Institute of Infection and Global Health, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Leahurst, Neston CH64 7TE, UK.
Vet J. 2012 Apr;192(1):57-64. doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2011.03.021. Epub 2011 May 6.
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.
本研究报告了英格兰西北部和威尔士北部老年（≥30 岁）马和小马的预防保健和疾病流行情况的各个方面。在寄给马主的 128 份问卷中，收到了 87 份可用的回复，共有 69 匹马接受了兽医检查。在接受检查的动物中，16%的动物体重过轻，体况评分（BCS）<2/5，10%的动物超重（BCS>3/5）。这与主人的回答形成了对比，主人报告说，23%的受调查动物体重过轻，只有 3%的动物超重。在小跑评估时，77%的马至少有一条腿跛行，97%的马至少有一个关节活动范围缩小。只有 16%的动物被主人报告在过去 12 个月内跛行过。主人报告的毛发变化与临床检查发现的多毛症或异常换毛（39%）显著相关。在接受检查的所有马和小马里都发现了至少一种眼部病变，17%的主人报告说他们的动物在过去一年中出现过视力问题。尽管在所有进行口腔检查的动物中都发现了牙齿异常，但只有 42%的主人报告说他们的马患有已知的牙齿疾病。总的来说，尽管这些老年动物中发现了很高的疾病流行率，而且大多数动物在临床检查中都有多种异常，但主人对这些健康问题的报告/认知不足。
