The use of race winnings, ratings and a performance index to assess the effect of thermocautery of the soft palate for treatment of horses with suspected intermittent dorsal displacement. A case‐control study in 110 racing Thoroughbreds

Summary Reasons for performing the study : There have been no reports of the efficacy of thermocautery of the soft palate (TSP) assessed objectively as a treatment of intermittent dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP). Objective : To compare: racing performance of horses that underwent thermocautery of the soft palate with matched controls; and ‘Racing Post ratings’ (RPR) with prize money won (RE) and a performance index (PI) for each of the horses in the study. Hypothesis : Thermocautery of the soft palate has no beneficial effect on racing performance and the 3 measures of performance are significantly related. Methods : The inclusion criteria were fulfilled by 110 horses and each was matched with 2 controls. Changes in performance were compared statistically. RPR, RE and PI were analysed using a regression model. Results : The percentage of horses that improved in performance following the procedure was 28–51% for the 3 measures of performance, compared to 21–53% for the matched controls. There was no significant effect of the procedure on the changes in RPR or RE. There was a significant effect of the procedure on the change in PI (P = 0.015) with more treated horses achieving an improved PI and fewer acquiring a worse PI than matched control horses. The measures of performance showed significant correlation. Conclusions : Thermocautery of the soft palate alone may not be the most efficacious treatment of DDSP. Potential relevance : Production of a reliable measure of racehorse performance may be possible.