECs) on a regular basis to guide deworming treatments. This approach is certainly not sustainable and is the major factor responsible for the current high levels of anthelmintic resistance. The aims of this study were to statistically analyze risk factors associated with strongylid egg count magnitude and prevalence. Fecal samples and horse data (age, pasture history, stocking density, anthelmintic history) we...
Mizobe F, Takahashi Y, Kusano K.Jockey safety is an important subject from a welfare perspective and public perception. This is the first retrospective case-control study that aims to identify risk factors associated with jockey falls (JF) in Thoroughbred jump races held by the Japan Racing Association (JRA). JF in 17,459 maiden-class race starts at eight racecourses from 2003 to 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Data were extracted from a database and official accident reports maintained by the JRA. Thirteen possible risk factors were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression to identify those that were significan...
Loomes K, Louro LF.The recovery phase after equine general anaesthesia (GA) is a time of considerable risk and therefore has been the subject of extensive research over the last 20 years. Various pharmacological interventions have been developed and studied with the objective of improving recovery quality and reducing anaesthetic-related mortality and morbidity. Nevertheless, some controversy remains regarding the influence of anaesthetic protocol choice on recovery quality from GA and its implications for recovery-related mortality and morbidity. A systematic review of the literature investigating the influenc...
de Souza TC, Suthers JM, Busschers E, Burford JH, Freeman SL.Synovial sepsis is a frequent cause of morbidity and mortality in horses. Despite advances in diagnostics and treatments, persistent infection or chronic lameness can occur. Objective: To perform a scoping review to identify and evaluate the current evidence on the factors implicated in the success of treatment for synovial sepsis. Methods: Joanna Briggs Institute scoping review. Methods: A protocol was registered, and a systematic literature search was performed on CAB abstracts, Medline, Scopus and Embase. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were developed and studies systematically reviewed ag...
Gibson KT, Curtis CR, Turner AS, McIlwraith CW, Aanes WA, Stashak TS.Medical records of 210 horses that survived ventral midline celiotomy for at least 4 months were examined and owners were queried to determine factors contributing to incisional hernia formation. The incidence rate of incisional hernias within 4 months was 16%. Factors significantly associated with occurrence of incisional hernias were incisional drainage, closure of the linea alba with chromic gut suture material, previous midline celiotomy, excessive incisional edema, castrated male sex, postoperative leukopenia, and postoperative pain (colic). Factors not significantly associated with occur...
Camino E, Buendia A, Dorrego A, Pozo P, de Juan L, Dominguez L, Cruz-Lopez F.Theileria equi and Babesia caballi cause equine piroplasmosis (EP), one of the most important tick-borne diseases of horses due to its high negative impact to the equine industry. Although infections with these parasites have been reported for decades in Spain, epidemiological studies have only been carried out in certain regions. Objective: To determine the (sero)prevalence of these parasites in asymptomatic horses nationwide in Spain and to identify potential individual and environmental factors associated with seropositivity to EP. Methods: Sample size was calculated according to the horses...
Lefebvre D, Pirie RS, Handel IG, Tremaine WH, Hudson NP.There is a need for an improved understanding of equine post operative ileus (POI), in terms of both clinical definition and optimal management. Although the pharmacological strategies that are used to treat POI continue to evolve, little is known about the supplementary strategies used to prevent and manage this condition. Objective: To report the current strategies used to diagnose, prevent and manage POI following emergency abdominal surgeries. Methods: Cross-sectional survey. Methods: An electronic survey invitation was sent by email to 306 European college diplomates (European Colleges of...
Darnaud SJ, Southwood LL, Aceto HW, Stefanovski D, Tomassone L, Zarucco L.It is our clinical impression that age and incision length are more strongly associated with surgical site infection (SSI) following colic surgery than skin closure or wound protection method. Therefore, the objective of this observational clinical cohort study was to identify the risks for SSI in horses undergoing colic surgery. Data collection included pre-, intra-, and postoperative variables. Variables with P < 0.2 following univariable analysis were used in a logistic regression multivariable model. Variables with P <0.05 were included in the final model. Odds ratios (OR; 95% confid...
Myers R, Cembran A, Fernandez-Funez P.Prion diseases are a group of neurodegenerative diseases endemic in humans and several ruminants caused by the misfolding of native prion protein (PrP) into pathological conformations. Experimental work and the mad-cow epidemic of the 1980s exposed a wide spectrum of animal susceptibility to prion diseases, including a few highly resistant animals: horses, rabbits, pigs, and dogs/canids. The variable susceptibility to disease offers a unique opportunity to uncover the mechanisms governing PrP misfolding, neurotoxicity, and transmission. Previous work indicates that PrP-intrinsic differences (s...
Obesity has become a serious health problem with frequent occurrence both in human and animal populations. It is estimated that it may affect over 85% of the human population and 70-80% of horses and cows by 2030. Fat cow syndrome (FCS) is a combination of metabolic, digestive, infectious, and reproductive disorders that affects obese periparturient dairy cows, and occurs most frequently in loose-housing systems, where periparturient and dry cows are fed and managed in one group disregarding the lactation stages. Equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) was named after human metabolic syndrome (MetS) a...
Maeda Y, Hanada M, Oikawa MA.This report describes the descriptive epidemiology of racing fractures that occurred from the 1980s to 2000s on racetracks of the Japan Racing Association (JRA). The incidence of racehorse fractures during flat racing was approximately 1-2%. Fractures occurring during a race are more likely to occur in a forelimb. Fractures mostly occur at the third and fourth corners of oval tracks and on the home stretch. They also occur more frequently at the time of changing the leading limb. Comparison of the incidence of racing fracture between before and after reconstruction of the geometrical configura...
Archer DC, Pinchbeck GK, French NP, Proudman CJ.Epiploic foramen entrapment (EFE) is one of the most common causes of small intestinal strangulation in the horse. Identification of risk factors would generate hypotheses about causation and may suggest preventive strategies. Objective: Horses exhibiting certain behavioural patterns and those exposed to particular management practices are at increased risk of EFE. Methods: A matched case-control study was conducted on EFE cases admitted to hospitals in the UK, Ireland and USA. Data on 109 cases and 310 control horses were obtained by telephone questionnaire and conditional logistic regression...
BMC public healthFebruary 20, 2014
Volume 14 182 doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-14-182
Sawford K, Dhand NK, Toribio JA, Taylor MR.After the 2011 cluster of Hendra virus cases in horses in Australia, public health targeted education initiatives at people in the equine industry to reduce human exposure to potentially infected horses. 'Horse owners and Hendra Virus: A Longitudinal cohort study To Evaluate Risk' aims to enhance public health measures through improved understanding of Hendra virus risk perception and risk mitigation strategies among horse owners and horse care providers. This paper describes the stakeholder consultation that was undertaken to ensure the cohort study outcomes were relevant to diverse groups wh...
Hitchens PL, Hill AE, Stover SM. The rate of catastrophic musculoskeletal injuries (CMI) in racehorses is high in the United States compared to other countries. Few modifiable risk factors related to lameness, medication, and surgery history have been identified. To detect management factors that increase risk of CMI by comparing medical histories between horses that sustained, and horses that did not sustain, a CMI. Case-control. Racehorse necropsy data (May 2012-June 2013) were obtained through the California Horse Racing Board Postmortem Program. Attending veterinarians of Thoroughbreds (TB) and Quarter Horses (QH) tha...
Knowles EJ, Elliott J, Harris PA, Chang YM, Menzies-Gow NJ.Quantifying risk factors for laminitis development requires improvement. Objective: To identify the most useful physical examination, metabolic and management factors to predict laminitis development in client-owned, nonlaminitic ponies. Methods: Prospective cohort study. Methods: Physical examination, metabolic and management data were collected from a pony cohort 6 monthly for up to 4 years. Ponies were monitored for the development of laminitis. Metabolic data included basal plasma concentrations of ACTH ([ACTH]), adiponectin ([adiponectin]), triglycerides and glucose. Serum insulin concen...
Cohen ND, Peloso JG.To identify risk factors for recurrent colic and chronic, intermittent colic in horses. Methods: Case control study. Methods: The population included 768 horses examined by veterinarians for emergencies other than colic (control group). Methods: Horses with colic that had history of colic (n = 232) were compared with those without such history (n = 536), using logistic regression analysis to identify risk factors for history of previous colic and to determine odds ratios (OR) for these associations. Among the 232 horses in the history of colic group, 58 horses that had chronic, intermittent co...
de Laat MA, Sillence MN, Reiche DB.Equine endocrinopathic laminitis is common and can be associated with an underlying endocrinopathy, such as equine metabolic syndrome (EMS), pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), pasture consumption, or any combination of these factors. Objective: The aim of the study was to improve the risk assessment capabilities of clinicians, and to inform management strategies, for acute endocrinopathic laminitis by prospectively examining the phenotypic, hormonal, and clinical characteristics of the disease in a large cohort. Methods: Privately owned horses and ponies (n = 301) of any age, se...
Stratton-Phelps M, Wilson WD, Gardner IA.To determine whether foals with pneumonia that were treated with erythromycin, alone or in combination with rifampin or gentamicin, had a higher risk of developing adverse effects, compared with foals treated with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMS), penicillin G procaine (PGP), or a combination of TMS and PGP (control foals). Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 143 foals < 240 days old. Methods: Information on age, sex, breed, primary drug treatment, total days of treatment with the primary drug, and whether the foal developed diarrhea, hyperthermia, or respiratory distress was obtained...
Becvarova I, Buechner-Maxwell V.The nutrition and nutritional status of the mare, as well as foal's nutrient intake from colostrum, milk and creep feed, are critical factors that are known to influence the growth period of the foal. Long-term effects of mare and foal nutrition are not well recognised or understood in the horse but may have the greatest impact on the animal's health and use when mature. Both under- and overfeeding can negatively influence important characteristics such as bone development and neurological function The risk of developing debilitating diseases such as metabolic syndrome may also be increased by...
Hewetson M, Tallon R.This narrative review explores the etiopathogenesis, clinical signs, diagnosis and treatment of ESGD (equine squamous gastric disease) and discusses the impact of this commonly encountered condition on the equine industry. ESGD refers specifically to peptic injury of the squamous mucosa of the stomach. Prevalence is highest in performance horses, but the disease has been documented across many breeds and ages, including in feral horses and foals. The pathogenesis of ESGD is well understood. Intensive management and exercise are important factors that contribute to a disruption of the normal st...
Li XM, Geng HL, Wei YJ, Yan WL, Liu J, Wei XY, Zhang M, Wang XY, Zhang XX, Liu G.Cryptosporidiosis is a zoonotic disease caused by Cryptosporidium infection with the main symptom of diarrhea. The present study performed a metaanalysis to determine the global prevalence of Cryptosporidium in Equus animals. Unassigned: Data collection was carried out using Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP Chinese journal database (VIP), WanFang Data, PubMed, and ScienceDirect databases, with 35 articles published before 2021 being included in this systematic analysis. This study analyzed the research data through subgroup analysis and univariate regression analysis to re...
Razzaq F, Khosa T, Ahmad S, Hussain M, Saeed Z, Khan MA, Shaikh RS, Ali M, Iqbal F.The present study was designed to optimize a PCR-RFLP protocol for the molecular detection of Anaplasma sp. and to compare its prevalence in blood samples of equines from Southern Punjab (Pakistan) and to find out the risk factors involved in the spread of anaplasmosis. A total of 210 blood samples were collected from equines from 2 sampling sites (Dera Ghazi Khan and Khanewal districts). Data on the animals' characteristics (age, species and gender) were collected through survey. PCR amplified the 577bp product specific for 16S rRNA gene of Anaplasma spp. in 9 blood samples (4.3% of total), [...
Kiss K, Swatek P, Lénárt I, Mayr J, Schmidt B, Pintér A, Höllwarth ME.The purpose of the present study was to investigate factors affecting the nature, characteristics, severity and outcome of horseback and horse care injuries in paediatric patients and to create guidelines for injury prevention. Methods: Detailed clinical records of 265 children sustained horse-riding related injuries have been analysed. Questionnaires were mailed to provide follow-up information for patients who have been treated in either Department of Paediatric Surgery in Pécs, Hungary, or Department of Paediatric Surgery in Graz, Austria between 1999 and 2003. Those 112 children (42%) who...
Jackson BF, Dyson PK, Lonnell C, Verheyen KL, Pfeiffer DU, Price JS.The aim of this study was to determine whether bone biomarkers (osteocalcin, PICP, ICTP and CTX-I) could be used to identify 2- and 3-year-olds at increased risk of fracture in the subsequent flat racing season. It was concluded that these bone biomarkers cannot be used to identify 2- and 3-year-olds that sustain a fracture. Whether bone biomarkers have better predictive value in older horses or when measured serially in the same animal remains to be determined.
Senior JM, Pinchbeck GL, Dugdale AH, Clegg PD.The records of 496 orthopaedic operations on 428 horses were reviewed to estimate the prevalence of, and identify the risk factors for, the development of colic in horses after surgery. Colic was defined as any recognised sign of abdominal pain that could not be attributed to a concurrent disease. Fourteen of the horses developed colic; eight of them were undiagnosed, three were classified as impactions, one as tympanic colic of the colon, one as incarceration of the small intestine in the epiploic foramen, and one as left dorsal displacement of the colon in the nephrosplenic space. Morphine w...
Rioja E, Cernicchiaro N, Costa MC, Valverde A.This study investigated associations between perioperative factors and probability of death and length of hospitalization of mares with dystocia that survived following general anesthesia. Demographics and perioperative characteristics from 65 mares were reviewed retrospectively and used in a risk factor analysis. Mortality rate was 21.5% during the first 24 h post-anesthesia. The mean ± standard deviation number of days of hospitalization of surviving mares was 6.3 ± 5.4 d. Several factors were found in the univariable analysis to be significantly associated (P < 0.1) with increased probabi...
Rockwell H, Mack M, Famula T, Sandmeyer L, Bauer B, Dwyer A, Lassaline M, Beeson S, Archer S, McCue M, Bellone RR.Equine recurrent uveitis (ERU) is characterized by intraocular inflammation that often leads to blindness in horses. Appaloosas are more likely than any other breed to develop insidious ERU, distinguished by low-grade chronic intraocular inflammation, suggesting a genetic predisposition. Appaloosas are known for their white coat spotting patterns caused by the leopard complex spotting allele (LP) and the modifier PATN1. A marker linked to LP on ECA1 and markers near MHC on ECA20 were previously associated with increased ERU risk. This study aims to further investigate these loci and identify a...
Mohammed HO, Hill T, Lowe J.A case-control study was conducted on Thoroughbred horses to identify factors associated with the risk of breakdown on racetracks. A total of 310 cases (breakdowns) were identified from the Horse Identification Department records kept by the chief examining veterinarian of New York Racing Association. For each case, two control horses were selected randomly from the Daily Racing Form Inc. records. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify and quantify the risk of factors associated with breakdown, while simultaneously controlling for the effect of other putative factors. Facto...
Encarnação JA, Herzog S, Eickmann M, Becker NI, Hermes N, Herden C.Borna disease (BD) is a severe endemic and fatal disorder caused by the neurotropic Borna disease virus (BDV) which mainly occurs in horses and sheep. Borna disease virus belongs to the order Mononegavirales, which includes many reservoir-bound viruses with high zoonotic and pathogenic properties including the filoviruses and lyssaviruses. Clinically manifest BD occurs in endemic areas of Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Austria. A seasonal accumulation of cases in spring and summer, incidences that vary from year to year, and the recent detection of BDV in bicolored shrews (Crocidura ...
Tóth F, Frank N, Chameroy KA, Bostont RC.Insulin resistance (IR) is a risk factor for pasture-associated laminitis in equids and alimentary carbohydrate overload may trigger laminitis. Whether glucose metabolism responses to carbohydrate overload are more pronounced in insulin-resistant horses requires further study. Objective: Horses pretreated with endotoxin to alter insulin sensitivity differ significantly in their glucose and insulin responses to carbohydrate overload. Methods: Horses (n=24) were divided into 3 groups. A lipopolysaccharide (LPS; n=8) group that received endotoxin as an 8 h 7.5 ng/kg bwt/h i.v. continuous rate inf...
Sevinga M, Barkema HW, Stryhn H, Hesselink JW.During the foaling seasons of 1999 and 2000, the incidence of retained placenta in 495 normal parturitions of 436 Friesian brood mares was studied. Retained placenta was defined as a failure to expel all fetal membranes within 3 h of the delivery of the foal. Furthermore, the sex of the foal, month of breeding, sire and dam's sire, age of the mare, and time of day of foaling, were studied as factors that might be associated with retained placenta in Friesian mares after normal foalings, and with gestational length. The analysis was carried out using marginal logistic regression, and mixed line...
Mee AM, Cripps PJ, Jones RS.A retrospective study evaluated 995 emergency equine general anaesthetics. The total mortality for emergency procedures was 31.4 per cent. This figure was examined in more detail to determine if all emergency procedures carried a similar risk. Horses anaesthetised for surgical colic had an increased risk of death or euthanasia, with a total mortality of 35.5 per cent when compared to horses anaesthetised for non-colic related problems which had a total mortality of 15.3 per cent. The findings of this study illustrate the greatly increased risk of mortality in horses undergoing general anaesthe...
Bolwell C, Rogers C, Gee E, McIlwraith W.The objective of the study was to determine the incidence of veterinary events that resulted in a horse failing to finish a race and identify risk factors for musculoskeletal injury (MSI) during a race. Data were obtained on Thoroughbred flat race starts in New Zealand between 1 August 2005 and 31 July 2011 (six racing seasons). Stipendiary Steward's reports were key-word searched to identify veterinary events that prevented a horse from finishing a race. Race data were used calculate the incidence of veterinary events per 1000 horse starts and Poisson regression was used to investigate risk f...
Cox R, Proudman CJ, Trawford AF, Burden F, Pinchbeck GL.Colic (abdominal pain) is a clinical condition of serious concern affecting the welfare and survival of donkeys at the Donkey Sanctuary in the UK. One of the most commonly reported causes is due to impacted ingesta in the large intestine ("impaction colic"). However little is known about the incidence of, or risk factors for, this condition. Here we describe the epidemiology of colic in donkeys, specifically impaction colic. We focus on temporal aspects of the disease and we identify environmental and management related risk factors for impaction colic in UK donkeys. Results: There were 807 co...
