Sporting activity following colic surgery in horses: a retrospective study.
Abstract: There is a paucity of studies addressing sporting activity and horse owners' satisfaction after horses have undergone colic surgery. Objective: To determine 1) survival rate after colic surgery, 2) prevalence of horses returning to, or starting, sporting activities and 3) assess the owners' satisfaction regarding colic surgery. Methods: Cases that underwent exploratory celiotomy for colic between January 2005 and August 2010 were reviewed. All horses that had one or more celiotomies and were discharged after colic surgery were included in a telephone questionnaire survey. Only horses that survived at least 6 months after colic surgery were included in the sporting activity analysis. Data extracted from the records included case details, intra-operative diagnosis and surgical treatment. Information from a telephone questionnaire included the horses' post surgical details (horse alive or subjected to euthanasia, post operative complications, pre- and post surgical use, return to sporting activity, sporting performance, behavioural changes, management changes and recommendation by owner for colic surgery). A logistic regression model was used for the statistical analysis of post hospitalisation performance and an ordinal regression model used for analysis of post colic complications and of owner's recommendation of surgery. A Kaplan-Meier survival curve was computed to show survival of horses discharged after colic surgery. Results: The survival rates (%) at 6, 12, 24, 36, 48 and 60 months were 95.3, 86.6, 80.9, 76.9, 62.1 and 57.6, respectively. A large majority of horses (86.1%) resumed or started sporting activities after colic surgery. The proportion of horses that the owners believed to achieve the same or better performance after surgery was 83.5%. In 89.9% of the cases, owners stated that they would recommend colic surgery. Conclusions: Horses discharged after colic surgery had a high long-term survival rate. A high prevalence of horses resumed or started sporting activities with a high proportion of horses at their presurgical performance level. The large majority of owners of discharged horses were satisfied with colic surgery performed on their horses.
© 2011 EVJ Ltd.
Publication Date: 2011-12-07 PubMed ID: 22082438DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.2011.00490.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research article studies the survival rates, rates of return to sporting activities and owner satisfaction following colic surgery in horses.
Research Objective
- The main goal of this study was to address the scarcity of research on horses’ sporting activity and owner satisfaction rates following colic surgery. The researchers aimed to ascertain the survival rates of horses post-surgery, determine how frequently they resumed or began sporting activities, and gauge the level of owner satisfaction with the surgical outcomes.
Research Methodology
- The researchers examined cases where horses had undergone exploratory celiotomy for colic from January 2005 to August 2010.
- Only horses that survived at least 6 months after colic surgery were included in the analysis concerning sporting activity.
- Data was extracted from the records and was categorized into case details, intra-operative diagnoses, and surgical treatments.
- An additional survey was conducted via phone to collect post-surgical details (like horse survival, post-operative complications, pre- and post-surgical use, return to sporting activity, sporting performance, behavioral changes, and management changes).
- Their owner’s recommendation for colic surgery was also registered.
- Statistical tools (such as logistic regression, ordinal regression, and a Kaplan-Meier survival curve) were used for the analysis of post-hospitalization performance, evaluation of post-colic complications, owner’s recommendations, and survival rates of horses post-surgery.
Research Findings
- The results indicated high long-term survival rates post-surgery, with percentages of 95.3, 86.6, 80.9, 76.9, 62.1 and 57.6 for 6, 12, 24, 36, 48 and 60 months respectively.
- A significant majority of horses (86.1%) resumed or began sporting activities after the surgery.
- The owners believed that 83.5% of the horses achieved the same or exceeded their pre-surgical performance levels after the surgery.
- In 89.9% of the cases, owners stated they would recommend colic surgery.
Conclusion
- The research concluded that horses that were discharged after colic surgery boasted high survival rates in the long term.
- There was also a high prevalence of these horses resuming or starting sporting activities with the majority of them performing at or above their pre-surgical level.
- A significant majority of the horse owners were satisfied with the results of the colic surgery performed on their horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Christophersen MT, Tnibar A, Pihl TH, Andersen PH, Ekstrøm CT.
(2011).
Sporting activity following colic surgery in horses: a retrospective study.
Equine Vet J Suppl(40), 3-6.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.2011.00490.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Departments of Large Animal Sciences Basic Sciences and Environment, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Taastrup, Denmark. mtc@life.ku.dk
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Colic / surgery
- Colic / veterinary
- Female
- Horse Diseases / surgery
- Horses
- Male
- Physical Conditioning, Animal
- Retrospective Studies
- Sports
- Treatment Outcome
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Stöckle SD, Kannapin DA, Kauter AML, Lübke-Becker A, Walther B, Merle R, Gehlen H. A Pilot Randomised Clinical Trial Comparing a Short-Term Perioperative Prophylaxis Regimen to a Long-Term Standard Protocol in Equine Colic Surgery.. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021 May 16;10(5).
- Immonen IA, Karikoski N, Mykkänen A, Niemelä T, Junnila J, Tulamo RM. Long-term follow-up on recovery, return to use and sporting activity: a retrospective study of 236 operated colic horses in Finland (2006-2012).. Acta Vet Scand 2017 Jan 5;59(1):5.
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