Abstracts | EQUINE
Race performance following epiglottic entrapment
surgery in Thoroughbred yearlings
A. L. Curtiss, H. Aceto, R. M. Embertson
logistic regression.
Background
Epiglottic entrapment can occur in yearling
Thoroughbreds (TB); however, race performance
following surgical correction is unknown.
Objectives
To determine the race performance of horses treated
surgically for epiglottic entrapment as yearlings as
compared to an untreated cohort. A second objective
was to identify risk factors for treated horses not racing
post‐operatively.
Study design
Retrospective cohort and case–control studies.
Methods
Medical (1989–2014) and race records of 66 treated
TB racehorses were reviewed. Observed abnormalities
on pre‐ and post‐operative endoscopic images
and surgical method were recorded. Race records
(EquineLine) were recorded. Racing performance of
treated yearling TBs and two of their maternal half‐
siblings, which were used as the untreated cohort,
was evaluated in a cohort study. A case–control study
was used to investigate risk factors for not racing post‐
operatively among treated horses. Quarterly starts
and earnings were compared to an untreated cohort.
Survival analysis was used to assess career longevity.
Rates of racing and earnings were compared between
groups using Poisson and negative binomial regression
respectively. Associations between clinical variables
and not racing post‐surgery were evaluated using
Results
Sixty‐six treated horses were identified, 65 of which
had at least one half‐sibling. Proportions of horses that
raced were similar for treated and maternal cohorts
(70.0 vs. 70.8%, P = 0.9). Treated horses performed
similarly to untreated horses. In treated horses,
epiglottic entrapment with abnormal right arytenoid
movement was associated with never racing (OR
15.40, 95% CI 1.64–144.23, P = 0.02). More females
were affected by epiglottic entrapment than males
(47/66 vs. 19/66 respectively, P<0.001).
Main limitations
The retrospective design over a prolonged period
of time with cases obtained from a single hospital
population. Low case numbers likely influenced the
outcome of the multivariable analysis.
Conclusions
Thoroughbred racehorses treated in their yearling
year for epiglottic entrapment had no differences in
performance variables compared to their untreated
cohort. Epiglottic entrapment with abnormal right
arytenoid movement might decrease odds of racing
post‐operatively.
• Volume 21 Issue 3 | September 2019 •
17