FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 10000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
Frontiers in veterinary science2023; 10; 1224605; doi: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1224605

Survey of equine veterinarians regarding primary equine back pain in the United States.

Abstract: Back pain is a common complaint, clinical finding and performance limiting factor in sport horses. This study sought to gather current veterinary trends in the diagnosis, treatment and management of primary equine back pain in the United States. A 22 question survey was distributed electronically to equine practitioners through AAEP and ACVSMR listservs and through closed social media groups. The survey was open from April 20, 2022 to July 5, 2022. Responses were analyzed using Microsoft excel pivot tables. Ninety-seven survey responses were obtained and analyzed. Respondents reported the clinical signs most frequently relayed to them by the owner/rider/trainer of horses diagnosed with primary back pain were behavioral issues and poor performance. Most common diagnostic tests reported were radiography of the spinous processes, thoraco-lumbar vertebral bodies, and transcutaneous ultrasound of the thoraco-lumbar region. Most common pathologies reported were impinging dorsal spinous processes, degenerative sacro-iliac joint disease, and osteoarthritis in lumbar or thoracic articular process joints. In regards to impinging spinous process ("kissing spine") treatments, 72.2% of respondents recommended surgery only after non-surgical treatments failed, and 14.6% of respondents never recommended surgery. The majority (82%) of respondents reported some level of improvement in clinical signs of primary back pain with rehabilitation alone. To date, there has been no consensus or discussion about common abnormalities, diagnostic tests, treatments or management options for primary equine back pain in the United States. Results of this survey are a starting point showing current trends in diagnosis, treatment and management of primary equine back pain among equine practitioners in the United States showing 82% of practitioners using rehabilitation as a component of treatment.
Copyright © 2023 Marshall-Gibson, Durham, Seabaugh, Moorman and Ferris.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2023-07-26 PubMed ID: 37565081PubMed Central: PMC10411723DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1224605Google 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.
LinkedInCopy
  • 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 aimed to collect current practices by veterinarians in diagnosing, treating, and managing primary back pain in horses in the United States. The study revealed that the most common symptoms of back pain in horses were behavioral problems and poor performance, and the majority of vets reported improvement in symptoms with rehabilitation treatment alone.

Methodology of the Study

  • The study distributed a 22-question online survey to horse doctors, using various professional platforms and closed social media groups.
  • The survey remained open for responses from April to July 2022.
  • The collected responses were analyzed using Microsoft Excel pivot tables. In total, 97 survey responses were obtained and analyzed for the study.

Key Findings of the Study

  • The most frequently reported symptoms of primary back pain in horses were behavioral issues and diminished performance. These were signs usually noticed by the owner, rider or trainer of the horse.
  • Vets often used diagnostic tests such as X-rays of the spine, thoraco-lumbar vertebral bodies, and external ultrasound of the thoraco-lumbar region to diagnose back pain in horses.
  • The most commonly reported causes of back pain in horses were impinging dorsal spinous processes (an issue commonly known as “kissing spine”), degenerative disease of the sacro-iliac joint, and osteoarthritis in the lumbar or thoracic joints.
  • Among the respondents treating horses with impinging dorsal spinous processes, 72.2% recommended surgery only after non-surgical treatments had failed. A further 14.6% of respondents never recommended surgery for this condition.
  • The majority (82%) of vets reported improvements in signs of primary back pain in horses when using rehabilitation treatments alone.

Conclusion of the Study

  • Critical findings from this research contribute to the present understanding of primary equine back pain in the United States.
  • While there previously was no consensus on commonly observed abnormalities, diagnostic tests, treatments or management strategies used for primary back pain in horses, this study provides a starting point in the discussion.
  • The report found a prevalent trend among equine practitioners towards using rehabilitation treatment for primary back pain in horses, with 82% of participants incorporating it into their management strategies.

Cite This Article

APA
Marshall-Gibson ME, Durham MG, Seabaugh KA, Moorman VJ, Ferris DJ. (2023). Survey of equine veterinarians regarding primary equine back pain in the United States. Front Vet Sci, 10, 1224605. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2023.1224605

Publication

Frontiers in veterinary science
ISSN: 2297-1769
NlmUniqueID: 101666658
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 10
Pages: 1224605

Researcher Affiliations

Marshall-Gibson, Marianne E
  • Front Range Equine Performance LLC, Berthoud, CO, United States.
Durham, Matthew G
  • Independent Researcher, Marina, CA, United States.
Seabaugh, Kathryn A
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States.
  • Orthopaedic Research Center, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States.
Moorman, Valerie J
  • Department of Large Animal Medicine Surgery and Lameness Service, Veterinary Teaching Hospital University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.
Ferris, Dora J
  • Summit Equine Inc., Gervais, OR, United States.

Conflict of Interest Statement

DF is employed by Summit Equine Inc. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

References

This article includes 15 references
  1. Haussler KK. Chiropractic evaluation and management of musculoskeletal disorders. In: Ross MW. and SJ Dyson, eds. Diagnosis and Management of Lameness in the Horse. 2nd ed. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Inc; (2011). 892–901.
  2. Riccio B, Fraschetto C, Villanueva J, Cantatore F, Bertuglia A. Two multicenter surveys on equine Back-pain 10 years a part. Front Vet Sci (2018) 5:195.
    doi: 10.3389/fvets.2018.00195pmc: PMC6115529pubmed: 30191152google scholar: lookup
  3. Clayton HM. Equine back pain reviewed from a motor control perspective. Comparative Exercise Phys (2012) 8:145–52.
    doi: 10.3920/CEP12023google scholar: lookup
  4. Martin BB. Physical examination of horses with back pain. Vet Clin N Am (1999) 15:61–70.
    doi: 10.1016/S0749-0739(17)30163-3pubmed: 10218241google scholar: lookup
  5. Lesimple C, Fureix C, Biquand V, Hausberg M. Comparison of clinical examinations of back disorders and humans’ evaluation of back pain in riding school horses. BMC Vet Res (2013) 9:209.
    doi: 10.1186/1746-6148-9-209pmc: PMC4015870pubmed: 24128080google scholar: lookup
  6. Wilson JM, McKenzie E, Duesterdieck-Zellmer K. International survey regarding the use of rehabilitation modalities in horses. Front Vet Sci (2018) 5:120.
    doi: 10.3389/fvets.2018.00120pmc: PMC6004390pubmed: 29942811google scholar: lookup
  7. George S, Fritz J, Silfies S, Schneider M, Beneciuk J, Lentz T. Interventions for the management of acute and chronic low back pain: revision 2021. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther (2021) 51:CPG1–CPG60.
    doi: 10.2519/jospt.2021.0304pmc: PMC10508241pubmed: 34719942google scholar: lookup
  8. Prisk AJ, García-López JM. Long-term prognosis for return to athletic function after Interspinous ligament desmotomy for treatment of impinging and overriding dorsal Spinous processes in horses: 71 cases (2012-2017). Vet Surg (2019) 48:1278–86.
    doi: 10.1111/vsu.13298pubmed: 31332823google scholar: lookup
  9. Jeffcott LB, Hickman J. The treatment of horses with chronic back pain by resecting the summits of the impinging dorsal spinous processes. Equine Vet J (1975) 7:115–9.
    doi: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1975.tb03245.xpubmed: 125651google scholar: lookup
  10. Walmsley JP, Petterson H, Winberg F, Mc EF. Impingement of the dorsal spinous processes in two hundred and fifteen horses: case selection, surgical technique and results. Equine Vet J (2002) 34:23–8.
    doi: 10.2746/042516402776181259pubmed: 11817548google scholar: lookup
  11. Perkins JD, Schumacher J, Kelly G, Pollock P, Harty M. Subtotal ostectomy of dorsal spinous processes performed in nine standing horses. Vet Surg (2005) 34:625–9.
    doi: 10.1111/j.1532-950X.2005.00097.xpubmed: 16343151google scholar: lookup
  12. Coomer RP, Mc Kane SA, Smith N, Vandeweerd JM. A controlled study evaluating a novel surgical treatment for kissing spines in standing sedated horses. Vet Surg (2012) 41:890–7.
    doi: 10.1111/j.1532-950X.2012.01013.xpubmed: 22731872google scholar: lookup
  13. Jacklin BD, Minshall GJ, Wright IM. A new technique for subtotal (cranial wedge) ostectomy in the treatment of impinging/overriding spinous processes: description of technique and outcome of 25 cases. Equine Vet J (2014) 46:339–44.
    doi: 10.1111/evj.12215pubmed: 24237185google scholar: lookup
  14. Debrosse FG, Perrin R, Launois T, Vandeweerd JME, Clegg PD. Endoscopic resection of dorsal spinous processes and interspinous ligament in ten horses. Vet Surg (2007) 36:149–55.
    doi: 10.1111/j.1532-950X.2007.00247.xpubmed: 17335422google scholar: lookup
  15. American Association of Equine Practitioners. American Association of Equine Practitioners Economic Report. (2018).

Citations

This article has been cited 5 times.
  1. Pilati N, Pressanto MC, Palumbo Piccionello A, De Angelis Corvi F, Beccati F. Impinging and Overriding Spinous Processes in Horses: A Narrative Review. Animals (Basel) 2025 Sep 13;15(18).
    doi: 10.3390/ani15182679pubmed: 41007924google scholar: lookup
  2. Geiger T, Lindenhahn L, Delarocque J, Geburek F. Evaluation of water treadmill training, lunging and treadmill training in the rehabilitation of horses with back pain. BMC Vet Res 2025 Jul 29;21(1):495.
    doi: 10.1186/s12917-025-04950-2pubmed: 40731015google scholar: lookup
  3. Pimenta J, Cotovio M. Equine Veterinarian Perspectives on Mucocutaneous Tumors in Horses: A Survey-Based Study in Portugal. Animals (Basel) 2025 Jun 23;15(13).
    doi: 10.3390/ani15131853pubmed: 40646752google scholar: lookup
  4. Tress D, Hennessy S, Merle R, Jensen KC, Lischer C, Ehrle A. Analysis of different techniques for injection of the interspinal space in horses. Equine Vet J 2026 Jan;58(1):256-267.
    doi: 10.1111/evj.14515pubmed: 40348603google scholar: lookup
  5. Reis IL, Lopes B, Sousa P, Sousa AC, Caseiro AR, Mendonça CM, Santos JM, Atayde LM, Alvites RD, Maurício AC. Equine Musculoskeletal Pathologies: Clinical Approaches and Therapeutical Perspectives-A Review. Vet Sci 2024 Apr 26;11(5).
    doi: 10.3390/vetsci11050190pubmed: 38787162google scholar: lookup
Subscribe to our newsletter
Join 99,824 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.