title: A survey of health care and disease in geriatric horses aged 30 years or older.
abstract: This study reports on aspects of preventive health care and on the prevalence of disease in geriatric (≥30 years old) horses and ponies in North-West England and North Wales. Of 128 questionnaires mailed to horse owners, 87 useable responses were received and 69 horses were subject to veterinary examination. Of the animals examined, 16% were underweight with body condition scores (BCS)<2/5, and 10% were overweight (BCS>3/5). This contrasted with the owner responses that reported 23% of the animals surveyed to be underweight and only 3% to be overweight. When assessed at trot, 77% of the horses were lame on at least one limb, with 97% having a reduced range of motion in at least one joint. Only 16% of these animals were reported by owners to have been lame within the previous 12 months. Owner-reported changes to hair coat were significantly associated with hirsutism or abnormal moulting detected at clinical examination (39%). At least one ophthalmic lesion was identified in all of the horses and ponies examined and 17% of owners reported that their animal had experienced visual problems within the previous year. Although dental abnormalities were detected in all animals where an oral examination was performed, only 42% of owners reported that their horse suffered from a known dental disorder. In general, despite a high prevalence of disease detected in these geriatric animals and with the majority having multiple abnormalities at clinical examination, there was under-reporting/under-recognition of these health problems by owners.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Infection and Global Health, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst, Neston CH64 7TE, UK. jo.ireland@aht.org.uk
authors.forename: Joanne L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Ireland
authors.forename: Catherine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: McGowan
authors.forename: Peter D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Clegg
authors.forename: Keith J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Chandler
authors.forename: Gina L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Pinchbeck
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging; D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006736:Horses; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014730:Veterinary Medicine; D014852:Wales / Q000453:epidemiology