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.
Reardon RJ, Boden LA, Mellor DJ, Love S, Newton RJ, Stirk AJ, Parkin TD.The aim of this study was to evaluate risk factors associated with developing epistaxis in jump racing in Great Britain (GB). A retrospective analysis of records from horses running in all hurdle and steeplechase races in GB between 2001 and 2009 identified diagnoses of epistaxis whilst still at the racecourse. Data were used from 603 starts resulting in epistaxis (event) and 169,065 starts resulting in no epistaxis (non-event) in hurdle racing, and from 550 event starts and 102,344 non-event starts in steeplechase racing. Two multivariable logistic regression models to evaluate risk factors a...
Sullivan S, Hinchcliff K.Exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) is an important disease of horses that perform high-intensity athletic activity. EIPH is an ongoing concern for the racing industry because of its high prevalence; potential impact on performance; welfare concerns; and use of prophylactic medications, such as furosemide, on race day. During the last 10 years, significant progress has been made in understanding the pathogenesis and risk factors for EIPH and the impact of the disease on performance and career. This article summarizes the most recent advances in EIPH.
Nielsen MK, Jacobsen S, Olsen SN, Bousquet E, Pihl T.Strongylus vulgaris is a pathogenic helminth parasite infecting horses and was once considered to be the primary cause of colic. Migrating larvae cause ischaemia and infarction of intestinal segments. This knowledge is derived from case reports and experimental inoculations of parasite-naïve foals, and it remains unknown to what extent the parasite is associated with different types of colic. Objective: To evaluate the role of S. vulgaris as a risk factor for different types of colic in horses. Methods: A retrospective case-control study among horses referred with abdominal pain to the Univ...
Giles SL, Nicol CJ, Rands SA, Harris PA.Nuchal crest adiposity in horses and ponies has been associated with an enhanced risk of metabolic health problems. However, there is no current information on the prevalence of, and risk factors specific to, nuchal crest adiposity in horses and ponies. In addition, the cresty neck score has not previously been utilised across different seasons within a UK leisure population, it is not know whether nuchal crest adiposity shows the same seasonal trends as general obesity. Results: A Cresty Neck Score (CNS, 0-5) was given to 96 horses with access to pasture (>6 h per day) at the end of winter a...
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...
Souza CE, Pinter A, Donalisio MR.Brazilian spotted fever (BSF) is a disease transmitted by ticks for which the etiological agent is Rickettsia rickettsii. The present essay evaluates the risk factors associated with the transmission of cases of BSF in the time period between 2003 and 2013 in the Piracicaba river basin, state of São Paulo. Methods: This essay presents a retrospective study to identify the factors associated with the transmission of cases of BSF among all suspected cases identified by the System for Epidemiological Surveillance of São Paulo (CVE). After the description of temporal distribution (onset of sympt...
Hill AE, Gardner IA, Carpenter TE, Lee CM, Hitchens PL, Stover SM.Knowledge of the site distribution of ligamentous injuries facilitates clinical diagnosis of suspensory apparatus conditions. Objective: To determine if lesions within the suspensory ligament (SL) and distal ligaments of the proximal sesamoid bones (DSLs) were associated with suspensory apparatus failure or metacarpal lateral condylar fracture in California Thoroughbred racehorses. Methods: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Suspensory apparatus specimens from 327 deceased Thoroughbred racehorses were sectioned within the SL body and branches, and oblique and straight DSLs. Purple lesions ≥2 ...
Hackett ES, Embertson RM, Hopper SA, Woodie JB, Ruggles AJ.Large colon volvulus results in strangulating obstruction requiring surgical treatment. Duration of this disease prior to surgical treatment is likely to influence survival directly. Objective: The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of duration of large colon volvulus on patient survival to discharge. Relationships between other factors and survival following large colon volvulus were also examined. Methods: Retrospective case analysis. Methods: Medical records of Thoroughbred mares aged ≥2 years undergoing surgical treatment for large colon volvulus between 1 Marc...
Sánchez-Matamoros A, Sánchez-Vizcaíno JM, Rodríguez-Prieto V, Iglesias E, Martínez-López B.African horse sickness (AHS) is one of the most important vector-borne viral infectious diseases of equines, transmitted mainly by Culicoides spp. The re-emergence of Culicoides-borne diseases in Europe, such as the recent bluetongue (BT) or Schmallenberg outbreaks, has raised concern about the potential re-introduction and further spread of AHS virus (AHSV) in Europe. Spain has one of the largest European equine populations. In addition, its geographical, environmental and entomological conditions favour AHSV infections, as shown by the historical outbreaks in the 1990s. The establishment of ...
Archer DC, Costain DA, Sherlock C.Idiopathic focal eosinophilic enteritis (IFEE) is an emerging cause of abdominal pain (colic) in horses that frequently requires surgical intervention to prevent death. The epidemiology of IFEE is poorly understood and it is difficult to diagnose pre-operatively. The aetiology of this condition and methods of possible prevention are currently unknown. The aims of this study were to investigate temporal and spatial heterogeneity in IFEE risk and to ascertain the effect of horse age on risk. Results: A retrospective, nested case-control study was undertaken using data from 85 IFEE cases and 848 ...
Aharonson-Raz K, Lichter-Peled A, Tal S, Gelman B, Cohen D, Klement E, Steinman A.With the rapid global spread of West Nile virus (WNV) and the endemic state it has acquired in new geographical areas, we hereby bring a thorough serological investigation of WNV in horses in a longstanding endemic region, such as Israel. This study evaluates the environmental and demographic risk factors for WNV infection in horses and suggests possible factors associated with the transition from endemic to epidemic state. West Nile virus seroprevalence in horses in Israel was determined throughout a period of more than a decade, before (1997) and after (2002 and 2013) the massive West Nile f...
Jiménez D, Romero-Zuñiga JJ, Dolz G.Blood samples from 181 equines from the Central Valley of Costa Rica were collected in the year 2012 to determine the presence of antibodies against selected infectious agents in horses and to determine the risk factors associated with these agents. The presence of antibodies against Equine Infectious Anemia Virus (EIAV), Equine Herpes Virus 1 and 4 (EHV-1 and EHV-4), West Nile Virus (WNV), Influenza A Virus (IAV), Equine Viral Arteritis Virus (EVAV), Babesia caballi, Theileria equi, Neospora caninum and Chlamydia abortus was determined using commercial assays, and risk factors associated with...
Howe DK, MacKay RJ, Reed SM.Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) can be caused by either of 2 related protozoan parasites, Sarcocystis neurona and Neospora hughesi, although S. neurona is the most frequent etiologic pathogen. Horses are commonly infected, but clinical disease occurs infrequently; the factors influencing disease occurrence are not well understood. Risk factors for the development of EPM include the presence of opossums and prior stressful health-related events. Attempts to reproduce EPM experimentally have reliably induced antibody responses in challenged horses but have not consistently produced acut...
Beisser A, McClure S, Rezabek G, Soring KH, Wang C.To determine the incidence and anatomic location of and potential risk factors for catastrophic musculoskeletal injuries (CMIs) in racing Quarter Horses. Methods: Retrospective matched case-control study. Methods: 67 racing Quarter Horse racehorses euthanized because of CMIs and 134 matched controls. Methods: Data for Quarter Horses that sustained CMIs and the total number of race starts for each year were obtained from 2 Midwestern racing jurisdictions from 2000 through 2011. Information for each horse with a CMI and for 2 randomly selected control horses that ran in the same race but did not...
Page AE, Stills HF, Horohov DW.Multiple hypotheses into the age-based susceptibility of animals to Lawsonia intracellularis exist, including the decline of passively acquired antibodies. Objective: To determine whether the decline in passively acquired antibodies in horses is responsible for the age predilection of equine proliferative enteropathy (EPE). Additional objectives included examination of various risk factors for the development of EPE as well as the determination of naturally occurring attack rates for clinical and subclinical EPE. Methods: Prospective, multifarm field study. Methods: A total of 369 mare and f...
Marenzoni ML, Sforna M, Stefanetti V, Casagrande Proietti P, Brignone L, Del Sero A, Falcioni F, Orvieto S, Tamantini C, Tiburzi A, Valentini S....In recent years, there has been increasing evidence of the potential pathogenic significance of equine gammaherpesviruses in the horse. In humans, cattle and mice, gammaherpesviruses have already been associated with uterine infection. The aim of the present study was to investigate the presence of gammaherpesviruses in uterine flushings of mares with reproductive problems and to evaluate if there was a possible statistical association with clinical and laboratory findings in these cases. A total of 80 uterine flushings were collected from 61 mares with different reproductive problems and thes...
Qing LL, Zhao H, Liu LL.Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), also known as prion diseases, are a group of fatal neurodegenerative diseases detected in a wide range of mammalian species. The "protein-only" hypothesis of TSE suggests that prions are transmissible particles devoid of nucleic acid and the primary pathogenic event is thought to be the conversion of cellular prion protein (PrP(C)) into the disease-associated isoform (PrP(Sc)). According to susceptibility to TSEs, animals can be classified into susceptible species and low susceptibility species. In this review we focus on several species with l...
Guidi E, Pradier S, Lebert I, Leblond A.Theileria equi (Laveran 1901) and Babesia caballi (Nuttall and Strickland 1910) are the causative agents of Equine Piroplasmosis (EP), a severe and problematic disease compromising international movement of horses. Infected horses usually become asymptomatic carriers and, for this reason, their movement across borders may become restricted. The aim of this study was to assess the seroprevalence of EP in Southern France and to evaluate risk factors associated with these parasites. In 2002, we performed a complement fixation test (CF) with blood samples from 443 horses stabled at 95 different fa...
Piantedosi D, D'Alessio N, Di Loria A, Di Prisco F, Mariani U, Neola B, Santoro M, Montagnaro S, Capelli G, Veneziano V.Equine piroplasmosis (EP) has been frequently described in donkeys in subtropical and tropical regions, but published data reflecting large scale surveys are very limited in Europe. The seroprevalence of Babesia caballi and Theileria equi was determined in a donkey population from Campania Region in Southern Italy using a commercial indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT), and the risk factors associated with the occurrence of the infection were assessed. Of 203 samples, the overall seroprevalence for EP was 57.1% (116/203), with 35.5% (72/203) for B. caballi and 44.3% (90/203) for T. equi. ...
Wylie CE, Newton JR, Bathe AP, Payne RJ.The electronic patient records of all equine patients of Rossdales Equine Practice between January 1, 2005 and November 1, 2013 were reviewed to determine the number of cases of supporting limb laminitis (SLL) in a large equine practice and referral hospital setting in the UK and to discuss the implications for future epidemiological studies. The clinical notes were searched electronically for a combination of 'laminitis AND (contralateral OR supporting OR overload OR weight bearing)'. The prevalence of SLL within each identified denominator population and the corresponding 95% CI were calcu...
Anderson SL, Devick I, Bracamonte JL, Hendrick S, Barber SM, Carmalt JL, Wilson DG.To report the occurrence of, and risk factors associated with, incisional complications of equine ventral median celiotomies closed with USP 7 polydioxanone (7PD). Methods: Retrospective case series. Methods: Horses (n = 73; 75 celiotomies). Methods: Medical records (2000-2010) were retrieved and reviewed for horses that had a ventral celiotomy closed with 7PD and survived ≥14 days. Follow-up (>1 year) was obtained from the medical record, owner, or referring veterinarian. Independent variables were selected based on risk factors identified in previous studies, perceived clinical relevan...
Hitchens PL, Curry B, Blizzard CL, Palmer AJ.The profession of a horse-racing jockey is a dangerous one. We developed a decision tree model quantifying the effects of implementing different safety strategies on jockey fall and injury rates and their associated costs. Methods: Data on race-day falls were obtained from stewards' reports from August 2002 to July 2009. Insurance claim data were provided by Principal Racing Authorities and workers' compensation authorities in each jurisdiction. Fall and claim incidence data were used as baseline rates. The model considered (1) the status quo, in which policy was unchanged; and (2) compared it...
Mendez D, Buttner P, Speare R.Following the emergence of Hendra virus (HeV), private veterinarians have had to adopt additional infection control strategies to manage this zoonosis. Between 1994 and 2010, seven people became infected with HeV, four fatally. All infected people were at a higher risk of exposure from contact with horses as they were either veterinary personnel, assisting veterinarians, or working in the horse industry. The management of emerging zoonoses is best approached from a One Health perspective as it benefits biosecurity as well as a public health, including the health of those most at risk, in this ...
Björnsdóttir S, Frey R, Kristjansson T, Lundström T.Oral lesions related to the use of the bit and bridle are reported to be common findings in horses worldwide and represent an important animal welfare issue. In order to provide an overview of bit-related lesions in Icelandic competition horses, a field examination of the rostral part of the oral cavity was performed in 424 competition horses coming to the two major national horse events in Iceland in 2012. Records from repeated examination of 77 horses prior to the finals were used to assess potential risk factors. Results: Mild lesions were recorded in 152 horses (36%) prior to the prelimina...
Pradier S, Sandoz A, Paul MC, Lefebvre G, Tran A, Maingault J, Lecollinet S, Leblond A.To assess environmental and horse-level risk factors associated with West Nile Virus (WNV) circulation in Camargue, Southern France, a serosurvey was conducted on non-vaccinated horses (n = 1159 from 134 stables) in 2007 and 2008. Fifteen Landsat images were examined to quantify areas with open water and flooded vegetation around sampled horses. Mean percentages of areas of open water and flooded vegetation, as well as variations in these percentages between 3 periods (November to February = NOT, March to July = END and August to October = EPI), were calculated for buffers of 2 km radius aroun...
Posta J, Rudiné Mezei A, Mihók S, Mészáros G.The aim of this study was to analyse the duration of the competitive life of jumping horses in Hungary to assess the potential for genetic evaluation and to get information about the risk factors affecting jumping performance of sport horses. The data set included lifetime performance in jumping competitions for 8475 horses born from 1992 onwards with records between 1996 and 2011 (32.7% were right-censored). Longevity was measured as the number of years spent in the competition. Discrete time survival model included fixed effects of gender, age at first competition, and the time-dependent eff...
Wooldridge AA, Waguespack RW, Schwartz DD, Venugopal CS, Eades SC, Beadle RE.Hyperinsulinemia causes laminitis experimentally and is a risk factor for naturally occurring laminitis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of insulin on laminar vascular relaxation and to induce insulin-associated vascular dysfunction in vitro. Relaxation responses of isolated laminar arterial and venous rings to acetylcholine and insulin were evaluated. To alter vascular function in response to insulin, all vessel rings were incubated with insulin or vehicle, submaximally contracted, administered insulin again and relaxation responses recorded. Laminar arteries were also in...
Cito F, Di Francesco CE, Averaimo D, Chiaverini A, Alessiani A, Di Domenico M, Cresci M, Rulli M, Cantelmi MC, Di Bernardo MD, Giammarino A.... subsp. (SEZ) is a major problem in equine veterinary medicine. Typically, a commensal in horses, SEZ can cause severe disease including respiratory infections, septicaemia and reproductive tract infections under certain conditions. Recent evidence suggests that humans can also develop severe disease infection through direct contact with infected animals or the consumption of contaminated unpasteurised milk and milk products. This study investigates SEZ strains isolated from nasal swabs of equidae in central Italy in 2023 to describe the epidemiology and genomic characteristics of circulating...
Thieulent CJ, Carossino M, Reis JKPD, Vissani MA, Barrandeguy ME, Valle-Casuso JC, Balasuriya UBR.Equine Infectious Anemia Virus (EIAV), the causative agent of Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA), presents a significant threat to equine populations worldwide. While local EIAV prevalence has been estimated in several studies, no global prevalence has been determined. Thus, this study aimed to review the literature on EIAV prevalence in the 21st century. A comprehensive electronic search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, SciELO.org, African Journals Online, and NZresearch.org, yielding 105 articles published between January 1st, 2000, and December 31st, 2024 (spanni...
Chevalier N, Migné CV, Mariteragi-Helle T, Dumarest M, De Mas M, Chevrier M, Queré E, Marcillaud-Pitel C, Lupo C, Bigeard C, Touzet T, Leblond A....The circulation of West Nile virus (WNV), Usutu virus (USUV), and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) was investigated in south-western France during the first six months of 2023, following the emergence of WNV in equids in Gironde, a département in south-western France, in 2022. Blood samples were collected from 494 horses located in the Gironde département and divided into three zones: the Confluence zone, the Intermediate zone and the Arcachon Basin. Samples were tested for WNV-, USUV- and TBEV-specific antibodies. An overall seroprevalence of 14% (95% CI [11-18%]) for orthoflavivirus an...
Annan R, Trigg LE, Hockenhull J, Allen K, Butler D, Valenchon M, Mullan S.Racehorse welfare is gaining increasing public attention, however scientific evidence in this area is lacking. In order to develop a better understanding of racehorse welfare, it must be measured and monitored. This is the first study to assess racehorse welfare using scientific objective methods across a training season. The aim of this study was threefold, firstly to investigate welfare measures which could be used in the first welfare assessment protocol for racehorses. Secondly, to understand the effect that a racing and training season had on individual racehorses and thirdly to identify ...
Martins AV, Corrêa LL, Ribeiro MS, Lobão LF, Dib LV, Palmer JPS, de Moura LC, Knackfuss FB, Uchôa CMA, Molento MB, Barbosa ADS.The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence of helminths in Thoroughbred horses in Rio de Janeiro; make correlations with risk factors for these infections; and compare the efficiency of three floatation solutions applied in the quantitative Mini-FLOTAC technique. Fecal samples from 520 horses were collected from six training centers between 2019 and 2021. These were subjected to the Mini-FLOTAC technique using three solutions: NaCl (density = 1.200 g/mL), ZnSO4 (1.350 g/mL) and ZnSO4 (1.200 g/mL); and also to qualitative techniques. Information on the horses' sex and age of hors...
Kašpárková N, Bártová E, Žákovská A, Budíková M, Sedlák K.Lyme disease, caused by some strains of bacterial spirochetes Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bbsl), affects humans but also domestic animals including horses. The primary pathogens in horses in Europe are B. afzelii, B. garinii and B. burgdorferi sensu stricto. To our knowledge, there are no data available on the seropositivity of B. burgdorferi s.l. in horses from the Czech Republic. In this country, horses are mainly used for sport, breeding, and recreational riding in areas where vectors of B. burgdorferi s.l. are present, which is why they are frequently at risk of infection. The aim of ...
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...
Gillen A, Catherine Archer D.Epidemiologic studies are essential for the generation of evidence-based, preventive health care strategies. This includes ways to minimize colic risk and assist informed decision making concerning diagnosis, treatment, and likely outcomes. It is important to consider that colic is not a simple "disease" but is a syndrome of abdominal pain that encompasses multiple different disease processes, and which is multifactorial in nature. This review focuses on prevention and diagnosis of colic, including specific forms of colic, communications with owners/carers concerning colic risk and management,...
Rossano MG, Kaneene JB, Marteniuk JV, Banks BD, Schott HC, Mansfield LS.Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) is a neurological disease of horses and ponies caused by infection of the central nervous system with the protozoan parasite Sarcocystis neurona. A herd-level analysis of a cross-sectional study of serum antibodies to S. neurona in Michigan equids was conducted, using data collected in 1997 for study that included 1121 equids from 98 Michigan horse farms. Our objective was to identify specific herd-level risk factors associated with seropositivity. We tested associations between herd seroprevalence and various farm-management practices (including feed-s...
Peat FJ, Kawcak CE, McIlwraith CW, Berk JT, Keenan DP, Selberg KT, Ojeda A.Equine suspensory ligament branch (branch) ultrasonography is becoming increasingly commonplace presale. No ultrasonographical branch reference data exists for Thoroughbred sales horses. Objective: To define the prevalence of ultrasonographical findings in the forelimb suspensory branches of yearling and 2-year-old sales Thoroughbreds and to analyse associations with racing performance. To track changes in branch findings between 1 and 2 years of age in horses that present for sale at both ages. Methods: Prospective cohort study using an enrolled sample. Methods: Horses were enrolled from a ...
Schurink A, Podesta SC, Ducro BJ, van Arendonk JA, Frankena K.Insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) is an equine skin allergy caused by bites of Culicoides spp. and impacts on the welfare of affected horses. The aim of this study was to identify and quantify risk factors for IBH. Data from 3453 Friesian horse mares and 7074 Shetland pony mares scored for IBH by inspectors during obligatory foal inspections were analysed using breed-specific multivariable logistic regression models. The combined effect of month and year of scoring, Province and inspector were significantly associated with IBH in both breeds. In Shetland pony mares, withers height and coat co...
Bixby-Hammett DM.In brief: In a two-year study of the estimated 13,428,000 hours of horse activities by 18,408 US Pony Clubs (USPC) members aged 6 to 21 in scheduled supervised programs, there were 64 accidents resulting in 88 injuries in 16 areas of the body. The head/face was the area most often injured (27.27%), and bruise/abrasion was the most common type of injury (28.26%). Cross-country riding was the most dangerous event (42.31%). Unexpected actions of the horse caused many accidents-25% occurred when the horse bucked and threw the rider, 23.08% when the horse refused a jump, and 17.31% when the horse f...
Wong CW, Thompson HL, Thong YH, Thornton JR.Bronchoalveolar lavage samples were collected using a fibreoptic endoscope from horses at specified times before and after single bouts of exercise. Lucigenin-dependent phagocytic chemiluminescence was used to assess the effect of exercise on the alveolar macrophage metabolic activity in response to stimulation by opsonised zymosan. A profound suppressive effect on the chemiluminescence production was present throughout the first three days after exercise. However, the cellular composition of lavage fluids was not altered by the exercise. It is suggested that strenuous exercise may jeopardize ...
Janicek JC, McClure SR, Lescun TB, Witte S, Schultz L, Whittal CR, Whitfield-Cargile C.To determine the frequency of and risk factors for complications associated with casts in horses. Methods: Multicenter retrospective case series. Methods: 398 horses with a half-limb or full-limb cast treated at 1 of 4 hospitals. Methods: Data collected from medical records included age, breed, sex, injury, limb affected, time from injury to hospital admission, surgical procedure performed, type of cast (bandage cast [BC; fiberglass tape applied over a bandage] or traditional cast [TC; fiberglass tape applied over polyurethane resin-impregnated foam]), limb position in cast (flexed, neutral, o...
Grenager NS.Endocrinopathic laminitis (EL) primarily occurs because of insulin dysregulation (ID) mediated through downstream effects of insulin on IGF-1R in lamellar tissues. There is likely contributing vascular and metabolic dysfunction within the lamellae, but EL is relatively non-inflammatory. EL is associated with lamellar stretching, proliferation, and failure, ultimately causing failure of the suspensory apparatus of the distal phalanx. Proper education regarding mitigating risk factors makes this a largely preventable cause of laminitis. Annual hoof evaluation plus screening geriatric horses for ...
Eksell P, Axelsson M, Broström H, Ronéus B, Häggström J, Carlsten J.The present field study was performed to estimate the prevalence of radiographic signs of bone spavin (RSBS) and to evaluate some possible risk factors for RSBS in the Icelandic horse in Sweden. The survey included horses from 11 farms involving 379 horses, comprising 238 geldings, 125 mares and 16 stallions. Age ranged from 0 to 19 years with a mean age of 8.1 years. Horses were radiographed with a dorsolateral-plantaromedial-oblique projection of both tarsi. Information about age, gender, origin, working intensity, number of gaits and age when saddle broken were obtained by interviewing the ...
Racine J, Vidondo B, Ramseyer A, Koch C.To describe a closed castration technique in standing equids, report associated complications, and identify potential risk factors. Methods: Prospective cohort study of 300 standing equids that were castrated with the Henderson Equine Castrating Instrument. Methods: Thirteen participating veterinarians recorded intraoperative difficulties and postoperative complications. Descriptive statistics, univariate analyses with Fisher's exact tests, and logistic regressions were used to evaluate intraoperative difficulties and postoperative complications and to assess risk factors for postoperative com...
Johnson PJ, Mrad DR, Schwartz AJ, Kellam L.Outcome and complications associated with administration of moxidectin gel to 3 foals < 4 months old are described. Two foals became comatose but survived following supportive treatment. One foal died following loss of consciousness associated with moxidectin administration. Risk of moxidectin overdose exists, because horse owners often fail to read or comprehend the package insert instructions pertaining to use of the syringe-locking mechanism. In addition, moxidectin should not be administered to foals < 4 months old, because it is likely that treated foals will become comatose.
Poppenga RH.The use of dietary supplements (herbs, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes, and other compounds) is common in horses. They are heavily marketed in retail stores, magazines, and on the Internet. There is the perception that since these compounds are "natural" they are devoid of toxicity, and, therefore, they are safe to use. Some of the active compounds in supplements, however, have inherent toxicity, and using them may cause adverse effects. Even relatively non-toxic ingredients may be toxic if used over-zealously or for a long period of time. By and large, these compounds have not been t...
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...
Lechler P, Walt L, Grifka J, Waltl V, Renkawitz T.The objective of this study was to investigate the frequency, extent, and effective preventive measures of sport injuries in professional and amateur-show jumping competitors. In a retrospective study design, 264 show-jumping riders (105 professionals, 159 amateurs) were interviewed by means of a standardised questionnaire. In total, 636 injuries were reported in detail. Injuries were categorised into severity grade I (36.0 %) (not requiring medical attention), grade II (34.6 %) (single medical treatment), grade III (20.9 %) (several outpatient medical treatments) and grade IV (8.5 %) (req...
Ndebé MMF, Mouiche MMM, Moffo F, Poueme RNS, Awah-Ndukum J.African horse sickness (AHS), a highly fatal arbovirosis of equines is endemic in sub-Saharan Africa. However, its epidemiology is poorly known in Cameroon. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence profile and risk factors of African horse sickness in Cameroon. Horse sera were subjected to the ELISA blocking test for the determination of antibodies against African horse sickness virus, and positive samples were submitted to capture ELISA to determine the presence of antigens. Potential risk factors associated with AHS were assessed based on the information collected in the field. The chi...
Vigre H, Chriél M, Hesselholt M, Falk-Rønne J, Kjaer Ersbøll A.A follow-up study focusing on health problems interfering with optimal training of Danish Standardbred trotters was conducted with the participation of seven professional trainers. Our aim was to estimate the incidence of health problems that cause interruptions of optimal training, and to identify associations between the hazard of lameness and selected risk factors. The study population was dynamic and contained data of 265 Standardbred trotters monitored during 5 months in 1997 and 1998. The horses were >or=2 years old. Optimal training was defined as when the horse followed scheduled tr...
Tannahill VJ, Cardwell JM, Witte TH.Colic is a common and potentially life-threatening condition of horses. Multiple risk factors have been previously identified and it is known that a careful management routine can help reduce colic rates. The British military working horse population represents a unique cohort of horses that are intensively managed with a strict regimen. This retrospective study examined the incidence and mortality rate of colic within this population, as well as the signalment of affected horses, and compared these with the general population. Data for 717 horses over a five-year period (2008-2012) were analy...
Downs J, Vaziri M, Jenkins A, Unnasch T.Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus (EEEV) is the most pathogenic arbovirus endemic to the United States. EEEV primarily infects birds but can be fatal to humans, horses, and some other mammals. Although EEEV transmission occurs in the Northeastern, Southeastern, and Midwestern United States, the largest number of horse and human cases have been reported in Florida, the only state where transmission occurs year round. Currently, a GIS-based risk index (RI) model is used to map EEE transmission risk to horses in Florida. This study validates that RI model using a 5-yr dataset of horse cases in Fl...
Pradella GD, Duarte CA, Escobar TA, Zuravski L, Góss GC, Skupien JA, Lübeck I.The Leishmaniases are on the top of the global list of tropical neglected diseases. The number of infected dogs in South America is estimated in millions and correlated to disease cases in humans, especially in Brazil. Equines may get infected too and can play a role in the epidemiological chain. Thus, the aim of the present study was to evaluate risk and protective factors of leishmaniasis in rural areas of the western border region of Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil by Leishmania spp. protozoa molecular detection and serological evaluation (ELISA) in equine and canine blood samples. This wor...
Nylund LE, Sinclair PJ, Hitchens PL, Cobley S.To identify characteristics of jockey falls associated with high-risk landings using a modified Equestrian Fall Assessment Instrument. Methods: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Video footage of 22 flat and 58 jump racing falls (N = 80) which occurred in Great Britain, Ireland, and New Zealand from 2013 to 2018 was systematically analysed using the modified Equestrian Fall Assessment Instrument. Race, horse, and jockey-level factors, including the nature of ground contact (landings), were characterised identifying factors associated with high-risk landings. High-risk landings refer to cases ...
