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.
Publication Date: 2023-07-26 PubMed ID: 37565081PubMed Central: PMC10411723DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1224605Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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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
Researcher Affiliations
- Front Range Equine Performance LLC, Berthoud, CO, United States.
- Independent Researcher, Marina, CA, United States.
- 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.
- Department of Large Animal Medicine Surgery and Lameness Service, Veterinary Teaching Hospital University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States.
- 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
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