Long-term follow-up of Norwegian horses affected with acquired equine polyneuropathy.

The study traces the recovery of Norwegian horses diagnosed with Acquired Equine Polyneuropathy (AEP) from 2000 to 2015 and highlights that, while AEP is potentially fatal, most survivors can regain or even surpass their previous athletic performance. However, a minority of these horses were reported to exhibit lingering symptoms linked to the disease.

Understanding the Research

• The study primarily focuses on Acquired Equine Polyneuropathy (AEP), a neurological disease affecting horses. It is especially common in Nordic horses and exhibits through knuckling of metatarsophalangeal joints, potentially impeding the horse’s athletic performance.
• The objective of the research is to describe the long-term survival and the performance levels of the horses diagnosed with AEP in Norway, from 2000 to 2012.
• The study also intends to catalog any remaining signs of the disease in survivors and hence provide better understanding about the disease and its long-term impact.

Methods of the Study

• The tracing of the affected horses was carried out through a retrospective cohort study.
• The study tracked 143 Norwegian horses diagnosed with AEP between 2000 and 2012, with the following up period extending till 2015.
• The owners of the surviving horses filled out a standardized questionnaire. The information they supplied encompassed topics such as the history of the disease, its management, the performance level of the animals, and any residual clinical signs.
• Two multivariable linear regression models were generated to assess the follow-up results of survivors.

Main Findings

• The follow-up duration for the surviving horses was between 1 and 14.5 years, with an average of 5.3 years.
• Out of 57 surviving horses, 54 returned to their previous or even higher levels of performance. However, some residual signs of the disease were detected in 14 out of these 57 horses.
• 49 of the surviving horses were still being used for athletic purposes at the time of the study.
• Only 3 out of the 57 horses had recurring or new attacks of AEP during the follow-up period.

Conclusions

• Despite AEP being potentially fatal, most surviving horses were found to recover and return to or exceed their previous level of athletic activity.
• While some horses do exhibit residual clinical signs of the disease, these symptoms often do not have a negative impact on their performance. Furthermore, relapse is very rare.
• However, researchers noted a potential bias in the study as the horse’s athletics performance was judged by their owners.