Working horses in Egypt; the situation of

their health and welfare

Horses in Egypt

• Number: has doubled between 1993 -2013 to 75000 (FAO

statistics)

• No official records of the number of working horses

• Use: Mainly agriculture work

Aims of the study

Prevalence of oro-dental pathologies

Relation between oro-dental pathologies and horse’s

general health and well being

The previous twelve-month Prevalence of colic and

possible risk factors

Sero-prevalence of Tape worm Anoplocephala perfoliata

infection

What was done?

• Study design

• Questionnaire design colic questionnaire .pdf

• Dental check list design dental check list.pdf

• Software used Epi Info ™

• Selection of a village

• Delivering the questionnaire

• Dental examination

• Blood samples

• Data entry and accuracy check

Selection of a village

Delivering the questionnaire

Dental Examination

When kids were excited

Statistical Analysis

Descriptive Statistics

Univariable logistic regression

Generalized Additive models for the relationship between

horse’s age and identified oro-dental pathologies

Multivariable logistic regression for three outcomes of interest

a) Oral mucosal injuries (ulceration, calluses, lacerations)

b) Very poor and poor body condition scores (BCS 0 /1)

c) Previous 12-month history of colic episodes: Only for

horses that were under their current ownership for ≥ one

year

What we have found ?

• Number of Visited

locations

• Number of horses

admitted

• Number of horses had

dental exam

• pictures

• Number of horse had

tape worm ELISA

Examples of Identified oro-dental pathologies

A 25 years old female horse, poor body condition score, reported poor appetite,

quidding and weight loss. On examination: had, slant / diagonal bite, sharp enamel

points, severe ulcerations of the oral mucosa, worn 109 and 209 cheek teeth laterally

displaced 106 cheek teeth and diastemata between 306-307 and 406-407 cheek

teeth

A 1.5 years old colt. poor body condition score, reported weight loss.

On examination: horse had buccal food impaction, sharp enamel

points, infundibulare caries of 206 cheek tooth and severe lacerations

of the tongue

A 17 years old female horse, moderate body condition score, reported quidding.

On examination: diagonal/slant bite, missing 306 cheek tooth, severe overgrowth

of the opposing 206 cheek tooth, deep ulceration of the oral mucosa

A 2 years old filly, moderate body condition score and no history of dental

related symptoms. On examination: mild oral ulcerations associated, sharp

enamel points, food pocketing associated eruption of permanent dentition

Variable Obs.%

MissingMedian Mode IQ range Range

Age (years) 343 2 7 15 3.5, 12 1-30

Weight (kg) 342 2.3 300 285 272, 332 151-470

Height (hand) 340 2.9 14.2 14.3 14.05, 14.3 12.3-16

Been in owner

possession (years)350 0 3 2 2.25, 5 1-20

Owners’ working

experience with horses

(years)

344 1.7 10 10 5.5, 15 1-50

Body condition score (0-

5 scale)336 4 2 2 2, 3.5 0-4

Total plasma protein

(gm/dl)330 5.7 6.3 6 6.05, 6.8 5-8.2

Packed cell volume (%) 334 4.6 29 26 25.5, 33 18-44

Descriptive statistics of 350 horses that were evaluated for colic outcome

Prevalence of cheek teeth disorders

Dental pathologyPrevalence% (n)

No. of CT affected

Enamel points 79.8 (359) NA

Overgrowth (hooks included)

30.2 (136) 224

Hooks 16.4 (74) 125Wave mouth 4 (18) NASmooth mouth 0.2 (1) NATransverse ridges 1.3 (6) NAWorn tooth 4.2 (19) 28Buccally displaced 1.1 (5) 5Lingually displaced 1.1 (5) 5Missing 0.8 (4) 4Deciduous caps 2.5 (11) 16Diastema(ta) 9.1 (41) 114Periodontal disease 6.7 (30) NAPulpar exposure 1.6 (7) 7Infundibular caries 4 (18) 29Fracture 5.3 (24) 29

Dental pathology ~ age

Dental Pathology ~ Age

Dental disease categories, dental pathologies ~ Age

Multivariable analysis model / oral mucosal injuries

outcome

Variable coefficient Odd ratios 95% CI LRT-P

value

Age 0.05 1.05 1.005 – 1.1 0.026

Tooth overgrowth NO

Yes

Ref.

0.85 2.35 1.36 – 4.1

0.002

Sharp Enamel Points NO

Yes

Ref.

1.84 6.27 3.5 – 11.3

<0.001

Rice bran NO

Yes

Ref.

0.61 1.8 0.99 – 3.4

0.048

Multivariable analysis model of the variable associated with BCS 0 / 1

Variable coefficient Odd

ratios

95 % CI P

value

Age 0.7 – 15 years

16 – 30 years

Ref.

1.26 3.5 1.67 – 7.4

0.001

Height -0.66 0.5 0.35 – 0.76 0.001

PCV -0.1 0.9 0.85 – 0.95 <0.001

Severe dental disease No

Yes

Ref.

0.97 2.6 1.2-5.8 0.016

Tape worm ELISA

Univariable logistic regression

Variable

Negative

71

(71%)

Positive

29 (29%)Coefficient OR 95% CI

P-

value

Estimated Age

(years)6 (3, 10) 8 (3.5, 12) 0.06 1.06 0.98 – 1.15 0.13

ColicNo 35 (70) 15 (30) Ref.

Yes 36 (72) 14 (28) -0.97 0.9 0.38 – 2.15 0.83

SexFemale 48 (68.6) 22 (31.4) Ref.

Male 23 (76.7) 7 (23.3) -0.41 0.66 0.25 – 1.78 0.41

UseNon 8 (80) 2 (20) Ref.

Agriculture 60 (70.6) 25 (29.4) 0.51 1.67 0.33 – 8.4 0.52

BCS 0 / 1No 57 (74) 20 (26) Ref.

Yes 12 (70.6) 5 (29.4) 0.17 1.19 0.37 – 3.8 0.77

Wormer

last 12

moths

No 21 (51.2) 20 (48.8) Ref.

Yes50

(84.8)9 (15.2) -1.67 0.19 0.07 – 0.48 <0.001

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Months of the year

Colic prevalence in different months

Prevalence 54%

Multiviraible analysis model previous colic history

Variable coefficient OR 95% CI P value

Severe dental disease No

Yes

Ref.

1.92 6.8 1.9 – 24.32 <0.001

Stereotypic behaviour No

Yes

Ref.

0.7 2 1.15 – 3.5 0.013

Feeding ground corn during June-

October No

Yes

Ref.

0.5 1.65 1.03 – 2.6 0.035

Anthelmintic administered over the

last 6 months No

Yes

Ref.

0.7 2.1 1.3 – 3.3 0.003

Feeding rice husk during November

to May No

Yes

Ref.

-0.75 0.47 0.26 – 0.9 0.015

Coprophagia / geophagia (pica) NO

Yes

Ref.

-1.65 0.19 0.05 – 0.73 0.001

Conclusion

• Dental disease is prevalent

• Routine dental care is lacking

• Relative base clinical skills to lower dental overgrowth would have

substantial impact on the welfare of these animals

• Need for outreach and operational programs

• Dental disease has an impact on equine health and welfare

• Colic is prevalent in this working horse population

• Tape worm infection is prevalent

• Need for prospective studies to further investigate risk factors of colic

Acknowledgment

• Debbie Archer

• Claire Scantlebury

• Neil Townsend

• Luke Edwards

Acknowledgment