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. 2023 Oct;64(10):933-940.

A retrospective study of equine perinatal loss in Canada (2007 to 2020)

R Madison Ricard  1 , Guillaume St-Jean  1 , Harveen K Atwal  1 , Bruce K Wobeser  1
Affiliations

A retrospective study of equine perinatal loss in Canada (2007 to 2020)

R Madison Ricard et al. Can Vet J. 2023 Oct.

Abstract
in English, French

Objective: This study aims to identify the most common causes of equine perinatal loss up to 7 d of age in Canada.

Animal: Equine.

Procedure: Necropsy reports from 360 equine perinatal loss cases were acquired from provincial veterinary diagnostic labs across Canada. Each case was classified into a basic cause (noninfectious, infectious, or unidentified) of perinatal loss, then further classified into primary and secondary categories for analysis.

Results: Of the basic causes of perinatal loss, noninfectious causes were the most common. Bacterial causes, such as septicemia, were the most common primary diagnosis overall. Actinobacillus was the most commonly identified bacterial species.

Conclusion: This study showed similar results to those of studies conducted in other countries, including having similar etiologic agents identified. The high prevalence of thyroid hyperplasia identified in this study is notable and was not reported in other, similar retrospective studies, despite being reported in locations other than Canada.

Clinical relevance: Perinatal loss can have important economic consequences for horse breeders; thus, identification of the most common causes is of interest to both veterinarians and breeders.

Étude rétrospective des décès périnataux équins au Canada (2007 à 2020).

Objectif: Cette étude vise à identifier les causes les plus courantes de décès périnatal équin jusqu’à l’âge de 7 jours au Canada.

Animal: Cheval.

Procédure: Les rapports d’autopsie de 360 cas de décès périnatal équin ont été acquis auprès de laboratoires provinciaux de diagnostic vétérinaire à travers le Canada. Chaque cas a été classé selon une cause fondamentale (non infectieuse, infectieuse ou non identifiée) de décès périnatal, puis classé en catégories primaires et secondaires pour analyse.

Résultats: Parmi les causes fondamentales de décès périnatal, les causes non infectieuses étaient les plus fréquentes. Les causes bactériennes, telles que la septicémie, étaient le diagnostic principal le plus courant dans l’ensemble. Actinobacillus était le genre bactérien le plus fréquemment identifié.

Conclusion: Cette étude a montré des résultats similaires à ceux d’études menées dans d’autres pays, y compris l’identification d’agents étiologiques similaires. La forte prévalence de l’hyperplasie thyroïdienne identifiée dans cette étude est remarquable et n’a pas été signalée dans d’autres études rétrospectives similaires, bien qu’elle ait été signalée dans des endroits autres que le Canada.

Pertinence clinique: Le décès périnatal peut entraîner des conséquences économiques importantes pour les éleveurs de chevaux; ainsi, l’identification des causes les plus courantes intéresse à la fois les vétérinaires et les éleveurs.(Traduit par Dr Serge Messier).

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Relative frequencies of basic causes of foal loss and primary categories and the most common secondary categories identified for cases of equine perinatal loss up to 7 d of age submitted to provincial veterinary diagnostic laboratories in Canada.
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