title: Demographics, Management, Preventive Health Care and Disease in Aged Horses.
abstract: Gerontology has become increasingly important in equine veterinary medicine, with aged animals representing a significant proportion of the equine population. Horses are defined as geriatric or aged from age 15 years onwards but can have a life span of more than 40 years. Despite a high level of owner concern for the well-being of their geriatric animal, provision of preventive health care may be suboptimal. Owners seem to under-recognize some of the most prevalent diseases identified in geriatric horses. This review focuses on the demographic characteristics of the equine geriatric population and management and preventive care practices of older horses.
authors.affiliation: Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance, Centre for Preventive Medicine, Animal Health Trust, Lanwades Park, Kentford, Newmarket, Suffolk CB8 7UU, UK. Electronic address: jo.ireland@aht.org.uk.
authors.forename: Joanne L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Ireland
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D003710:Demography; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006736:Horses; D014730:Veterinary Medicine
keywords: Demographic; Disease prevalence; Equine; Geriatric; Health care; Incidence; Mortality