Short-term outcome of equine emergency admissions at a university referral hospital.

Abstract

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Obtaining data on emergency admission survival rates is important to provide clients with an estimate of prognosis and to identify areas in which improvements in case management can be achieved. OBJECTIVE: To determine the short-term outcome of equine emergency admissions to a university referral hospital during a 12 month period. METHODS: Short-term outcome was defined as survival to discharge or died/euthanasia during hospitalisation. The overall death (euthanasia) rate was calculated; and rate for horses with different categories of: age; admission month, day and time; presenting complaint (PC); duration of clinical signs prior to presentation; clinical patho..