Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Health and disease in U.S. senior horses reported by owners
By Herbst, Alisa C et al.·Published in Equine veterinary journal·2025·Department of Veterinary Science, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Owner-reported health and disease in U.S. senior horses.
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
A survey of over 2,700 horse owners revealed that many senior horses, aged 15 years and older, suffer from various health issues. The most common problems reported included arthritis, dental issues, lameness, and hormonal disorders like pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID). Many of these horses received routine care only once or twice a year, and retired horses were less likely to see a vet or get dental care. Joint supplements were popular among owners, and a common pain medication used was firocoxib. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of regular veterinary care for older horses to manage their health effectively.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Information on health care and health status of U.S. senior horses (≥15 years of age) is currently sparse. OBJECTIVES: (A) Provide an overview of owner-reported (1) medical conditions, (2) management/treatment practices for equine metabolic syndrome and pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID), (3) frequencies of routine health care practices and (4) supplement and pharmaceutical use in U.S. senior horses (≥15 years of age). (B) Evaluate potential risk factors for certain medical conditions and for low routine health care. STUDY DESIGN: Online survey. METHODS: Descriptive and inferential analysis (binomial logistic regression and ANOVA) of 2717 questionnaires from owners of U.S. senior horses. RESULTS: The most common owner-reported veterinary-diagnosed medical conditions were osteoarthritis (30%), dental disorders (15%), lameness (14%), PPID (12%) and ocular disorders (6%). Advancing age was found to be a risk factor for PPID (odds ratio [OR] [95% confidence interval, CI] = 1.14 [1.10-1.18]), dental (OR [95% CI] = 1.18 [1.15-1.22]) and ocular (OR [95% CI] = 1.05 [1.01-1.10]) disorders. Only 36% of horses were free of owner-reported veterinary-diagnosed medical conditions at the time of the survey. During the year prior to the survey, most routine healthcare practices (i.e., veterinary health care, dental care and anthelmintic treatment) were typically undertaken one to two times per year, while farrier visits occurred mostly every 5-6 weeks. Retired senior horses had a higher risk of no health care visits (OR [95% CI] = 2.1 [1.38-3.06]), no dental care (OR [95% CI] = 2.0 [1.31-3.00]) and low farrier attendance (i.e., ≤4 times/year) (OR [95% CI] = 2.4 [1.57-3.63]) compared with senior horses used for pleasure riding. The most frequently administered drug was firocoxib (18%) and joint supplements were the most provided supplements (41%). MAIN LIMITATIONS: Potential recall, response and sampling bias. Risk factor analyses do not establish causal relationships. CONCLUSIONS: Medical conditions are highly prevalent in U.S. senior horses. Retired senior horses have an increased risk of low routine health care.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39092919/