Abstract
BackgroundEquine ocular diseases pose a medical challenge due to long-lasting and cost-consuming therapies as well as economic issues associated with potential decrease in value of affected horses. The scale of the problem is significant but difficult to precisely define because epidemiological data is limited and lacks consistency in presentation. To date, no retrospective studies specifically investigating Arabian horses have been published.ResultsThe aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the prevalence of ocular lesions and define the ocular diseases present in Arabian horses from breeding farms in Poland. Clinical and ophthalmic examination of 615 Arabian horses at Polish breeding farms (15% of Arabian population in Poland) were performed and medical history from the previous 5 years was analyzed. Data was obtained from review of veterinary archives and epidemiological interview of the resident veterinarian at each farm. The prevalence of ocular diseases was 9.75%. The following pathologies were diagnosed (with their respective prevalence): equine recurrent uveitis (ERU; 5.5%); cataract not related to ERU (3.3%); non-visual eyes (1.13%); posttraumatic lesions (0.8%); glaucoma (0.16%).ConclusionsIn this study, ERU was the most common ocular disease identified in Arabian horses in Poland. Its prevalence was lower than usually reported in Europe and the United States. There was no sex or farm predisposition but ocular disease prevalence increased with age. Other severe ocular pathologies were also observed, confirming that ocular diseases remain an important clinical problem.
Highlights
Equine ocular diseases pose a medical challenge due to long-lasting and cost-consuming therapies as well as economic issues associated with potential decrease in value of affected horses
Abnormalities were found in 60 horses (9.8%; Confidence intervals (CI) 95%: 7.7 to 12.4%) (Fig. 1.) with prevalence increasing with age: 6.0% (CI 95%: 4.0% to 9.0%) in young horses, 11.5% (CI 95%: 7.9% to 16.6) in adults and 25.9% (CI 95%: 16.3% to 38.4%) in elderly horses (p < 0.001) (Fig. 2.)
The data is presented in figures and tables with reference to anatomical structures of the eye rather than to horses
Summary
Equine ocular diseases pose a medical challenge due to long-lasting and cost-consuming therapies as well as economic issues associated with potential decrease in value of affected horses. The scale of the problem is significant but difficult to precisely define because epidemiological data is limited and lacks consistency in presentation. The Polish Arabian horse breeding program is considered one of the largest and the most successful worldwide, as evidenced by the considerable material value and global interest in the horses being sold. It is widely accepted that ocular diseases and related complications are a serious health problem worldwide with great impact on quality of life and value of affected. It is difficult to define the scale of the problem and associated occurrence of ocular diseases in Poland where equine ophthalmology is a relatively new veterinary discipline and epidemiological data is lacking. No reports have been published on the prevalence and type of ocular lesions in Arabian horse breeding farms.
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