Race performance after laryngoplasty and ventriculocordectomy in National Hunt racehorses

Objective— To evaluate the effect of laryngoplasty (LP) on race performance in longer distance (National Hunt) Thoroughbred racehorses.

Study Design— Case-control study.

Animals— National Hunt Thoroughbred racehorses (n=71) and race-matched controls (n=126).

Methods— Race records for National Hunt racehorses that had LP and ventriculocordectomy were analyzed and racing performance was compared with race-matched controls.

Results— Sixty-three of 71 cases were matched with controls. Postoperatively, 78% of cases raced, 47% improved their individual performance and cases were as likely to start in 1 or 3 races as controls. In the 5 preoperative races, case horses earned less prize money than race-matched controls but there was no difference in prize money earned in 5 postoperative races between groups. Cases started in significantly fewer total (lifetime) races both before and after the date of surgery compared with controls.

Conclusions— LP seemingly restored short-term postoperative racing performance of National Hunt horses to a level comparable with that of a matched control population; however, the career “longevity” of case horses appears to be shorter than that of control horses.

Clinical Relevance— LP appears to be a suitable treatment for recurrent laryngeal neuropathy in National Hunt racehorses.