Sporting activity following colic surgery in horses: a retrospective study

Area of Science:

• Equine surgery
• Veterinary medicine
• Animal health

Background:

• Limited research exists on post-colic surgery sporting activity and owner satisfaction in horses.
• Equine colic is a significant concern for horse owners, impacting their animals' health and performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the survival rate of horses following colic surgery.
• To assess the prevalence of horses returning to or starting sporting activities post-surgery.
• To evaluate owner satisfaction with colic surgery outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of horses undergoing exploratory celiotomy for colic.
• Telephone questionnaire survey of owners regarding post-surgical outcomes.
• Analysis included survival rates, return to sporting activity, performance, and owner satisfaction.
• Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and regression models were employed.

Main Results:

• High survival rates were observed: 95.3% at 6 months, decreasing to 57.6% at 60 months.
• A significant majority of horses (86.1%) resumed or initiated sporting activities.
• Owners reported that 83.5% of horses achieved pre-surgical performance levels or better.
• 89.9% of owners would recommend colic surgery.

Conclusions:

• Colic surgery offers a high long-term survival rate for horses.
• A substantial number of horses return to sporting activities, often maintaining or improving their performance.
• Owner satisfaction with colic surgery is high, indicating a positive perception of the procedure's benefits.