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.
Horstmann T, Heitkamp HC, Mayer F, Hermann M, Küsswetter HW, Dickhuth H.The objective of this study was to compile knowledge of athletic injuries and complaint patterns related specifically to equestrian acrobatics (e.a.). A 20-page standardized questionnaire was sent to 114 e.a. participants. The mean age of the participants in e.a. groups was 15 +/- 3 years, that of independent participants 21 +/- 3 years. A total of 489 injuries was reported, mainly to muscles and tendons (35%), skin (33%) and joints and ligaments (25%). Bone injuries (6%) and head injuries (2%) were infrequent. Analysis of the localization showed that the head-face-neck region was involved in ...
Mumford EL, Traub-Dargatz JL, Salman MD, Collins JK, Getzy DM, Carman J.To develop a system to monitor and detect acute infections of the upper respiratory tract (i.e., nares, nasopharynx, and pharynx) in horses and to assess the association among specific viral infections, risk factors, and clinical signs of disease. Methods: Prospective study. Methods: 151 horses with clinical signs of acute infectious upper respiratory tract disease (IURD) from 56 premises in Colorado. Methods: Health management data, blood samples, and nasal or nasopharyngeal swab samples were obtained for 151 horses with clinical signs of acute IURD. Of these horses, 112 had an additional blo...
Wood JL, Milne EM, Doxey DL.A case-control study was performed to investigate the epidemiology of grass sickness in the United Kingdom from 1992 to 1995. Data were collected by means of postal questionnaire when cases of grass sickness were identified. Sets of three questionnaires were posted to owners of, or veterinary surgeons attending, cases of grass sickness, with a request to provide information on the case, on one healthy animal on the same premises as the case and on another healthy animal on other premises. Controls were matched to cases by date of onset. After univariate analyses, the probability of grass sickn...
Doherr MG, Carpenter TE, Wilson WD, Gardner IA.The objective of this study is to describe the design, application and validity of a self-administered (mailed) questionnaire to collect data on potential risk factors for Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis infection in California horses. Horses admitted to the UC Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH) between 1 July 1992 and 30 June 1994 served as the study base for case identification and simple random sampling of 800 control horses. A questionnaire was mailed to owners of the study horses, followed by a reminder postcard and a second copy of a questionnaire. Data were collected o...
Chang M, Zhang F, Shen L, Pauss N, Alam I, van Breemen RB, Blond SY, Bolton JL.The risk factors for women developing breast and endometrium cancers are all associated with a lifetime of estrogen exposure. Estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) in particular has been correlated with a slight increased cancer risk, although the numerous benefits of ERT may negate this harmful side effect. Equilenin and equilin are equine estrogens which make up between 30% and 45% of the most widely prescribed estrogen replacement formulation, Premarin (Wyeth-Ayerst). In this study we have synthesized the catechol metabolites of equilenin [4-hydroxyequilenin (4-OHEN)] and equilin [4-hydroxyequ...
Proudman CJ, French NP, Trees AJ.The association between the equine intestinal tapeworm Anoplocephala perfoliata and specific types of intestinal disease was investigated by matched case-control study using coprological and serological diagnosis. We have previously shown that the host IgG(T) response to 12/13 kDa antigens of A. perfoliata correlates well with infection intensity, therefore this antibody response was used to investigate the risk of colic at different levels of parasite infection intensity. One hundred and three spasmodic colic cases with an equal number of controls matched for age, breed and gender, and 20 ile...
Carrier TK, Estberg L, Stover SM, Gardner IA, Johnson BJ, Read DH, Ardans AA.To determine whether a two-month or longer period without official high-speed workouts (lay-up) is associated with humeral or pelvic fracture in Thoroughbred racehorses. Methods: Reprospective study. Methods: Thoroughbred racehorses in California that were euthanatized because of a complete humeral or pelvic fracture. Methods: Age, sex, activity, number of lay-ups, number of days from a race or official timed workout to fracture, number of days from end of last lay-up to fracture, mean duration of lay-ups, and total number of days in race training were compared between horses with humeral frac...
Gayle JM, Cohen ND, Chaffin MK.In order to identify variables obtained at admission that could be used to predict survival in septicemic foals, medical records of 65 foals diagnosed with septicemia were reviewed. Initially, variables were analyzed independently (univariate analysis) for association with survival. Of the physical examination and historical data examined using univariate analysis, the ability to stand at admission, respiratory rate > or = 60 breaths per minute (bpm), and normal-appearing mucous membranes were significantly associated with survival. Foals with history of induced parturition were significant...
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...
Heitkamp HC, Horstmann T, Hillgeris D.A group of experienced riders who qualified for the German riding badge 9.5 years ago answered a questionnaire pertaining to injuries during jumping, dressage and cross-country riding, as well as handling the horse. During riding 69% of the persons had had 187 injuries and while handling the horse 52% had had 124 injuries. Fractures and contusions were the most-frequent injuries; most riding injuries were located in the upper extremities and shoulder while handling mainly in the hands and feet. The number of injuries was comparable in jumping, dressage or cross-country riding. The time engaged...
Carpenter TE, McBride MD, Hird DW.We examined the risk of importing and mistakenly releasing equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV)-infected horses into California. A computer simulation model was constructed to evaluate current and alternative quarantine station procedures; 150,000 iterations were performed to simulate 15 different scenarios of 10,000 horses imported into the state over a 14-year period. Simulation results showed that under current conditions of low EIAV prevalence in exporting countries, increasing the quarantine period would not decrease the number of EIAV-infected horses mistakenly released from quarantine....
Kuebelbeck KL, Slone DE, May KA.To determine if omentectomy would decrease the frequency of postoperative intraabdominal adhesions. Methods: Retrospective study. Methods: 44 horses that had either two ventral median celiotomies or a ventral median celiotomy and a necropsy more than 4 days later; 19 of these horses had their omentum removed at the initial surgery. Methods: Data retrieved from the records included location and type of intraabdominal adhesions; location of the surgical lesion; relationship of adhesions to the surgical lesion; surgical procedures; duration of initial surgery; time interval between procedures; ag...
Estberg L, Gardner IA, Stover SM, Johnson BJ.The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between intensive racing and training schedules and risk of either catastrophic musculoskeletal injury (CMI) or lay-up from racing in California Thoroughbreds. Thoroughbred racehorses that sustained a CMI during racing or training and either were subsequently euthanized or died on a California racetrack during 1991 and 1992 were studied using a case-crossover study design. Each study subject (case) provided its own self-matched control information in the form of 'typical' exposure frequency, determined or estimated from historic i...
Estberg L, Stover SM, Gardner IA, Johnson BJ, Jack RA, Case JT, Ardans A, Read DH, Anderson ML, Barr BC, Daft BM, Kinde H, Moore J, Stoltz J, Woods L.To investigate relationships of several racehorse characteristics and race conditions with risk of a catastrophic musculoskeletal injury (CMI) resulting in euthanasia in Thoroughbreds during racing in California in 1992. Methods: Retrospective longitudinal study. Methods: Thoroughbreds that incurred CMI during racing and all California race entrants in 1992. Methods: Necropsy records were reviewed, and race start information was obtained. Incidence risk of CMI/1,000 race entrants was estimated. Relationships between CMI during racing and race-meet, entrant age and sex, race type and length, an...
Ross WA, Kaneene JB, Gardiner JC.To evaluate the associations of operation and individual animal-level risk factors with occurrence of lameness in the Michigan horse population. Methods: 3,925 horses monitored from 138 randomly selected Michigan operations for a total of 814,753 horse-days. Methods: All horses monitored < 60 days were eliminated from the source population. From the remaining horses, a prospective unmatched case-control study population was generated that included all cases and a random sample of noncases. Analysis of risk factors associated with occurrence of lameness was conducted, using Cox's propor...
De la Rúa-Domènech R, Mohammed HO, Cummings JF, Divers TJ, De Lahunta A, Summers BA.Equine motor neuron disease (EMND) is a neurodegenerative disorder of the somatic lower motor neurons that results in a syndrome of diffuse neuromuscular disease in the adult horse. The aetiology of this disorder is unknown, although prior studies have suggested that a deficiency in the lipid antioxidant vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) contributes to the development of EMND. This paper describes a case-control study designed to investigate the association between plasma vitamin E levels and the risk of EMND for horses. Signalment, plasma vitamin E levels at the time of referral, and information r...
Tinker MK, White NA, Lessard P, Thatcher CD, Pelzer KD, Davis B, Carmel DK.A 1 year prospective study was conducted on 31 horse farms to identify risk factors for equine colic. Farms were randomly selected from a list from 2 adjacent counties of Virginia and Maryland, USA. The association between colic and farm or individual horse risk factors related to management, housing, pasture, use, nutrition, health and events was first examined by univariate statistical analysis. Individually significant (P < = 0.25 for farm factors, P < = 0.10 for horse factors) variables were used in a stepwise multivariable forward logistic regression to select explanatory factors (P < = 0...
Southwood LL, Baxter GM, Hutchison JM, Shuster R.To obtain information from specialists in equine surgery as to prevalence of, predisposing factors for, and methods to prevent postoperative adhesion formation in horses undergoing abdominal surgery. Methods: Survey. Methods: Surveys were mailed to 196 diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons involved in equine practice. Results: 60 (31%) surveys were returned. Most respondents (55/60) routinely informed clients of the risk of postoperative adhesion formation in horses with small intestinal lesions. When asked after which procedures they routinely used measures to prevent adhe...
de la Rúa-Domènech R, Mohammed HO, Cummings JF, Divers TJ, de Lahunta A, Summers BA.To identify intrinsic, management, nutritional, and environmental risk factors associated with equine motor neuron disease (EMND) and to determine whether epidemiologic evidence supports oxidative stress as a risk factor for developing EMND. Methods: Case-control study. Methods: 87 horses with EMND and 259 control horses. Methods: Information concerning each horse's history of exposure to multiple environmental factors prior to developing EMND was obtained by means of a questionnaire or personal interview. Exposure histories of horses with EMND and control horses were compared, and the associa...
Doherr MG, Carpenter TE, Wilson WD, Gardner IA.Potential biases introduced by the use of hospital admission records have rarely been discussed in the veterinary literature. Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH) patient records kept at the University of California, Davis (UCD) School of Veterinary Medicine provide a unique opportunity to perform in-depth analyses on the effect of different control selection (sampling) techniques on odds ratio (OR) estimates for disease risk factors in a retrospective case-control study. Horses with Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis abscesses (134) and the (secondary) study base population (source for...
Bailey CJ, Reid SW, Hodgson DR, Suann CJ, Rose RJ.Risk factors for musculoskeletal injury in racing Thoroughbreds were investigated in a case-control study conducted at racetracks administered by the Australian Jockey Club. Univariable analysis of 137 cases from the official Veterinary Surgeon's reports and an equal number of randomly selected controls from the Australian Race Results identified field size, barrier position and class of race as being significantly associated with breakdown (P < 0.05). Multiple logistic regression was then used to investigate the effect of each putative risk factor whilst controlling for all others. Horses at ...
Barwick RS, Mohammed HO, McDonough PL, White ME.To determine and quantify risk factors associated with exposure of horses to the following serovars of Leptospira interrogans: pomona, autumnalis, and bratislava. Methods: 2,551 horses were randomly selected from a target population during the period of May 1991 to August 1993. Methods: Blood was collected from the horses and tested for antibodies to serovars, using the microscopic agglutination test. A titer > or = 1:100 indicated seropositivity. Information was collected on each horse, its environment, and each farm's management practices. Logistic regression analysis was used to develop a m...
Cohen ND, Peloso JG, Mundy GD, Fisher M, Holland RE, Little TV, Misheff MM, Watkins JP, Honnas CM, Moyer W.To describe and compare data from Thoroughbreds that sustained musculoskeletal injuries while racing with data from matched control horses. Methods: Matched case-control study. Methods: 216 Thoroughbreds that sustained a musculoskeletal injury while racing and 532 horses from the same races that were not injured. Methods: Data regarding racing history, race-entrant characteristics, racing events determined by analysis of videotapes of races, and results of prerace physical inspections were determined for all horses. Injured horses were compared with control horses by using conditional logistic...
Cohen ND.Understanding the epidemiology of equine colic is directly relevant to the management of individual horses with colic. In this article, the epidemiology of colic is reviewed with emphasis on epidemiologic studies that have identified specific factors associated with increased risk of colic and epidemiologic studies that are designed to predict the need for surgery and prognosis in horses with colic. Despite the magnitude of the problem of equine colic, much remains to be learned about the epidemiology of this disease.
The Journal of traumaJuly 1, 1997
Volume 43, Issue 1 97-99 doi: 10.1097/00005373-199707000-00022
Kriss TC, Kriss VM.Thirty million Americans ride horses; 50,000 of these riders are treated in emergency rooms annually. Equestrian activities are uniquely dangerous because the participant is unrestrained, often helmetless, and riding large, unpredictable animals capable of 40-mph speeds and kicking with up to 1 ton of force. Neurologic injuries in equestrians constitute the majority of severe injuries and fatalities. We prospectively studied all patients admitted to the University of Kentucky Medical Center with equine-related neurosurgical trauma from July 1992 to January 1996. Eighteen of 30 patients were ma...
Morley PS, Townsend HG.A survey was performed to evaluate the reproductive performance of Thoroughbred mares, estimate risks of dystocia and of morbidity and mortality in foals during the first year post partum and their physical acceptability at age one year. The study population consisted of registered Thoroughbred mares and their foals owned by residents of 4 Western Canadian provinces. Owners were identified using information obtained from the North American Jockey Club, and questionnaires were mailed regarding mares bred in 1988 and their foals born in 1989. Eighty-three per cent of mares were reported to be pr...
Kaneene JB, Miller R, Ross WA, Gallagher K, Marteniuk J, Rook J.A population-based prospective epidemiological study was conducted to assess risk factors for equine colic. A stratified sample of 3925 equids in 138 randomly selected equine farms in the state of Michigan was monitored in two 12-month rounds of data collection. Incidence densities were used to describe the rate of development of colic in the study population. Mortality rates, case fatality rates and survival rates were used to describe the severity of colic on the study population. Multivariable logistic regressions with random effects (grouped according to farm) were used to identify risk fa...
Collinder E, Lindholm A, Rasmuson M.The equine rhabdomyolysis syndrome (RHA) is believed to be multifactorial in origin; and could be caused by an interaction between genetic and environmental factors. In order to analyse its genetic background an association study was undertaken. Two sample groups of Standardbreds (Stb) which had suffered from RHA were compared to the total population of Swedish Standardbred trotters using recorded polymorphic genetic markers. The results showed that gene frequencies for several markers in the RHA groups differed significantly from those estimated for the total population. A rhabdomyolysis risk...
Honnas CM, Cohen ND.To determine the prevalence of wound infection following celiotomy in horses and to determine risk factors associated with the development of such infections. Methods: Prospective study. Methods: 210 horses that had 235 celiotomies. Methods: All horses that had celiotomies between March 1990 and March 1992 were considered for this study. Only horses that survived > or = 10 days after surgery were included in analysis of risk factors for postoperative wound infection. Results: Of the 210 horses, 161 (76.7%) were discharged; of the horses discharged, 147 horses had a single celiotomy and 14 had ...
Hudson S, Blackburn J, Fish M, Ousey K.Police officers wear personal protective equipment (PPE) to reduce their risk of injury while on duty. Despite the unique policing activity of riding a horse, little is known about the PPE used by mounted officers. The aim of this research was to assess the use, comfort, and functionality of mounted police PPE. Twenty officers from three UK Mounted Sections were recruited. Semi-structured interviews and range of movement assessments were conducted. Interview data was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Three main themes were generated: and Much of the PPE worn by mounted officers is ...
Isgren CM, Pinchbeck GL, Salem SE, Hann MJ, Townsend NB, Cullen MD, Archer DC.Surgical site infection (SSI) is a frequent complication following emergency equine laparotomy, negatively impacting equine welfare, increasing treatment costs and presenting a hospital biosecurity risk. Objective: To determine if a sutured-on stent dressing for incisional protection during anaesthetic recovery reduced SSI following emergency laparotomy. Methods: Randomised controlled trial. Methods: Eligible horses were randomised to a sutured-on stent (intervention) or textile dressing (control) as the primary component of a 3-layer abdominal bandage placed for anaesthetic recovery. Horses w...
Son JK, De Paz P, Kim J, Sanaei R, Ryu S, Bailey S, Davies HMS.Changes in the third metacarpal (MC3) mid-diaphyseal dimensions were measured radiographically in young Thoroughbred racehorses through race training and found to be associated with a higher risk of shin soreness. However, it is still unclear whether such negative MC3 morphologies are set congenitally or through development. Objective: To quantify MC3 bone dimensional changes through growth. Methods: Longitudinal. Methods: Twenty privately owned Thoroughbred foals were radiographed bimonthly from birth to 14 months of age. Four linear MC3 parameters (proximodistal MC3 length, mid-diaphyseal do...
Talib MT, Nasir A, Kashif M, Rahman A, Rehman AU, Akbar H, Nadeem A, Howe DK, Azam MN.The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of anti-Neospora (N.) caninum and anti-N. hughesi antibodies in horses and to appraise the associated risk factors in the two central districts (Jhang and Toba Tek Singh) of Punjab Province, Pakistan. A total of 300 horse sera were analyzed for the presence of antibodies to Neospora spp. using a competitive ELISA. The overall prevalence of antibodies against Neospora species in horses was 25 % (75/300; 95 % CI 20.1-29.9). The prevalence of antibodies to N. caninum and N. hughesi species was 12.3 % (37/300; 95 % CI 8.6-16) and 19.3 % (5...
Griessel TS, Muñoz Morán JA, Byaruhanga C, Smit Y.Surgical site infection (SSI) is a significant cause of postoperative morbidity following equine laparotomy. Therefore, if risk factors for SSI can be identified, morbidity may consequently be reduced. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of SSI in horses undergoing exploratory laparotomy at a single hospital over an 8-year period (2013‒2021), investigate the risk factors associated with SSI and report on the bacterial isolates identified. Methods: The medical records of horses that had an exploratory laparotomy performed at the teaching hospital due to colic were r...
Bennet ED, Parkin TDH.The Equine Injury Database (EID) is a census-level record of Thoroughbred racing in North America, currently recording 95.6% of all race starts in 2023, along with partial training and veterinary histories of each horse. Objective: To identify horse-, race- and track-level risk factors associated with race-related fatal musculoskeletal injury (MSI) of Thoroughbred racehorses in North America. Methods: Retrospective cohort study. Methods: The study cohort included all race starts made by horses born after 31 December 2006, at tracks that fully report to the EID and consisted of 3,851,659 race s...
Zhang W, Guo R, Sulayman A, Sun Y, Liu S.Microbiota in the gastrointestinal tract play a crucial role in nutrient digestion, health and so forth in equines. As the research attention on gut microbes has increased, several studies have investigated the composition of the gastrointestinal microbial flora in equines. This article reviews the effects of breed, age, intestinal site, nutritional management and diseases on the gastrointestinal microbiota of horses and donkeys, thus offering references for improving the gastrointestinal microecological environment in these animals and preventing and controlling disease occurrence in them.
Quinn CT.Catheterisation of the urinary bladder is a common procedure during perioperative care of horses. Benefits of urinary catheters include a reduction in the risk of recovery-associated slip hazards as a consequence of voided urine and the measurement of urine output during anaesthesia. However, there is little information regarding the risks associated with this procedure. A retrospective cohort study was undertaken in horses admitted to a university teaching hospital for surgery during which a urinary catheter was placed perioperatively. Data were retrieved from clinical records including signa...
Cameron-Whytock HA, O'Brien D, Lewis V, Parkin T, Bennet ED.To date, industry and research outputs that have aimed to improve safety in equestrian eventing have tended to focus on identifying risk factors for horse falls during cross-country, which have been identified as the greatest risk of injury and fatality for riders. There is an absence of research that investigates fatalities of horses within the sport of eventing. Objective: To use a combination of media reports and eventing federation databases to describe and document equine fatalities in equestrian eventing, including their context, location and a basic pathology. Methods: Descriptive study...
de la Rebière de Pouyade G, Binard M, Deleuze S, Ponthier J.Standing caesarian section (C-section) in mares is poorly documented in the literature. It is reportedly straightforward to perform for veterinarians experienced in bovine practice and is more accessible and less expensive than recumbent techniques. The study aimed to create a survey to report the outcomes of in field C-section through a flank laparotomy with the mare standing under sedation. Unassigned: A survey was developed for field veterinarians practicing standing C-sections. Data were collected regarding the veterinarian's experience and practice type, details about the mare and the rea...
Quatember H, Nell B, Richter B, Rigler D, Dolezal M, Sykora S, Wallner B.A missense mutation in damage-specific DNA binding protein 2 (DDB2 c.1013 C>T; p.Thr338Met) has been described as a risk factor for ocular squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) in the Haflinger breed. Here, we examined the impact of DDB2 C>T allele status on the development of OSCC, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) at other localisations, or equine sarcoid (ES) in Haflingers and other breeds with a high incidence of these tumour types. We genotyped affected Haflinger, Noriker, Warmblood, and Icelandic horses. Results based on 56 Haflingers confirmed the significantly higher risk for OSCC in DDB2-TT Hafl...
Barnabé MA, Elliott J, Harris PA, Menzies-Gow NJ.Insulin dysregulation (ID) and hypoadiponectinaemia (total [adiponectin] <7.9 μg/mL) are risk factors for laminitis. They are sometimes, but not always, associated with obesity. Objective: To investigate the effects of pasture consumption and obesity on ID and circulating total [adiponectin] in ponies. Methods: Longitudinal. Methods: Seven native-breed ponies with normal basal and post-oral sugar test (OST) [insulin] and body condition score (BCS) 4.3-5.5/9 were allowed to graze until they reached BCS 7/9. Ponies were then maintained at BCS 7/9 until completion of the study (week 22). Morph...
Cerullo A, Di Nicola MR, Scilimati N, Bertoletti A, Pollicino G, Moroni B, Pepe M, Nannarone S, Gialletti R, Passamonti F.Bacterial contamination of the surgical site in horses is a major risk factor for the development of surgical site infections (SSIs), which increase morbidity, mortality, the hospitalisation period, antibiotic use, and management costs. While contamination is a prerequisite for infection, its progression to clinical infection depends on additional factors that compromise host defences. The present study, conducted at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the University of Perugia over an 11-month period, investigated bacterial contamination in 70 surgeries (53 clean and 17 clean-contaminated) at...
Cullinane A, Garvey M, Dayot L, Lukaseviciute G.Equine rotavirus A (RVA) is a major cause of debilitating diarrhoea in neonatal foals globally. The aim of this study was to characterise RVA viruses currently circulating in Ireland and to identify risk factors associated with disease outbreaks. Of the 377 samples submitted during 2023 and 2024, 48 foals from 36 outbreaks were confirmed to be RVA-positive by real-time PCR. The viruses detected were genotyped by VP7 and VP4 gene sequencing. In 2024, the attending veterinary surgeon was contacted, and epidemiological data were collected. These included the vaccination status of the foal's dam a...
Tulloch JSP, Schofield I, Jackson R, Whiting M.The veterinary industry has some of the highest rates of non-fatal work-related injuries, yet safety culture remains unexplored. Utilising a survey distributed to all UK employees of a consolidated group of veterinary practices, this study aimed to describe the prevalence of work-related injuries in equine, production animal, and mixed veterinary practices, and to understand the behaviours of injured persons. There were 144 respondents. Over 90 % of clinicians experienced injury during their careers, versus a third of non-clinical staff. Injuries to equine veterinarians were predominately ki...
Swezey E, Szydziak E, Angus LDG, Mehta V, Cardozo-Stolberg S.Equestrian trauma is recognized as a high-risk injury mechanism with the potential for significant morbidity and mortality. Although horse-related injuries are more frequently seen in a rural environment, they can also occur in urban settings. Urban physicians should be mindful of these potential cases. Methods: A retrospective review was performed on all patients treated at Nassau University Medical Center, East Meadow, New York, for equestrian-related trauma from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2024. Results: Twenty-nine equestrian trauma patients ages 10-70 were included, with injuries ob...
van der Merwe LM, Schliewert EC.Colic is a common equine emergency requiring medical or surgical intervention. These interventions can be costly, making outcomes data and prognostic indicators essential for guiding referral and treatment decisions. Objective: To determine survival rates to hospital discharge and evaluate prognostic indicators in equine colic cases treated at a referral hospital (Onderstepoort Veterinary Academic Hospital [OVAH], South Africa). Methods: This retrospective observational cohort study analysed records from horses with colic that were presented to the OVAH from January 2019 to August 2021. Data i...
Pádua GT, Tavares MA, de Lima NJ, Paula WVF, Dos Santos GC, Neves LC, Bittencourt RBM, Paludo RLDR, Cardoso ERN, da Silva BBF, Pádua BR....This study sought to investigate the presence of anti- spp. antibodies in georeferenced serum samples from equids across all regions of the state of Goiás, while also presenting variables that indicate risk factors for the circulation of rickettsiae, and evaluating the presence of rickettsial DNA in ticks collected from equids and the surrounding environment in the municipalities of Uruaçu and Porangatu, located in the northern region of the state. A total of 1156 equid serum samples provided by the Goiás Agricultural Defense Agency (Agrodefesa) were analyzed for antibodies against 4 antig...
Granella MCS, Mendes RP, da Silva Casa M, Ribeiro GSN, Sangioni LA, Vogel FSF, Braünig P, Ferian PE, Salbego FZ, Schwarz DGG, Fonteque JH.Protozoan Neospora spp. is known to negatively affect horses reared in rural and urban environments, being studied for causing abortion, neonatal mortality and central nervous system disorders in horses. This study aimed to verify the occurrence of anti-Neospora spp. antibodies in horses bred in rural and urban areas from southern Brazil and the risk factors associated with infection. The study consisted of 400 horses, which 241 were bred in rural areas and 159 in urban areas. The detection of serum anti-Neospora spp. antibodies was determined using Immunofluorescence Antibody Test (IFAT). The...
Araújo IRDS, de Brito EL, de Melo UP, Mariz ALB, Cavalheiro MT, Ferreira C, de Morais LF, de Souza RF.This study aimed to evaluate the use of antimicrobials in horses, focusing on administration practices, adherence to veterinary prescriptions, and the impact on the development of antimicrobial resistance. The research was based on a questionnaire completed by 220 horse owners in the State of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. The data collected covered aspects including antibiotic use, prescription sources, the performance of culture and susceptibility tests, and the disposal of veterinary drug waste. The results indicated that 98.63% of horse owners administered antibiotics mainly to treat respira...
Horan K, Pfau T.Racehorses and jockeys can incur injuries, not only during gallops, but also during routine trotting exercise to access gallop tracks or warm-up. Understanding how jockey position affects racehorse movement may influence safety, and this may vary across different surface conditions. This study used inertial sensing technology (XSens MTw sensors) and linear mixed models to quantify and determine the significance (p ≤ 0.05) of jockey riding position ('rising' versus 'two-point seat') and surface type (artificial, grass and tarmac) on: 1) time offsets between stance and flight phases; 2) ho...
Elmahallawy EK, Hassan MF, Cano-Terriza D, Albalawi NO, Fajardo T, Gouda AA, Atiba A, Hendawy A, Villena I, Barakat AM, Alzaylaee H, Almería S....Toxoplasmosis, caused by the intracellular protozoan (), continues to be a widespread parasitic zoonotic disease globally. The seroepidemiology of infection in Egyptian equids, particularly donkeys, remains insufficiently explored. The present study was designed to assess the seroprevalence of in equines from Northern Egypt. Unassigned: A total of 360 serum samples from two equine species (157 horses and 203 donkeys) were obtained during 2023. The Modified Agglutination Test (MAT, cut-off of 1:25) was used to screen for the anti- antibodies. The study also analyzed potential risk factors th...
Leus EK, Collins N, Gruyaert M, Kennedy RN, McConnell E, McGorum BC, Luethy D, Sanz M, Versporten A, Viljoen A, Lyle CH.Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is increasingly recognised in equine medicine. Antimicrobial use (AMU) is a key driver of AMR. Objective: To pilot a point prevalence survey (PPS), based on the Global-PPS used in human hospitals, to obtain data on antibiotic prescribing and AMR in equine hospitals and to identify targets for improvement in AMU. Methods: Point prevalence survey. Methods: Eight equine hospitals located in Australia, Belgium, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States were recruited. Data on AMU were collected from all in-patients on antibiotic treatment at 08h00 on fou...
Turcotte GK, O'Sullivan TL, Spence KL, Winder CB, Greer AL.Horses may travel for a variety of reasons, leading to potential exposure to pathogens. Typically, these movements are bidirectional with horses returning to their home facility, therefore also risking pathogen exposure to resident horses at home facilities. The Canadian National Farm and Facility Level Biosecurity Standard for the Equine Sector was designed to outline best practices for managing biosecurity at equestrian facilities, however, there is a gap between the implementation of these recommendations and the day-to-day operations of equestrian facilities. This study aimed to explore th...
Taylor K, Harrison A, Capaldo T.One of the most problematic situations for the estimated 60 million working donkeys and mules across the world is within the brick kiln environment. In countries such as Egypt, Nepal, India and Pakistan, donkeys and mules carry dried bricks into small kilns either by pulling carts or carrying loaded packs. The health and welfare problems of this environment are well documented: they may carry excessive loads; work long hours, have difficulties accessing food, water and rest options; and can frequently suffer untreated illnesses including dental problems, lameness and open wounds from poorly fi...
Bonow S, Hernlund E, Eriksson S, Strandberg E, Gelinder Viklund Å.Sweden has a strong tradition of insuring horses for veterinary costs, and orthopedic diagnoses are the most common for insurance claims. The aim of this study was to investigate differences in prevalence and risk of orthopedic diagnoses for Swedish warmblood (SWB) horses classified as jumping (J) or dressage (D) horses. Also, other factors that may influence orthopedic health were investigated, i.e., sex, birth cohort, and participation in young horse tests and competition. The data consisted of 15,619 insured SWB horses born between 2010 and 2020. Horses were classified as J or D horses acco...
Firdausy LW, Fikri F, Wicaksono AP, Çalışkan H, Purnama MTE.Trypanosomiasis is a vector-borne parasitic disease with significant implications for animal health and rural livelihoods in Indonesia. Despite surveillance efforts, comprehensive national-level estimates of its prevalence in domesticated animals remain lacking. This study aimed to synthesize the pooled prevalence of trypanosomiasis across Indonesian provinces, identify contributing factors, and assess trends over time using a systematic review and meta-analysis. Unassigned: A systematic search was conducted in seven electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Cochrane...
Akinniyi OO, Lawal TR, Rufai N, Jolayemi KO, Amaje J.African horse sickness (AHS) is endemic in Nigeria. Despite this, little is known about the perspective of horse handlers in Nigeria regarding AHS. The study aimed to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions (KAP) of horse handlers in Southwest Nigeria regarding AHS. A cross-sectional survey study was conducted, which involved convenient sampling of 131 horse handlers in Lagos and Oyo States by February - April 2024. The pre-validated questionnaires were administered via face-to-face interviews, covering demographics, knowledge of AHS transmission, clinical signs, prevention and cont...
Aziz KJ, Issa NA, Mikaeel FB, Ismael SS.This study investigated the prevalence, intensity, and associated risk factors of Parascaris equorum (P. equorum) infection in equids using both parasitological and molecular methods. Data on age, sex, body condition, and housing conditions were systematically collected to evaluate their influence on infection risk. Fecal samples from 294 equines (148 horses, 47 mules, 63 donkeys, and 36 ponies) were examined microscopically using direct wet-mount and flotation techniques, with infection intensity quantified using the McMaster technique to determine eggs per gram (EPG). Molecular confirmation ...
Cordonnier T, Germon V, Lemé C, Jouve JL, Launay F, Pesenti S.Despite benefits in children, sport practice has been reported with higher risk of fractures. Our objective was to report the characteristics of sport-related fractures in children and to compare them to fractures sustained in a domestic context. Our hypothesis was that sports-related fractures more frequently required surgical treatment, and could therefore be considered more severe METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study including patients under 16 years old, diagnosed with a fracture at the emergency department, excluding skull and face fractures. Demographic data, context of inj...
