Associations between age or sex and prevalence of gastric ulceration in Standardbred racehorses in training.
Abstract: To determine associations between age, sex, or medical treatment and prevalence and severity of gastric ulceration in Standardbred racehorses in training. Methods: Cross-sectional study. Methods: 224 Standardbred racehorses in training. Methods: Gastroscopy was performed on each horse, and mucosal ulceration was graded from 0 (normal mucosa, no lesions) to 3 (extensive, often coalescing, lesions with areas of deep ulceration). Associations between age, sex, or treatment and prevalence and severity of ulcers were evaluated. Results: Prevalence of gastric ulceration was 87%. Although there was little association between age and prevalence of ulcers, there was an association between age and severity of ulcers. Most 2-year-old horses (57.7%) had an ulcer score of 0 or 1. In all other age groups, most (58% to 82.61%) of horses had an ulcer score of 2 or 3. Although overall prevalence of ulceration was comparable among sex groups, the relative risk for gastric ulceration increased with age in castrated males, whereas it decreased in females and sexually intact males. Conclusions: Gastric ulceration is common in Standardbred horses in race training. Severity is higher in horses > or = 3 years of age than in 2-year-old horses. Relative risk for ulceration increases with age in castrated males.
Publication Date: 2002-10-22 PubMed ID: 12387386DOI: 10.2460/javma.2002.221.1156Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research investigates the correlation between age, sex, or medical treatment and the prevalence and severity of gastric ulcers in racehorses, particularly Standardbred horses. The study found that the prevalence of gastric ulcers is high in racehorses and that the severity increases in older horses, especially castrated males.
Research Methods
- This was a cross-sectional study conducted on 224 Standardbred racehorses in training.
- A procedure known as gastroscopy was performed on each horse. This is a procedure where a tube with a light and a camera at one end is passed into the stomach allowing for visual examination.
- The mucosal ulceration in the horses was graded on a scale from 0-3, where 0 represented a horse with normal mucosa and no lesions and 3 indicated extensive lesions with regions of deep ulceration.
- The researchers conducted evaluations to establish any associations between the age, sex, or treatment of the horses and the prevalence and severity of ulcers.
Research Results
- The prevalence of gastric ulceration was found to be extremely high, at 87%.
- Though there was no significant association found between age and ulcer prevalence, a link was established between age and ulcer severity.
- Most 2-year-old horses had lower ulcer scores of 0 or 1. However, in all other age brackets, the majority of horses had high ulcer scores of 2 or 3.
- In terms of sex differences, the overall prevalence of ulceration was similar across groups. However, the relative risk for gastric ulceration was found to increase with age in castrated males whereas in females and sexually intact males, it decreased.
Conclusions
- The study concluded that gastric ulceration is commonplace in Standardbred racehorses in training.
- The severity of the ulcers was found to be more in horses aged 3 years or above in comparison to 2-year-old horses.
- The relative risk for ulceration was also found to increase with age in castrated males.
Cite This Article
APA
Rabuffo TS, Orsini JA, Sullivan E, Engiles J, Norman T, Boston R.
(2002).
Associations between age or sex and prevalence of gastric ulceration in Standardbred racehorses in training.
J Am Vet Med Assoc, 221(8), 1156-1159.
https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.2002.221.1156 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- New Bolton Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Kennett Square 19348, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Age Factors
- Animals
- Cross-Sectional Studies
- Female
- Gastroscopy / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horses
- Male
- Orchiectomy / veterinary
- Physical Conditioning, Animal
- Prevalence
- Severity of Illness Index
- Sex Factors
- Stomach Ulcer / epidemiology
- Stomach Ulcer / pathology
- Stomach Ulcer / veterinary
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