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OBJECTIVE: To estimate the national incidence of, operation-level risk factors for, and annual economic impact of colic among horses in the United States during 1998 and 1999. DESIGN: Epidemiologic survey. ANIMALS: 21, 820 horses on 1, 026 horse operations in 28 states. PROCEDURES: Horses were monitored for colic for 1 year, and results were recorded in a log that was collected quarterly. Operation-level data were collected via 4 on-site personal interviews. Associations between colic and independent variables adjusted for size of operation were determined. RESULTS: Annual national incidence of colic in the US horse population was estimated to be 4. 2 colic events/100 horses per year. Case fatality rate was 11%, and 1. 4% of colic events resulted in surgery. Annual cost of colic in the United States was estimated to be 115, 300, 000. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The national impact of equine colic is substantial because of the high case fatality rate.
Traub‐Dargatz et al. (Sun,) studied this question.