Associations between age or sex and prevalence of gastric ulceration in Standardbred racehorses in training.
OBJECTIVE
To determine associations between age, sex, or medical treatment and prevalence and severity of gastric ulceration in Standardbred racehorses in training.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
224 Standardbred racehorses in training.


METHODS
Gastroscopy was performed on each horse, and mucosal ulceration was graded from 0 (normal mucosa, no lesions) to 3 (extensive, often coalescing, lesions with areas of deep ulceration). Associations between age, sex, or treatment and prevalence and severity of ulcers were evaluated.


RESULTS
Prevalence of gastric ulceration was 87%. Although there was little association between age and prevalence of ulcers, there was an association between age and severity of ulcers. Most 2-year-old horses (57.7%) had an ulcer score of 0 or 1. In all other age groups, most (58% to 82.61%) of horses had an ulcer score of 2 or 3. Although overall prevalence of ulceration was comparable among sex groups, the relative risk for gastric ulceration increased with age in castrated males, whereas it decreased in females and sexually intact males.


CONCLUSIONS
Gastric ulceration is common in Standardbred horses in race training. Severity is higher in horses > or = 3 years of age than in 2-year-old horses. Relative risk for ulceration increases with age in castrated males.
Rabuffo
Tara S
TS
New Bolton Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Kennett Square 19348, USA.
Orsini
James A
JA
Sullivan
Eileen
E
Engiles
Julie
J
Norman
Tracy
T
Boston
Raymond
R
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005773:Gastroscopy / Q000662:veterinary; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006736:Horses; D008297:Male; D009919:Orchiectomy / Q000662:veterinary; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal; D015995:Prevalence; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D013276:Stomach Ulcer / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*