FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 9000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Home / Equine Research Bank / Acta Vet Scand / Prevalence and risk factors of bone spavin in Icelandic hors...
Acta veterinaria Scandinavica1998; 39(3); 339-348; doi: 10.1186/BF03547782

Prevalence and risk factors of bone spavin in Icelandic horses in Sweden: a radiographic field study.

Abstract: The present field study was performed to estimate the prevalence of radiographic signs of bone spavin (RSBS) and to evaluate some possible risk factors for RSBS in the Icelandic horse in Sweden. The survey included horses from 11 farms involving 379 horses, comprising 238 geldings, 125 mares and 16 stallions. Age ranged from 0 to 19 years with a mean age of 8.1 years. Horses were radiographed with a dorsolateral-plantaromedial-oblique projection of both tarsi. Information about age, gender, origin, working intensity, number of gaits and age when saddle broken were obtained by interviewing the owners. Features of each horse's conformation were obtained by measurement or inspection. Radiographic signs of bone spavin were found in 23% (n = 88) of the horses. Horses younger than 5 years did not show any RSBS and the prevalence increased from zero to 33% between 4 and 8 years of age. Using a multivariate logistic regression model increasing age and sickle hock conformation were found to be significantly associated with increased risk of RSBS. Age when saddle broken in combination with height at the withers also influenced the multivariate logistic regression model significantly.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 1998-10-27 PubMed ID: 9787497PubMed Central: PMC8050652DOI: 10.1186/BF03547782Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

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.

This study investigated the prevalence and potential risk factors for bone spavin, a degenerative joint disease, in Swedish Icelandic horses. Using radiographic imaging and statistical modeling, the researchers determined that age and certain physical characteristics were associated with a higher risk of developing the condition.

Study Procedure

  • To understand the prevalence of radiographic signs of bone spavin (RSBS) in Icelandic horses in Sweden, this field study was conducted on 11 farms with a total of 379 horses, including 238 geldings, 125 mares, and 16 stallions aged between 0-19 years.
  • Each horse underwent radiographic imaging of both tarsi. The projection used was dorsolateral-plantaromedial-oblique.
  • Data about each horse, including age, gender, origin, working intensity, number of gaits, and the age when they were first ridden, were collected through owner interviews. Additionally, the physical characteristics of each horse were assessed through direct examination and measurement.

Key Findings

  • Radiographic signs of bone spavin, a degenerative disease affecting joints, were found in 23% (88 horses) of the total horses studied.
  • No bone spavin was observed in horses younger than 5 years. The prevalence of this condition rose from zero to 33% in horses between the ages of 4 and 8.

Risk Factors for Bone Spavin

  • The study found an increase in RSBS with increasing age, confirming age as a significant risk factor.
  • The researchers also observed that sickle hock conformation (a condition in which the horse’s hock angle is less than the standard angle) was associated with a higher risk of developing RSBS.
  • Additionally, the age when the horse was first ridden, combined with its height at the withers (i.e., the horse’s shoulder height), significantly influenced the risk of developing bone spavin, as estimated by the multivariate logistic regression model.

Conclusions

  • This study contributes valuable insights into the prevalence and risk factors of bone spavin in Icelandic horses in Sweden. The disease may have a significant impact on the horse’s ability to perform tasks and overall quality of life.
  • The findings could be useful for early detection and intervention strategies targeting at-risk horses, potentially reducing the incidence and severity of this disease.

Cite This Article

APA
Eksell P, Axelsson M, Broström H, Ronéus B, Häggström J, Carlsten J. (1998). Prevalence and risk factors of bone spavin in Icelandic horses in Sweden: a radiographic field study. Acta Vet Scand, 39(3), 339-348. https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03547782

Publication

Acta veterinaria Scandinavica
ISSN: 0044-605X
NlmUniqueID: 0370400
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 39
Issue: 3
Pages: 339-348

Researcher Affiliations

Eksell, P
  • Department of Clinical Radiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden. Per.Eksell@klra.slu.se
Axelsson, M
    Broström, H
      Ronéus, B
        Häggström, J
          Carlsten, J

            MeSH Terms

            • Age Factors
            • Animals
            • Bone Diseases / diagnostic imaging
            • Bone Diseases / epidemiology
            • Bone Diseases / veterinary
            • Female
            • Gait / physiology
            • Horse Diseases / diagnostic imaging
            • Horse Diseases / epidemiology
            • Horses
            • Interviews as Topic
            • Male
            • Multivariate Analysis
            • Prevalence
            • Radiography
            • Regression Analysis
            • Risk Factors
            • Sensitivity and Specificity
            • Sex Factors
            • Sweden / epidemiology
            • Tarsus, Animal / diagnostic imaging
            • Tarsus, Animal / physiopathology

            References

            This article includes 26 references
            1. Arnason T. Genetic studies on conformation and performance of Icelandic toelter horses. I. Estimation of nongenetic effects and genetic parameters.. Acta. Agric. Scand. 1984;34:409–427.
              doi: 10.1080/00015128409435410google scholar: lookup
            2. Barneveld A. Spavin in the horse. Utrecht, The Netherlands: University of Utrecht; 1983.
            3. Bergsten G. Sjukdomsfrekvenser i rörelseorganen hos ett material försäkrade hästar 1973–1981 (Frequencies of diseases of the locomotor system among insured horses 1973–1981). Sven. Vet. Tidn. 1983;35(Suppl3):14–20.
            4. Brokken TD. Diagnostic and prognostic aids. Proc. 24th Conv. Amer. Ass. Eq. Pract. St Louis, Missouri; 1978. Tarsal lameness in Thoroughbreds; pp. 341–343.
            5. Butler JA, Colles CM, Dyson SJ, Kold SE, Poulos PW. Clinical radiology of the horse. Oxford: Blackwell Scientific Publications; 1993. pp. 211–245.
            6. Dahn M, Ueltschi G. Étude de l’image radiologique du tarse equin normal (Radiologie study of the normal equine hock). Schweiz Arch. Tierheilkd. 1989;131:165–175.
              pubmed: 2740882
            7. Gabel AA. Lameness caused by inflammation in the distal hock. Vet. Clin. North. Am. Large Anim. Pract. 1980;2:101–124.
              doi: 10.1016/S0196-9846(17)30177-5pubmed: 7414914google scholar: lookup
            8. Härtung K, Munzer B, Keller H. Radiologic evaluation of spavin in young trotters. Vet. Radiol. 1983;24:153–155.
              doi: 10.1111/j.1740-8261.1983.tb01558.xgoogle scholar: lookup
            9. Hosmer DW, Lemeshow S. Applied logistic regression. New York: John Wiley & Sons; 1989. p. 31.
            10. Lindberg S. Personal communication, Swedish Registry of Icelandic Horses (Svenska Islandshäst-föreningen) 1998.
            11. May SA, Wyn Jones G, Peremans KY. Importance of oblique views in radiography of the equine limb. Equine Vet J. 1986;18:7–13.
              doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1986.tb03526.xpubmed: 3948835google scholar: lookup
            12. Morgan JP. Radiology in Veterinay Orthopedics. Philadelphia: Lea & Febiger; 1972. pp. 193–196.
            13. Moyer W. Bone spavin: a clinical review. J. Equine Med. Surg. 1978;2:362.
            14. Moyer W, Brokken TD, Raker CW. Bone spavin in Thoroughbred race horses. Proc. Conv. Amer. Ass. Eq. Pract Las Vegas, Nevada. 1983;29:81–87.
            15. O’Brien TR. Radiographic interpretation of the equine tarsus. Proc. Conv. Amer. Ass. Eq. Pract. Atlanta, Georgia; 1974. pp. 289–300.
            16. Odenhall T. Personal communication; Agria Insurance (Försäkringsaktiebolaget Agria) 1996.
            17. Rooney JR. Biomechanics of lameness in horses. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins Co.; 1969. pp. 211–218.
            18. SAS Institute Inc.: JMP 3.2, Cary, NC, USA, 1995.
            19. Schebitz H. Spavin: Radiographic diagnosis and treatment. Proc. Conv. Amer. Ass. Eq. Pract. Miami Beach, Florida; 1965. pp. 207–222.
            20. Shelley J, Dyson S. Interpreting radiographs. 5. Radiology of the equine hock. Equine Vet J. 1984;16:488–495.
              doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1984.tb01996.xpubmed: 6519039google scholar: lookup
            21. Stashak TS, Kainer RA, Lehel JL, Lewis LD, Mcllwraith CW, Nixon AJ, Park RD, Turner AS. In: Adams' (ed.): Lameness in horses. Philadelphia, Lea & Fabiger, 1987, 694–704.
            22. Thrall D E. Textbook of veterinary diagnostic radiology. 2nd. Philadelphia: W.B. Saunders; 1994. p. 157.
            23. Vaughan JT. Analysis of lameness in the pelvic limb and selected cases. Proc. Conv. Amer. Ass. Eq. Pract. Miami Beach, Florida; 1965. pp. 223–241.
            24. Verschooten F, Schramme M. Radiological examination of the tarsus in horses. Equine Vet. Ed. 1994;6:323–332.
              doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3292.1994.tb01165.xgoogle scholar: lookup
            25. Watrous BJ, Hultgren BD, Wagner PC. Osteochondrosis and juvenile spavin in equids. Am. J. Vet. Res. 1991;52:607–612.
              pubmed: 2053733
            26. Wyn Jones G. Equine lameness. Oxford: Blackwell Scientific Publications; 1988. p. 502.

            Citations

            This article has been cited 3 times.
            1. Steiger JI, Richter H, Donati B, Ohlerth S. Diagnostic Performance of Radiography for the Evaluation of Osteoarthritis in the Equine Distal Tarsus: Comparison with Computed Tomography. Animals (Basel) 2025 Aug 27;15(17).
              doi: 10.3390/ani15172522pubmed: 40941317google scholar: lookup
            2. Björnsdóttir S, Arnason T, Lord P. Culling rate of Icelandic horses due to bone spavin. Acta Vet Scand 2003;44(3-4):161-9.
              doi: 10.1186/1751-0147-44-161pubmed: 15074629google scholar: lookup
            3. Axelsson M, Eksell P, Ronéus B, Broström H, Häggström J, Carlsten J. Relationship between hind limb lameness and radiographic signs of bone spavin in Icelandic horses in Sweden. Acta Vet Scand 1998;39(3):349-57.
              doi: 10.1186/BF03547783pubmed: 9787498google scholar: lookup
            Subscribe to our newsletter
            Join 99,357 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.