Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Survival chances for chronically starved horses
By Whiting, Terry L et al.·Published in The Canadian veterinary journal = La revue veterinaire canadienne·2005·545 University Crescent·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Chronically starved horses: predicting survival, economic, and ethical considerations.
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
In a study involving 45 horses that had been starved for a long time, 9 of them died after being taken in by a caring owner and given proper food. The horses that were in very poor shape when they were rescued were more likely to die, but how each horse responded to being fed again was different. The costs to help these horses recover were much higher than what they would sell for on the market. The researchers suggest that when dealing with chronically starved animals, it's important to consider humane options like euthanasia if their condition is very severe.
Abstract
Nine of 45 horses subjected to prolonged malnutrition died subsequent to being placed with a responsible caregiver and being provided an appropriate diet. Initial extreme poor body condition score tended to be associated with death, although individual response to refeeding varied. The financial costs of stabilizing the group of horses significantly exceeded their free market price. Responsible management of chronically starved commercial animals should include options for immediate euthanasia.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15943117/