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The Veterinary record2023; e3615; doi: 10.1002/vetr.3615

Prospective case study of critical decision making for horses referred for treatment of colic.

Abstract: There is limited evidence on factors affecting critical decision making for horses with colic. This study's aim was to describe the assessment and decision making involved in horses referred for management of colic. Methods: An in-depth case analysis was used to document case presentation, decision making and outcomes for horses referred for colic to two UK equine veterinary practices over a 12-month period. The data recorded included previous history, presenting signs, response to treatment, case outcome and factors affecting decisions for further treatment or euthanasia. Results: Data were available for 60 cases: 55 were hospitalised for medical or surgical treatment and five horses were euthanased following initial assessment. The main factors affecting treatment decisions were severity of clinical signs (80%, 47/59), financial concerns (10%, 6/59) and ongoing health issues or previous history of colic (5%, 3/59). Factors associated with euthanasia decisions were postoperative complications (5/18), poor prognosis (4/18), deteriorating clinical signs (3/18) and financial concerns (3/18). Conclusions: The limited study population may affect the extent to which the findings can be generalised. Conclusions: The severity of clinical signs was the key factor in treatment decision making. The main factors affecting euthanasia decisions were clinical deterioration, poor prognosis and financial constraints. These findings should be incorporated into clinical case recording to capture the multifactorial nature of decision making.
© 2023 The Authors. Veterinary Record published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Veterinary Association.
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Publication Date: 2023-11-21 PubMed ID: 37990604DOI: 10.1002/vetr.3615Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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This research focus on understanding the factors influencing critical decision making in treating colic in horses. The study found that the severity of clinical signs has a significant role in treatment decisions while clinical deterioration, poor prognosis, and financial constraints majorly affect euthanasia decisions.

Study Methodology

  • This research employed an in-depth case analysis strategy to evaluate the decision-making process in handling horses presented with colic. The cases analyzed were from two UK equine veterinary practices, collected over a year.
  • The data recorded for each case included the horse’s previous health history, presenting symptoms, the response to treatment, final outcome of the case, and the determining factors for further treatment or potential euthanasia.

Study Findings

  • The researchers evaluated data from a total of 60 horse colic cases. Out of these, 55 horses were admitted for medical or surgical treatment, while five were euthanized after initial assessment.
  • Several influencing factors were identified that had a substantial impact on treatment decisions. These factors included the severity of the clinical signs (accounting for 80% of the cases), financial concerns (found in 10% of cases), and ongoing health problems or a previous history of colic (seen in 5% of the cases).

Euthanasia Decisions

  • While making decisions related to euthanasia, the factors that carried significant weightage were: postoperative complications, an overall poor prognosis, deteriorating clinical signs, and financial constraints.
  • Clinical deterioration and poor prognosis were major contributing factors to euthanasia decisions. However, financial constraints were also a considerable determinant in whether a horse was euthanased or not.

Conclusion and Recommendations

  • Due to the limited study population, the findings might not adequately represent the larger context. However, the study showed that the severity of clinical signs was a key factor in critical decision making for colic treatment in horses.
  • The researchers propose the integration of these findings into clinical case recording to reflect the multifactorial nature of decision making in equine veterinary practices.

Cite This Article

APA
Burrell K, Sutton-Walker G, England GCW, Burford JH, Freeman SL. (2023). Prospective case study of critical decision making for horses referred for treatment of colic. Vet Rec, e3615. https://doi.org/10.1002/vetr.3615

Publication

The Veterinary record
ISSN: 2042-7670
NlmUniqueID: 0031164
Country: England
Language: English
Pages: e3615

Researcher Affiliations

Burrell, Katie
  • School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, UK.
Sutton-Walker, Georgina
  • School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, UK.
England, Gasry C W
  • School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, UK.
Burford, John H
  • School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, UK.
Freeman, Sarah L
  • School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, UK.

Grant Funding

  • University of Nottingham
  • World Horse Welfare

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