Equine grass sickness in Scotland: a case-control study of signalment- and meteorology-related risk factors.

This research investigates the risk factors related to the breed, age, sex, and geographical location of equines, along with weather conditions, for Equine Grass Sickness (EGS) in Scotland. The study shows that certain breeds, younger animals, mares, and those in northern regions are more susceptible to EGS, while sunny, frosty weather further increases this risk, and a higher average maximum temperature decreases it.

Introduction and Methodology

• The study delves into Equine Grass Sickness, a commonly fatal disease in equids in Britain, and aims to probe into its breed, age, gender, and meteorology-related risk factors using data from Scotland.
• The research is a retrospective case-control study that utilizes data from 455 EGS cases and 910 controls that were referred to the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies. It also looked at meteorological records from the UK Meteorological Office.
• The meteorological values included those of the month of the animal’s admission, as well as those from three, six, and twelve months prior to admission, and for the entire 1990-2006 period.

Identification of Risk Factors

• The study identified certain risk factors that were associated with an increased probability of EGS. Scottish pure breeds demonstrated a higher risk than crossbreeds, and animals located further north within the study region also faced higher odds of contracting EGS.
• A contrast was seen with animals aged 11-20 years, non-native Scottish pure breeds, and stallions, all of which showed a decreased risk compared to animals aged 2-10 years, crossbreeds, and mares respectively.

Meteorology-related Risk Factors

• The meteorological factors contributing to a higher risk of EGS were found to be more hours of sunshine and more frost days. On the other hand, a higher average maximum temperature was associated with a decreased risk of EGS.

Conclusions

• The revelations about breed, age, and gender-related risk factors can help owners identify animals that are at a higher risk and prioritize management strategies accordingly.
• The identification of meteorological risk factors can inform further studies on the causes of Equine Grass Sickness.