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Prevalence of oro-dental pathology in a working horse population in Egypt and its relation to equine health.
Abstract: Oro-dental disease can have a significant impact on equine welfare. Objective: To determine the prevalence of oro-dental disease and to identify risk factors for oro-dental disorders and poor body condition scores (BCS) in a working horse population in Egypt. Methods: Cross-sectional survey. Methods: Oro-dental examination was performed on 450 working horses in 2 Egyptian provinces. Horse and management historical data were collected and horses were assigned to no/mild, moderate and severe dental disease categories based on findings on examination. Multivariable logistic regression and generalised additive models were used to identify risk factors for oral mucosal injuries and very poor/poor BCS, and to explore the relationship between age and different oro-dental disorders. Results: Oro-dental disease was common, with 45.3% and 8.4% of horses considered to have moderate and severe oro-dental disease, respectively. None of these horses had previously undergone any form of proper dental examination and treatment by trained personnel. Oral mucosal injuries (64.2%) and sharp enamel points (79.8%) were most common. Oral mucosal injuries were significantly associated with increasing age (odds ratio (OR) 1.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01-1.1, P = 0.03), focal dental overgrowths (OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.4-4.0, P = 0.002) and sharp enamel points (OR 6.3, 95% CI 3.5-11.0, P<0.001). Very poor and poor BCS were significantly associated with severe dental disease (OR 2.6, 95% CI 1.2-5.8, P = 0.02), horses aged 16-30 years (OR 3.5, 95% CI 1.7-7.0, P = 0.001), height (OR 0.9, 95% CI 0.9-0.97, P = 0.001) and packed cell volume (OR 0.9, 95% CI 0.85-0.95, P<0.001). Conclusions: There is a need for education of working horse-owners in Egypt about the importance of oro-dental disease and for greater availability of veterinarians with suitable training and equipment to perform dental prophylaxis and treatment. Even simple dental prophylaxis could have a significant impact on the health and welfare of this population of working horses.
© 2015 EVJ Ltd.
Publication Date: 2015-12-16 PubMed ID: 26526823DOI: 10.1111/evj.12533Google 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.
- Journal Article
Summary
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This study involves a detailed examination of oro-dental diseases among working horses in Egypt. It finds a high prevalence among this population and further establishes a correlation between such diseases and the animal’s overall health.
Oro-Dental Examination on Working Horses
A cross-sectional survey was performed where the researchers examined the oro-dental health of a sample of 450 working horses. This survey was carried out in two different provinces in Egypt.
- The horses were divided into categories based on the observed severity of dental disease: no/mild, moderate and severe.
- Horse and management historical data were also collected for analysis.
Prevalence and Severity of Oro-Dental Diseases
The results indicated a high prevalence of oro-dental disease among working horses.
- Approximately 45.3% of horses were found to have a moderate degree of oro-dental disease.
- About 8.4% of the horses were diagnosed with severe oro-dental disease.
- None of these horses had previously undergone any form of dental examination or treatment by trained professionals.
Most Common Oro-Dental Disorders
Oral mucosal injuries and sharp enamel points were the most frequently identified oro-dental disorders.
- 64.2% of the horse population had oral mucosal injuries.
- 79.8% had sharp enamel points.
Risk Factors for Oro-Dental Disorders
- Oral mucosal injuries were associated with increasing age, focal dental overgrowths and sharp enamel points.
- Poor body condition scores were linked to severe dental disease, older age, low height and decreased packed cell volume.
Implications and Recommendations
This study suggests the need for increased awareness among Egyptian horse owners about the implications of oro-dental disease on a horse’s overall health.
- The researchers also recommend expanding the availability of vet healthcare services, equipped with appropriate training and tools to conduct dental prophylaxis and treatment.
- Simple dental prophylaxis could significantly improve the health and welfare of this working horse population.
Cite This Article
APA
Salem SE, Townsend NB, Refaai W, Gomaa M, Archer DC.
(2015).
Prevalence of oro-dental pathology in a working horse population in Egypt and its relation to equine health.
Equine Vet J, 49(1), 26-33.
https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.12533 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Institute of Infection and Global Health and School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Liverpool, Neston, Cheshire, UK.
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zakazik, Egypt.
- Institute of Infection and Global Health and School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Liverpool, Neston, Cheshire, UK.
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zakazik, Egypt.
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zakazik, Egypt.
- Institute of Infection and Global Health and School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Liverpool, Neston, Cheshire, UK.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Cross-Sectional Studies
- Egypt / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / etiology
- Horses
- Mouth Diseases / complications
- Mouth Diseases / epidemiology
- Mouth Diseases / veterinary
- Risk Factors
- Stomatognathic Diseases / complications
- Stomatognathic Diseases / epidemiology
- Stomatognathic Diseases / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 8 times.- Górski K, Borowska M, Stefanik E, Polkowska I, Turek B, Bereznowski A, Domino M. Application of Two-Dimensional Entropy Measures to Detect the Radiographic Signs of Tooth Resorption and Hypercementosis in an Equine Model. Biomedicines 2022 Nov 13;10(11).
- Górski K, Stefanik E, Turek B, Bereznowski A, Czopowicz M, Polkowska I, Domino M. Malocclusions and Dental Diseases in Privately Owned Horses in the Mazovia Region of Poland. Animals (Basel) 2022 Nov 11;12(22).
- Stieger-Vanegas SM, Hanna AL. The Role of Computed Tomography in Imaging Non-neurologic Disorders of the Head in Equine Patients. Front Vet Sci 2022;9:798216.
- Proost K, Pardon B, Pollaris E, Flahou T, Vlaminck L. Dental disease in alpacas. Part 1: Prevalence of dental disorders and their mutual relationships. J Vet Intern Med 2020 Mar;34(2):1028-1038.
- Pinsky TC, Puja IK, Aleri J, Hood J, Sasadara MM, Collins T. A Pilot Welfare Assessment of Working Ponies on Gili Trawangan, Indonesia. Animals (Basel) 2019 Jul 9;9(7).
- Popescu S, Lazar EA, Borda C, Niculae M, Sandru CD, Spinu M. Welfare Quality of Breeding Horses Under Different Housing Conditions. Animals (Basel) 2019 Mar 5;9(3).
- Arantes JA, Rabelo IP, Bermudes L, Lacerenza MD, Mendes RP, Corrêa RR, Yamada DI, Valadão CAA, Dória RGS. Optimizing equine standing sedation: continuous infusion of detomidine and butorphanol enhances stability but prolongs ataxia. Front Vet Sci 2025;12:1606585.
- Salem SE, Abd El-Ghany AM, Elsheikh HA, Abdel-Ghany EM, Ras R. Prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. infection in a working horse population in Egypt. Trop Anim Health Prod 2023 Oct 18;55(6):361.
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