Background
The vast majority of stallions are castrated, usually for well-motivated reasons to facilitate the handling of the horse and to allow it to be kept with other horses. Although it is the most common planned operation on horses, complications occur more frequently compared to other planned operations. The basic principles of stallion castration are over 150 years old and are based on the methods available at the time. There are many different ways to castrate horses, but there are no studies that can objectively show which method is the best, either from a horse welfare, One Health and/or economic perspective.
The different focus areas of the project
There are several methods for castrating horses. Some can be performed at the horse´s home premises, while others require a sterile surgical theatre at an equine hospital. The complication rates varies widely ranging from 2% to 60%, depending on technique used and definition of what constitutes a complication. This variability makes it challenging to determine best method.
Castration techniques in Sweden
Traditionally, there are differences between countries in how horses are castrated. In this project, we investigate techniques commonly used in Sweden and their associated complication rates.
Use of antimicrobials
Antimicrobial resistance is a emerging threat to global health in humans and animals. A restrictive use of antimicrobials is crucial to prevent the spread of the resistance. In this project we examine the use of antimicrobials in relation to castration and if prophylactic use have any impact on the complication rate.
A self-locking device
In standing castration, performed in the sedated horse and with local analgesics, an open technique is most common. Using this technique the membranes enclosing the testicles are opened and a small passage to the abdomen is created. This means that abdominal organs can protrude through the open wound, and although the risk is low, the consequences are catastrophic for the horse. By closing the membranes with a so-called ligature, this risk can be minimized, but this I s difficult to do during standing castrations without contaminating the regular suture ligature. The project investigates whether a self-locking resorbable device could be a valuable aid in the procedure.
Objective quality assessment of the castration technique
Previously, castration techniques have often been assessed using complication rates and owner satisfaction, two highly subjective measurements of quality. An objective analysis of the inflammatory reaction induced by the surgery could be more appropriate. In horses, there is a biomarker that is very sensitive to inflammation and correlates well to the surgical inflammatory response. Other studies have investigated how this biomarker reacts following castration with open wounds. The project investigates how the biomarker is affected by a sterile castration technique where the wound is sutured. Additionally, we examine if the horses are expressing pain-behavior following the castration.
Members of the research team
Ida Sjöberg, PhD-student, Department of Clinical Sciences
Supervisors:
Susanna Sternberg-Lewerin, Professor, Department of Animal Biosciences (HBIO)
Pia Haubro Andersen, professor emeritus, HBIO
Karl Ljungvall, PhD, Dipl. ECVS
