Evaluation of age, breed, and gender as risk factors for umbilical hernia in horses of a hospital population.

The study analyzes the distributions of age, breed, and gender in horses with umbilical hernia, suggesting that female horses and Thoroughbreds have a higher risk for the disease.

Objective of the Study

• The main focus of this study was to determine the risk factors for umbilical hernia in horses. This was accomplished by analyzing the age, breed, and gender distributions of 168 horses treated at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine.

Details of the Analysis

• The research included three major horse breeds: Thoroughbred, Standardbred, and Quarter Horse. The proportion of females to males in these breeds was studied.
• The same age group, i.e., from 0 to 48 months, in the hospital population was also considered for this study to maintain consistency.
• The female to male ratio calculated from this study was then compared to the overall female to male ratio in the entire hospital population.

Findings of the Study

• The overall ratio of females to males in the horse population of the three major breeds was 1.63. However, in the same age group in the hospital population, the female to male ratio was 0.93.
• Females showed a significantly higher risk for umbilical hernia after adjusting for breed and age, with an odds ratio of 2.01.
• Among the two major breeds, Thoroughbreds seemed to be more at risk than Standardbreds for experiencing umbilical hernia, after adjusting for gender and age. The risk was computed with an odds ratio of 1.80.

Implication of the Study

• This research provides valuable information about a common congenital defect in horses, umbilical hernia, and the factors posing higher risk for the same.
• These results, implying increased risk for female horses and Thoroughbreds, can be beneficial for future genetic research aimed at reducing the prevalence of umbilical hernia in these risk groups.