Endoscopic observations on laryngeal symmetry and movements in young racing horses

Abstract

An endoscopic survey of young race horses was performed to examine the prevalence and character of laryngeal movements during quiet respiration. The main aim was to determine whether those arytenoid movements which could possibly reflect the efficiency of left dorsal cricoarytenoid muscle function changed over a period of time.

Of the 452 horses examined, 439 were Thoroughbreds and 23 were Standardbreds, 250 were less than 2 years of age (6–21 months), and 202 were 2 years old. One hundred and nine of these horses were examined again 16 months later. Arytenoid movements were given one of four grades. Grades 1 and 2 were considered normal and unlikely to be the result of abnormal left dorsal cricoarytenoid muscle function, whilst grades 3 and 4 were considered likely, or almost certainly, the result of abnormal left dorsal cricoarytenoid muscle function.

The percutaneous prominence of the muscular process of left and right arytenoid cartilages, endoscopic arytenoid movement on left and right sides, age, sex and breed was recorded. Chi squared analysis was used to determine the association between age, breed, sex and the other recorded variables, and the presence or absence of abnormal laryngeal movements. At the first examination, 48% of the horses had grade 1, 37% grade 2, 15% grade 3 and 0.2% grade 4 left laryngeal movements. Of the horses examined 16 months later, 52% had grade 1,33% grade 2, 14% grade 3 and 1 % grade 4 left laryngeal movements. Fifteen percent of horses with grade 1 and 9% with grade 2 initially were found to be grade 3 at the subsequent examination. Conversely, 53% of horses with grade 3 were found to be grade 1 and 21 % grade 2 at the subsequent examination. One horse that was grade 3 at the initial examination was grade 4 at the subsequent examination. Overall, 43% of horses were graded the same, 29% were given a “better” grade and 28% were given a “worse” grade.

Age and sex were not associated with abnormal left laryngeal movements. The presence of abnormal arytenoid movements was significantly less in Standardbreds, but significantly higher in those horses that had a more prominent muscular process of the left arytenoid cartilage. The number of grade 2 and 3 laryngeal movements recorded on the left side was significantly higher than the right.

It was concluded that asymmetrical laryngeal movements are common in young race horses; at this age laryngeal movements may interchange between what is considered normal and abnormal; the proportion of young horses with normal or minor variations in their left arytenoid movements that develop more obvious degrees of asynchrony is low (12%); and the proportion of horses considered to have endoscopie evidence of deficient left abductor muscle function that eventually develop laryngeal hemiplegia is also low (5%).