34th Annual Scientific Meeting proceedings

Objectives:

To investigate the long-term athletic function in horses undergoing synovial lavage to treat synovial sepsis. The study aims to determine the likelihood of horses resuming their pre-injury work level or higher and to identify key variables influencing this outcome.

Methods:

Data collection for horses presenting for synovial lavage for synovial sepsis, from 10 UK referral hospitals, took place over a 15-month period. Structured owner interviews were conducted at least 365 days after surgery to determine the horses' work level. Descriptive statistics, univariable logistic regression, and multivariable logistic regression models were utilised to evaluate the effects of specific variables on return to athletic function.

Results:

Return to athletic function was achieved in 160/207(78.8%) horses. The number of surgical procedures (p=0.007), volume of fluids used to lavage at surgery (P=0.009), postoperative IVRP (p=0.049), lameness grade on admission (p=0.040), and weight (P=0.006) significantly reduced the likelihood of returning to athletic function. Sepsis duration prior to surgery (p=0.590), time from admission to surgery (P=0.525), and preoperative white cell count (p=0.872), total protein (p=0.283) and osseous pathology (P=0.403) showed no significant association with return to athletic function.

Conclusions:

This study highlights a generally favourable prognosis for return to athletic function in horses undergoing synovial lavage for synovial sepsis. Horses treated with IVRP postoperatively, using a larger volume of fluids to lavage, undergoing more than one surgery, a more severe presenting lameness and overweight horses all had a reduced probability of returning to athletic function.