EQUINE SELF-MUTILATION SYNDROME (57 CASES)

Owners who believed they had a horse with self-mutilating behavior wer e asked to complete a questionnaire to obtain information on the signa lment, clinical history, clinical signs, management, and treatment of the condition. Fifty-two owners of 59 horses responded; 2 cases were o mitted because an organic cause was determined Owners also were asked to complete information for unaffected horses on the same farm. Variou s breeds were affected, and of the 57 horses, 20 were stallions, 31 we re geldings, and 6 were mares. Affected horses tended to develop the c ondition prior to sexual maturity. Clinical signs included glancing or biting at the flank or pectoral areas, bucking, kicking, vocalizing, rubbing, spinning, or rolling. Several management and environmental fa ctors were examined, but none were found to be exclusively related to expression of the disorder. Castration was associated with improvement in 7 of 10 stallions. Medications and changes in management reduced o r prevented the behavior in some horses. The syndrome appears to be si milar to Tourette's syndrome of human beings.