Diseases Affecting the Geriatric Horse

Geriatric horses appear to present for veterinary care more frequently and veterinarians should be prepared to address the specific needs of these aged equine patients. This issue of Large Animal Veterinary Rounds addresses common medical diseases of geriatric horses and provides a brief review of pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment. The discussion focuses on gastrointestinal, respiratory, and endocrine diseases and, therefore, is not all-inclusive. Recently, several journal issues and books1,2 have been dedicated to management and the medical prob-lems of geriatric horses, and can serve as further references for those interested in more infor-mation. The reader is also referred to an earlier issue of this publication covering the general care and management of geriatric horses. Prevalence of disease in geriatric horses Predisposition to certain conditions by age is frequently taken into account in equine practice and the age of the horse may also affect prognosis and/or treatment decisions. Several studies investigating the preva-lence of disease in aged horses have come to somewhat conflicting conclusions that may be explained, in part, by differences in study populations and methods.Among aged horses referred to a veterinary teaching hospital,3 the most commonly affected body systems were the gastrointestinal tract (with colic as the mos