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The Veterinary record2019; 185(16); 508; doi: 10.1136/vr.105415

Assessment of costs and insurance policies for referral treatment of equine colic.

Abstract: Colic is the most common emergency problem in horses. The aims of this study were to survey costs of different referral treatments and to review insurance policies relevant to horses with colic. Data were collected retrospectively from nine equine hospitals for case costs, categorised into four different outcomes: admitted and euthanased; euthanased during or immediately after surgery; medical treatment and survived more than 24 hours; and surgical treatment and survived more than 24 hours. Data from five UK equine insurance companies were extracted and analysed using a standardised case example. Costs were obtained for 108 cases. The mean cost for horses admitted and euthanased was £873.89 (range £459.72-£1471.51), and for surgical treatment and survival more than 24 hours was £6437.80 (range £3178.87-£9100.00). Insurance cover for veterinary fees ranged from £5000 to £7500, and monthly premium rates for a standardised case ranged from £27.06 to £47.06. The terms and conditions for the insurance policies ranged in length from 2098 to 17,701 words; Flesch Kincaid Reading Ease scores ranged from 21.6 to 57.7, indicating a high degree of complexity and low readability. This study highlights the complexity and challenges for decision-making in critical cases of colic.
© British Veterinary Association 2019. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. Published by BMJ.
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Publication Date: 2019-08-22 PubMed ID: 31439823PubMed Central: PMC6860416DOI: 10.1136/vr.105415Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research article investigates the costs associated with different treatments for equine colic at referral centers and explores the insurance policies relevant to this condition. The study finds that the cost of treatment can vary significantly and that insurance policies are complex and difficult to comprehend.

Research Methods and Data Collection

  • The researchers conducted a retrospective study by collecting data from nine equine hospitals concerning the costs of different treatments for colic based on four different outcomes. This included instances where the horse was admitted and euthanised, euthanised during or immediately after surgery, received medical treatment and survived for more than 24 hours, and lastly, received surgical treatment and survived for more than 24 hours.
  • Information about insurance policies was gathered from five UK equine insurance companies, and this data was analysed based on a procedural case example.

Findings on Treatment Costs

  • The study found that the average cost for horses that were admitted and then euthanised was £873.89, with costs ranging from £459.72 to £1471.51.
  • Treatment involving surgery, where the horse survived for more than 24 hours, had a mean cost of £6437.80, with the treatment costs ranging from £3178.87 to £9100.00.

Analysis of Insurance Policies

  • As part of the study, the insurance coverage for veterinary fees was analysed. The cover ranged from £5000 to £7500 for horses suffering from colic.
  • It was found that the monthly premium rates varied from £27.06 to £47.06 for a typical case of equine colic.
  • Moreover, the terms and conditions of the insurance policies were found to be complex and hard to read. They spanned anywhere from 2098 to 17,701 words with Flesch Kincaid Reading Ease scores (a readability test for English texts) ranging between 21.6 to 57.7, suggesting a high level of complexity and low readability.

Research Implications

  • The information derived from this research could assist hoarse owners in understanding the potential costs involved in referral treatment for equine colic and in evaluating the benefit of insurance coverage.
  • It also points to a need for clearer and simpler insurance policies for better decision-making and enhanced transparency.

Cite This Article

APA
Barker I, Freeman SL. (2019). Assessment of costs and insurance policies for referral treatment of equine colic. Vet Rec, 185(16), 508. https://doi.org/10.1136/vr.105415

Publication

The Veterinary record
ISSN: 2042-7670
NlmUniqueID: 0031164
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 185
Issue: 16
Pages: 508

Researcher Affiliations

Barker, Isobel
  • School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, UK.
Freeman, Sarah L
  • School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, UK sarah.freeman@nottingham.ac.uk.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Colic / therapy
  • Colic / veterinary
  • Costs and Cost Analysis
  • Horse Diseases / therapy
  • Horses
  • Hospitals, Animal / economics
  • Humans
  • Insurance, Health / economics
  • Referral and Consultation / economics
  • Retrospective Studies
  • United Kingdom

Conflict of Interest Statement

Competing interests: None declared.

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Citations

This article has been cited 3 times.
  1. Cameron A, Geldard M, Mair T, England G, Burford J, Freeman S, Pollock K, Wilson E. Experiences of End-of-Life Decision-Making in Equine Veterinary and Charity Teams. Animals (Basel) 2025 Feb 26;15(5).
    doi: 10.3390/ani15050678pubmed: 40075960google scholar: lookup
  2. Ford T, McAdams ZL, Townsend KS, Martin LM, Johnson PJ, Ericsson AC. Effect of Sugar Beet Pulp on the Composition and Predicted Function of Equine Fecal Microbiota. Biology (Basel) 2023 Sep 19;12(9).
    doi: 10.3390/biology12091254pubmed: 37759653google scholar: lookup
  3. Dybkjær E, Steffensen KF, Honoré ML, Dinesen MA, Christophersen MT, Pihl TH. Short-term survival rates of 1397 horses referred for colic from 2010 to 2018. Acta Vet Scand 2022 May 7;64(1):11.
    doi: 10.1186/s13028-022-00631-4pubmed: 35526044google scholar: lookup
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