Race-day performance of horses with epiglottic entrapment, and following surgical correction using intra-oral curved bistoury hook in anaesthetised horses.

This study evaluated the racing performance of horses with the condition epiglottic entrapment both before and after surgical correction. The results showed significant improvement in race performance post-surgery, with no difference in performance compared to horses without the condition.

Study Background and Objectives

• The research focuses on the performance of racehorses suffering from a condition called epiglottic entrapment. This condition is associated with abnormal respiratory noises and a deficiency in exercise tolerance, which can influence race performance.
• The intent of the study was to understand the impact of this condition on race performance and to examine whether surgical correction of the condition would improve or detriment race performance.

Methodology

• The study was conducted at the Singapore Turf Club over a period of three years, ranging from 2008 to 2011. The sample group comprised 20 racehorses that had been diagnosed with epiglottic entrapment.
• For each of these case horses, a control horse was designated, matching based on the Malaysian Racing Authority number. These control horses did not have the condition.
• The race performance data for horses both with and without the condition were recorded. Out of the horses with the condition, their post-surgery race performance was similarly recorded.

Findings

• The study found a notable difference in the racing performance of horses with epiglottic entrapment before surgery, with fewer finishes in the top three.
• Surgical correction of the condition had a significant influence on performance outcomes, as fourteen horses out of twenty finished in the top three in races post-surgery.
• After the surgery, there was no significant difference in the racing performance between horses that had undergone surgery for epiglottic entrapment and the control horses. The metrics assessed included the number of wins and places achieved.

Conclusion

• The intra-oral release used to correct epiglottic entrapment in horses is effective, with promising improvements seen in race performance post-surgery.
• The implications of this research lay primarily in the field of veterinary science, assisting professionals in making informed decisions on the treatment of horses diagnosed with epiglottic entrapment.