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Home / Equine Research Bank / Acta Vet Scand / Short-term survival and mortality rates in a retrospective s...
Acta veterinaria Scandinavica2014; 56(1); 20; doi: 10.1186/1751-0147-56-20

Short-term survival and mortality rates in a retrospective study of colic in 1588 Danish horses.

Abstract: Outcomes of colic treatment are of great interest to clinicians, horse owners and insurers. One commonly used criterion of success is the overall short-term survival rate. This is used as to compare treatments and to measure quality of veterinary care, but may be biased by demographic or social factors such as attitudes towards animal suffering and euthanasia. The aims of this study were to 1) describe and analyse characteristics in horses with signs of colic referred to the University Hospital for Large Animals (UHLA), University of Copenhagen, Denmark over a 10-year period and 2) to compare these rates with those published in other comparable studies. Results: The overall survival rate for colic horses over the 10-year study period was 68% (confidence intervals (CI): 66-71%; 1087/1588). In the medical group, 1093 horses, short-term survival was 87% (CI: 85-89%). Thirty one % of referred horses were given diagnoses requiring surgical intervention (CI: 29-33%). In this group 32% of the horses were euthanized before surgery (CI: 28-36%; 159/495). Of the surgical cases 27% (CI: 23-31%) were euthanized or died during surgery. Of the horses that recovered from surgery 25% died or were euthanized (CI: 19-32%; 48/189), while 75% survived to discharge (CI: 68-81%). Conclusions: The short term survival rates of Danish horses with colic were similar or lower to those reported from other countries. Apart from variability of veterinary care, attitudes towards euthanasia vary among the countries, which may bias the outcomes. This study indicates that qualitative interview studies on owners' attitudes towards animal suffering and euthanasia need to be conducted. Our opinion is that survival rates are not valid as sole indicators of quality of care in colic treatment due to selection bias. If the survival rates are to be compared between hospitals, techniques or surgeons, prospective studies including mutually agreed-on disease severity scores and a predefined set of reasons for euthanasia are needed.
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Publication Date: 2014-04-08 PubMed ID: 24712831PubMed Central: PMC3998380DOI: 10.1186/1751-0147-56-20Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

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 research study investigates the short-term survival rates of Danish horses diagnosed with colic over a 10-year period. It also examines how those rates compare with those reported in other countries, taking into account potential bias due to varying attitudes towards euthanasia.

Study Methodology and Objectives

  • The researchers performed a retrospective study over a decade, analyzing data from horses with symptoms of colic referred to the University Hospital for Large Animals (UHLA), University of Copenhagen.
  • The goals of this study were two-fold. First, to describe and analyze the characteristics of the colic cases observed over the study period. Second, to compare the observed survival rates with those reported in other studies of similar scope and context.

Results

  • The overall survival rate of the referred horses was 68% during the ten-year research period. The horses that were treated medically achieved higher short-term survival rates of 87%.
  • Approximately one-third of the horses were diagnosed with conditions requiring surgical intervention. Within this group, approximately one-third were euthanized before surgery could take place. Another 27% were euthanized or died during the procedure.
  • Among the horses that successfully underwent surgery, 75% lived until discharge, while 25% died or were euthanized.

Conclusions

  • Survival rates of Danish horses diagnosed with colic were either similar or slightly lower when compared to those reported from other countries.
  • The researchers found evidence of potential bias in the outcomes reported. This difference can be attributed to the fact that attitudes towards euthanasia and animal suffering can vary significantly across countries.
  • As per the results and the observed bias, the researchers suggest that survival rates alone should not be used as the sole indicators of quality of care in colic treatment.
  • To enable a fair comparison of survival rates between different hospitals, techniques, or surgeons, the team proposed that future studies should include mutually agreed-on disease severity scores and a predefined set of reasons for euthanasia.
  • The researchers further recommend conducting qualitative interview studies to gain insights into owners’ attitudes towards animal suffering and euthanasia.

Cite This Article

APA
Christophersen MT, Dupont N, Berg-Sørensen KS, Konnerup C, Pihl TH, Andersen PH. (2014). Short-term survival and mortality rates in a retrospective study of colic in 1588 Danish horses. Acta Vet Scand, 56(1), 20. https://doi.org/10.1186/1751-0147-56-20

Publication

Acta veterinaria Scandinavica
ISSN: 1751-0147
NlmUniqueID: 0370400
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 56
Issue: 1
Pages: 20

Researcher Affiliations

Christophersen, Mogens T
  • Department of Large Animal Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Hoejbakkegaard Alle 5, Taastrup DK-2630, Denmark. mtc@sund.ku.dk.
Dupont, Nana
    Berg-Sørensen, Kristina S
      Konnerup, Christel
        Pihl, Tina H
          Andersen, Pia H

            MeSH Terms

            • Animals
            • Colic / mortality
            • Colic / surgery
            • Colic / veterinary
            • Denmark / epidemiology
            • Euthanasia
            • Female
            • Horse Diseases / mortality
            • Horse Diseases / surgery
            • Horses
            • Male
            • Retrospective Studies
            • Risk Factors
            • Survival

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            Citations

            This article has been cited 15 times.
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