Clinical nutrition counselling service in the veterinary hospital: retrospective analysis of equine patients and nutritional considerations.

This study examines the cases of 61 horses that used the clinical nutrition counselling (CNC) service at the University of Turin for several nutrition-related conditions. The results illustrate the severity and prevalence of these conditions and highlight the necessity of the proper nutrition in maintaining the health of horses, and seek to establish a dietary protocol.

Clinical Nutrition Counselling

• The Clinical Nutrition Counselling (CNC) service at the University of Turin works with both horse owners and veterinarians to provide appropriate and tailored dietary plans for horses. The study emphasizes the role of a nutritional counsellor in addressing incorrect feeding practices and stresses the necessity for correct nutritional care in the treatment and recovery period of some equine pathologies.
• The study retrospectively studied the nutritional records of referred equine patients to the CNC service. The data collected included the medical history, nutritional assessment, current diet, referrer, and follow-up status of each patient.

Study Findings

• The most common breeds included in the study were the Italian Saddle Horse and the Friesian Horse, the majority of which were adult males.
• Notably, older horses had a significantly lower Body Condition Score (BCS) than broodmares or other adult horses. This indicates that additional attention may be required for the dietary care of older horses due to a potential predisposition to weight loss or other health risks.
• The most common nutritional conditions seen in these patients were chronic weight loss, chronic diarrhoea, and equine gastric ulcer syndrome. Follow-up evaluations showed that 92% of cases were considered to be ‘good’, while 8% were ‘poor’.

Dietary Practices and Referrals

• The dietary practices of the horses indicated that all horses received first-cut meadow hay, while 85% were also fed concentrates. Young horses received a higher proportion of their body weight in hay compared to older horses, which is likely due to the differing nutritional needs of growing horses.
• There were also statistically significant differences in the concentrate percentage of body weight given to older horses compared to young horses and horses with colic compared to horses with chronic diarrhoea.
• While 72% of referrals to the CNC service were made by veterinarians, 28% of owners self-referred their horses, suggesting a heightened awareness and concern for equine nutrition among some horse owners.

Potential Impact of the CNC Service

• The study suggests that the CNC service could serve as an epidemiological observatory for studying the prevalence of nutritional problems in the horse population. This information could then be used to guide better feeding practices and dietary guidelines in the future.