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BMC veterinary research2024; 20(1); 347; doi: 10.1186/s12917-024-04211-8

“How long is life worth living for the horse?” A focus group study on how Austrian equine stakeholders assess quality of life for chronically ill or old horses.

Abstract: Quality of life (QoL) provides a comprehensive concept underpinning veterinary decision-making that encompasses factors beyond physical health. It becomes particularly pertinent when seeking responsible choices for chronically ill or old horses that emphasise their well-being and a good QoL over the extension of life. How different stakeholders use the concept of QoL is highly relevant when considering the complexity of these decisions in real-life situations. Methods: Seven focus group discussions (N = 39) were conducted to gain insights into how stakeholders assess and use equine QoL in veterinary care decisions for chronically ill and/or old horses. The discussions included horse owners (n = 17), equine veterinarians (n = 7), veterinary officers (n = 6), farriers (n = 4), and horse caregivers (n = 5). The combination of deductive and inductive qualitative content analysis of the group discussions focused on identifying both similarities and differences in the views of these groups regarding QoL for old and/or chronically ill horses. Results: Findings show agreement about two issues: the importance of the individuality of the horse for assessing QoL and the relevance of QoL in making decisions about veterinary interventions. We identified differences between the groups with respect to three issues: the time required to assess QoL, stakeholders' contributions to QoL assessments, and challenges resulting from those contributions. While owners and caregivers of horses emphasised their knowledge of a horse and the relevance of the time they spend with their horse, the veterinarians in the study focused on the differences between their own QoL assessments and those of horse owners. In response to challenges regarding QoL assessments and decision-making, stakeholders described different strategies such as drawing comparisons to human experiences. Conclusions: Differences between stakeholders regarding equine QoL assessments contribute to challenges when making decisions about the care of chronically ill or old horses. The results of this study suggest that individual and collaborative reflection about a horse's QoL should be encouraged, for example by developing practicable QoL assessment tools that support relevant stakeholders in this process.
© 2024. The Author(s).
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Publication Date: 2024-08-06 PubMed ID: 39107791PubMed Central: PMC11302025DOI: 10.1186/s12917-024-04211-8Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The study investigates how stakeholders in Austria perceive and assess the quality of life for chronically ill or elderly horses, with a specific focus on veterinary decision-making. The research includes the perspectives of horse owners, equine veterinarians, veterinary officers, farriers, and horse caregivers.

Methodology

  • Seven focus groups were formed – consisting of horse owners (n = 17), equine veterinarians (n = 7), veterinary officers (n = 6), farriers (n = 4), and horse caregivers (n = 5), for a total of 39 participants.
  • The researchers aimed to understand how these stakeholders evaluate and apply the concept of quality of life in care decisions for elderly or sick horses.
  • Qualitative content analysis, both deductive and inductive, was executed on the discussions to find commonalities and differences between the groups’ viewpoints on what equates to a good quality of life for old or ill horses.

Results

  • There was a consensus about the importance of considering the individuality of the horse for assessing its quality of life and the relevance of this assessment in making decisions on veterinary interventions.
  • Contrasts between the groups arose in three areas: the time required to evaluate quality of life, the contributions of different stakeholders to this assessment, and the resulting challenges.
  • Owners and caregivers highlighted their understanding of the horse and the time they spend with it, while veterinarians emphasized the distinction between their quality of life evaluations and those of the horse owners.
  • The stakeholders mentioned various strategies to overcome the challenges related to quality of life assessments and decision-making, including reflecting human experiences on horses.

Conclusions

  • The findings show that the disagreement between stakeholders on assessing the quality of life of horses creates challenges in making care decisions for chronically ill or old equine.
  • The study suggests promoting individual and collaborative reflection on a horse’s quality of life. This could include the creation and use of practicable assessment tools that facilitate stakeholders in evaluating the horse’s wellbeing accurately and consistently.

Cite This Article

APA
Long M, Grimm H, Jenner F, Cavalleri JV, Springer S. (2024). “How long is life worth living for the horse?” A focus group study on how Austrian equine stakeholders assess quality of life for chronically ill or old horses. BMC Vet Res, 20(1), 347. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-024-04211-8

Publication

BMC veterinary research
ISSN: 1746-6148
NlmUniqueID: 101249759
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 20
Issue: 1
Pages: 347

Researcher Affiliations

Long, Mariessa
  • Messerli Research Institute, Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria. mariessa.long@vetmeduni.ac.at.
Grimm, Herwig
  • Messerli Research Institute, Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria.
Jenner, Florien
  • Equine Surgery Unit, Clinical Centre for Equine Health and Research, Clinical Department for Small Animals and Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria.
Cavalleri, Jessika-M V
  • Equine Internal Medicine Unit, Clinical Centre for Equine Health and Research, Clinical Department for Small Animals and Horses, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria.
Springer, Svenja
  • Messerli Research Institute, Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, University of Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria.

MeSH Terms

  • Animals
  • Horses / psychology
  • Quality of Life
  • Focus Groups
  • Chronic Disease / psychology
  • Horse Diseases / psychology
  • Veterinarians / psychology
  • Humans
  • Austria
  • Male
  • Female
  • Decision Making

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

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