A team of researchers in the U.K. has developed a score equine veterinarians can use to assess the quality of life of horses with pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID). The tool, which requires owners to fill out a 24-question survey, takes into account many factors about the horse’s life, from health to appearance to management. It allows the veterinarian to consider the horse’s well-being over an extended period—not just during a brief examination—and monitor changes over time.  

To develop the score, the researchers trialed a series of questions on horse owners and veterinarians. They refined that list down to 24 that they could apply to horses with PPID and get scores for each. Examples include hair coat changes, muscle loss, laminitis flareups, and behavior changes such as interactions with other horses and humans. The horse owner or caretaker, who is intimately familiar with the horse’s normal behavior and appearance, completes the information and provides it to their vet. 

“The idea of this score is to find a way to capture all that data, all that information that the owners have that doesn’t always get passed efficiently to the vet at the vet exam,” said study co-author Edd Knowles, MA, PhD, VetMB, MVetMed, Dipl. ECEIM, MRCVS, of the Royal Veterinary College and Bell Equine Veterinary Clinic. “It’s an objective way that we can put a number on the horse’s quality of life.” 

As such, the tool must be repeatable, meaning if it’s applied to the same horse multiple times and with different people, the scores should be similar each time.  

“We could then use this score to track a horse’s progress over time as they’re treated for PPID and as the condition progresses,” which helps with clinical decision-making, Knowles said. The tool can also be useful in research setting involving PPID horses. He said his team is continuing to refine the score so it can be readily used by horse owners.  

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  • Alexandra Beckstett is a lifelong horse owner and an award-winning writer and editor. She is the editorial director of EquiManagement and MyNewHorse.com, prior to which she spent 13 years with The Horse/TheHorse.com.

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