Costs and complications of equine castration: a UK practice-based study comparing ‘standing nonsutured’ and ‘recumbent sutured’ techniques.

The research conducted a comparison study of costs and complications in two equine castration techniques: ‘standing nonsutured’ and ‘recumbent sutured’. The study found that while the ‘standing nonsutured’ technique had a higher rate of complications, it was overall less costly, even when accounting for the additional expenses associated with these complications.

Background and Objectives

• The main purpose of this study was to provide insights into two different approaches to equine castration: one done on a standing horse with an open unsutured scrotal wound, and the other on a recumbent horse under general anaesthesia with a sutured scrotal skin allowing primary wound closure. The researchers aimed to identify the types and frequency of complications associated with each method and to compare the costs based on veterinary practice charges.

Methods

• The study analyzed the veterinary expenses of 217 horses castrated by a Newmarket equine veterinary practice over an 18-month period.
• Out of these 217 horses, Group 1 included 121 horses that were castrated while standing and nonsutured by one of two ambulatory clinicians.
• Group 2 comprised 96 horses that were castrated in recumbency, in aseptic equine hospital conditions.

Results

• Group 1 had a complication prevalence of 22% without mortalities while Group 2 had a significantly lower complication prevalence of 6% (P = 0.001) with a mortality rate of 1%.
• The cost of Group 1, without complications, was roughly one-third of the cost of an uncomplicated Group 2. However, when complications were factored in, the cost of Group 1 rose to around two-thirds of the cost of an uncomplicated Group 2 castration.

Conclusions

• Despite the higher complication prevalence for Group 1 castrations, leaving an open scrotal wound, the average cost was still less compared to Group 2 castrations, even when accounting for the additional follow-up costs associated with treating such complications.
• The report serves as a benchmark for the outcome of the two methods used for castration, based on data obtained from specific circumstances within the practice involved.
• Further studies should be conducted to substantiate these findings and to take into consideration the potential future developments in surgical and anaesthetic techniques.