title: Prevalence and risk factors of bone spavin in Icelandic horses in Sweden: a radiographic field study.
abstract: The present field study was performed to estimate the prevalence of radiographic signs of bone spavin (RSBS) and to evaluate some possible risk factors for RSBS in the Icelandic horse in Sweden. The survey included horses from 11 farms involving 379 horses, comprising 238 geldings, 125 mares and 16 stallions. Age ranged from 0 to 19 years with a mean age of 8.1 years. Horses were radiographed with a dorsolateral-plantaromedial-oblique projection of both tarsi. Information about age, gender, origin, working intensity, number of gaits and age when saddle broken were obtained by interviewing the owners. Features of each horse's conformation were obtained by measurement or inspection. Radiographic signs of bone spavin were found in 23% (n = 88) of the horses. Horses younger than 5 years did not show any RSBS and the prevalence increased from zero to 33% between 4 and 8 years of age. Using a multivariate logistic regression model increasing age and sickle hock conformation were found to be significantly associated with increased risk of RSBS. Age when saddle broken in combination with height at the withers also influenced the multivariate logistic regression model significantly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Radiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden. Per.Eksell@klra.slu.se
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Eksell
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Axelsson
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Broström
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ronéus
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Häggström
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carlsten
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D001847:Bone Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006736:Horses; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D015995:Prevalence; D011859:Radiography; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012737:Sex Factors; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D013643:Tarsus, Animal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology