Survey of equine veterinarians regarding primary equine back pain in the United States

Frontiers in Veterinary Science

Veterinary Science

Kathryn A. Seabaugh¹  Valerie J. Moorman²  Marianne E. Marshall-Gibson³  Matthew G. Durham⁴  Dora J. Ferris⁵ 

[1] Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States;Orthopaedic Research Center, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States;Department of Large Animal Medicine Surgery and Lameness Service, Veterinary Teaching Hospital University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States;Front Range Equine Performance LLC, Berthoud, CO, United States;Independent Researcher, Marina, CA, United States;Summit Equine Inc., Gervais, OR, United States;

关键词: back-pain;    rehabilitation;    survey;    sports medicine;    equine;    impinging spinous processes;    kissing spine;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fvets.2023.1224605

 received in 2023-05-17, accepted in 2023-06-21,  发布年份 2023

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

Back pain is a common complaint, clinical finding and performance limiting factor in sport horses. This study sought to gather current veterinary trends in the diagnosis, treatment and management of primary equine back pain in the United States. A 22 question survey was distributed electronically to equine practitioners through AAEP and ACVSMR listservs and through closed social media groups. The survey was open from April 20, 2022 to July 5, 2022. Responses were analyzed using Microsoft excel pivot tables. Ninety-seven survey responses were obtained and analyzed. Respondents reported the clinical signs most frequently relayed to them by the owner/rider/trainer of horses diagnosed with primary back pain were behavioral issues and poor performance. Most common diagnostic tests reported were radiography of the spinous processes, thoraco-lumbar vertebral bodies, and transcutaneous ultrasound of the thoraco-lumbar region. Most common pathologies reported were impinging dorsal spinous processes, degenerative sacro-iliac joint disease, and osteoarthritis in lumbar or thoracic articular process joints. In regards to impinging spinous process (“kissing spine”) treatments, 72.2% of respondents recommended surgery only after non-surgical treatments failed, and 14.6% of respondents never recommended surgery. The majority (82%) of respondents reported some level of improvement in clinical signs of primary back pain with rehabilitation alone. To date, there has been no consensus or discussion about common abnormalities, diagnostic tests, treatments or management options for primary equine back pain in the United States. Results of this survey are a starting point showing current trends in diagnosis, treatment and management of primary equine back pain among equine practitioners in the United States showing 82% of practitioners using rehabilitation as a component of treatment.

【 授权许可】

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Copyright © 2023 Marshall-Gibson, Durham, Seabaugh, Moorman and Ferris.