Factors Associated With Corneal Ulceration in Horses: 420 Cases (2020–2023)
Valeria Adamchick Galindo, Langdon FieldingABSTRACT
Objective
To evaluate how environmental and other risk factors are associated with the prevalence of corneal ulceration in horses presenting to equine emergency veterinarians in the Western United States.
Design
Retrospective study conducted from May 2020 to November 2023.
Setting
Equine field and hospital practice in the Western United States.
Animals
Four hundred twenty horses with corneal ulceration, confirmed by clinical examination and fluorescein staining, of any underlying cause.
Interventions
None.
Measurements and Main Results
The primary study outcomes were the association between environmental factors (wind speed, temperature, dew point) and corneal ulceration, as well as factors associated with the need for enucleation. Using a Poisson regression model, increased average wind speed ( p < 0.01) and increased average temperature ( p = 0.08) were associated with higher rates of corneal ulceration. Male horses were more likely to develop ulcers ( p = 0.004) compared with females. Older age ( p < 0.0001), deeper ulcers ( p < 0.0001), and involvement of the left eye ( p < 0.05) were associated with an increased risk for enucleation. The presence of uveitis was also associated with the need for enucleation ( p = 0.002).
Conclusions
Equine emergency veterinarians should be aware that both wind speed and increasing temperatures are associated with corneal ulceration in the Western United States. Enucleation in horses with corneal ulcers is associated with increasing age, uveitis, and increasing depth of the ulcer.