Salem S E, Townsend N B, Refaai W, Gomaa M, Archer D C
Institute of Infection and Global Health and School of Veterinary Sciences, University of Liverpool, Neston, Cheshire, UK.
Department of Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zakazik, Egypt.
Equine Vet J. 2017 Jan;49(1):26-33. doi: 10.1111/evj.12533. Epub 2015 Dec 16.
Oro-dental disease can have a significant impact on equine welfare.
To determine the prevalence of oro-dental disease and to identify risk factors for oro-dental disorders and poor body condition scores (BCS) in a working horse population in Egypt.
Cross-sectional survey.
Oro-dental examination was performed on 450 working horses in 2 Egyptian provinces. Horse and management historical data were collected and horses were assigned to no/mild, moderate and severe dental disease categories based on findings on examination. Multivariable logistic regression and generalised additive models were used to identify risk factors for oral mucosal injuries and very poor/poor BCS, and to explore the relationship between age and different oro-dental disorders.
Oro-dental disease was common, with 45.3% and 8.4% of horses considered to have moderate and severe oro-dental disease, respectively. None of these horses had previously undergone any form of proper dental examination and treatment by trained personnel. Oral mucosal injuries (64.2%) and sharp enamel points (79.8%) were most common. Oral mucosal injuries were significantly associated with increasing age (odds ratio (OR) 1.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01-1.1, P = 0.03), focal dental overgrowths (OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.4-4.0, P = 0.002) and sharp enamel points (OR 6.3, 95% CI 3.5-11.0, P<0.001). Very poor and poor BCS were significantly associated with severe dental disease (OR 2.6, 95% CI 1.2-5.8, P = 0.02), horses aged 16-30 years (OR 3.5, 95% CI 1.7-7.0, P = 0.001), height (OR 0.9, 95% CI 0.9-0.97, P = 0.001) and packed cell volume (OR 0.9, 95% CI 0.85-0.95, P<0.001).
There is a need for education of working horse-owners in Egypt about the importance of oro-dental disease and for greater availability of veterinarians with suitable training and equipment to perform dental prophylaxis and treatment. Even simple dental prophylaxis could have a significant impact on the health and welfare of this population of working horses.
口腔疾病会对马匹福利产生重大影响。
确定埃及役用马群中口腔疾病的患病率，并识别口腔疾病及体况评分（BCS）较差的风险因素。
横断面调查。
对埃及两个省份的450匹役用马进行口腔检查。收集马匹及其管理的历史数据，并根据检查结果将马匹分为无/轻度、中度和重度口腔疾病类别。采用多变量逻辑回归和广义相加模型来识别口腔黏膜损伤及体况评分极差/差的风险因素，并探讨年龄与不同口腔疾病之间的关系。
口腔疾病很常见，分别有45.3%和8.4%的马匹被认为患有中度和重度口腔疾病。这些马匹之前均未接受过训练有素的人员进行的任何形式的正规口腔检查和治疗。口腔黏膜损伤（64.2%）和尖锐牙釉质点（79.8%）最为常见。口腔黏膜损伤与年龄增长（优势比（OR）1.1，95%置信区间（CI）1.01 - 1.1，P = 0.03）、局限性牙齿过度生长（OR 2.4，95% CI 1.4 - 4.0，P = 0.002）和尖锐牙釉质点（OR 6.3，95% CI 3.5 - 11.0，P<0.001）显著相关。体况评分极差和差与严重口腔疾病（OR 2.6，95% CI 1.2 - 5.8，P = 0.02）、16 - 30岁的马匹（OR 3.5，95% CI 1.7 - 7.0，P = 0.001）、身高（OR 0.9，95% CI 0.9 - 0.97，P = 0.001）和红细胞压积（OR 0.9，95% CI 0.85 - 0.95，P<0.001）显著相关。
有必要对埃及役用马的主人进行关于口腔疾病重要性的教育，并且需要有更多经过适当培训且配备合适设备的兽医来进行口腔预防和治疗。即使是简单的口腔预防措施也可能对这群役用马的健康和福利产生重大影响。
