Catastrophic Musculoskeletal Injuries in Thoroughbred Racehorses in Uruguay, 2011-2017.

The paper analyses the frequency and risks of Catastrophic Musculoskeletal Injuries (CMI) in Thoroughbred racehorses in Uruguay. It suggests that horses with fewer race starts and longer time between races may be at higher risk and recommends close monitoring of these horses. The rate of CMI found in this study in Uruguay is lower compared to other regions, despite Uruguay’s less strict racing policies.

Methodology

• The study applies a retrospective cohort and case-control design.
• Data from 2011 to 2017 associated with the horses’ training and racing was collected and analyzed.
• 77 Thoroughbreds that sustained a CMI were observed, 37 of which were age- and sex-matched with 111 control horses participating in the same race.
• Incidence of CMI during race days and training was calculated using Poisson regression, which takes into account the number of events (in this case, injuries) happening in a fixed period.
• Univariable logistic regression was used to assess the relationships between the horses’ race history and occurrence of CMI by fracture location.
• For all fracture locations, a multivariable regression was used to examine potential risk factors for CMIs.

Results

• The overall rate of CMI was found to be 0.42 per 1,000 race starts.
• In terms of training, the occurrence of CMI was 0.059 per 100 horse months.
• About 29% of horses that sustained a CMI had not raced previously.
• Most injuries were fractures of the forelimbs, accounting for 80.3% of all injuries. The remaining injuries were distributed among distal (41.6%) and proximal (50.6%) limb fractures.
• It was found that horses with fewer race starts and a longer delay between races had a higher risk of CMI.

Conclusions

• The study indicates that the rate of CMI in Uruguay is comparatively lower despite the country’s racing policies and risk factors that would typically suggest a higher rate of CMI.
• It recommends closer monitoring of lightly raced horses and those with longer gaps between races, as these horses were determined to be at a higher risk for CMI.