The Prevalence of Work Related Wound and Associated Risk Factors in Working Equines

Abstract

Across-sectional study was conducted in Hawasssa town, the capital city of Southern Nations and Nationalities People Regional state, to estimatethe prevalence of work related wound and associated risk factors in working equines. The study animals were selected randomly. A total of 309equines were included in the study comprising 164 (53.1%) of donkey, 95(30.74%) of horses, and 50(16.18%) of mules. The risk factors sex, age,body condition scores, purpose of the animals were assessed through questionnaire survey and physical clinical examination of animals. The studyshows that an overall prevalence of external injuries in working equines was 84.1%. The prevalence of external injuries by the species was 25.89%,45.95% and 12.3% for horse, donkey and mule respectively. Statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) in the occurrence of external injuries wasnoted among working equines of different sex groups, different functions, and different causes. Higher prevalence of external injuries was recordedin male animals (79.93%) than female (4.6%). Moreover, the occurrence of external injuries was higher in equines used for cart pool (40.77%) thanthose used for fetching of water (14.28%). In addition to this the distribution rate of external injuries between animals of different body conditionshowed that the highest rate was recorded in animals with medium body condition (31.39%) followed by those with good condition (27.18%). Themajor causes of external injury was inappropriate use of harness materials (33,7%) followed by over load and falling (12.3%), The prevalence ofdistribution of wounds on various body parts, was (23.46%) on the back which was relatively highest than shoulder, multiple body parts and witherwhich represent 11.5%, 10.77% and 8.1% respectively. The occurrence of external injuries in horses were 18,75% multiple wounds, 17.5% on the backand 15% on the shoulder while 23.24% on the back, 9.86 on wither and 8.45% multiple wounds, were found in donkeys. The occurrence of 36.86%of external injuries in the back of mule was observed in the study which was higher than other parts of the body. The study showed that workingequine owners practice different approaches (70.4%) to manage wounds while 29.6% owners left their animals without any follow up. Hence, greaterproportion of the owners (40%) have taken their animals to nearby health centers, while treated with medicine purchased from local markets 11.5%and 9.6% with medical plants. Relatively horse owners seek veterinarian services (43.5%).