Retrospective Analysis of Cause-of-Death at an Equine Retirement Center in the Netherlands Over an Eight-Year Period

Abstract

Geriatric horses (>15 years) represent a substantial proportion of the equine population. The objective of this study was to (1) report on the cause of death in geriatric horses on a single retirement centre, (2) to evaluate the relationship between PPID status, and mortality rate. Data of 194 horses was collected over an eight-year period. This providing data for 80 geriatric cases of mortality. The average age of horses that died was 26.2 years (±4.8 years). The majority (95%) of mortalities were euthanised, most frequently due to colic (20%), old age (19%), and lameness (15%). Overall mortality rate was 16.3 per 100 horse years at risk (95% C.I. 15.2–17.5) for the total geriatric (>15 years) population. PPID had a prevalence of 48.8% (61 out of 125 horses). The results of this study demonstrate increasing mortality rates with increasing age in geriatric horses. The most common reasons for euthanasia were lameness, old age, and colic. The treatment of PPID does not result in an older age of death. The effect of treatment on the welfare status was not studied. Management, of both veterinarians and care taker, has an important role in maintaining health and welfare in geriatric horses. Findings of this study could be relevant to veterinary surgeons and stable managers providing care for geriatric horses.