Main causes of death in aged horses in a retirement facility in California can be attributed to the digestive and musculoskeletal systems.

Digestive disorders, particularly strangulating lesions, are the leading cause of death in aged retirement horses.

This retrospective cross-sectional study evaluated causes of death in 91 horses aged 20 years or older housed at a California retirement facility between 2010 and 2020. All cases underwent standardized post-mortem examination at UC Davis. Digestive system disorders were the leading cause of death or euthanasia, accounting for 41.8% of cases, with strangulating lesions being the most prevalent digestive diagnosis (13/38). Musculoskeletal conditions ranked second at 22%, with osteoarthritis (10/20) and laminitis (5/20) being most common. Neurologic disorders accounted for 13.2% of cases, most frequently compressive myelopathy secondary to facet joint osteoarthritis and temporohyoid osteoarthropathy (each 3/12). Neoplasia represented 8.8% of cases, while unexpected death and trauma each comprised 5.5%. Euthanasia decisions were made collaboratively between facility staff and veterinarians. The study provides valuable epidemiological data on geriatric equine mortality in a non-referral population, offering a more representative picture of aged horse health than hospital-based studies. Limitations include single-facility design and potential geographic bias toward California conditions. These findings emphasize the importance of proactive monitoring for gastrointestinal, orthopedic, and neurologic conditions in geriatric equine patients, and can guide preventive care strategies and resource allocation at equine retirement facilities.

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