Zoetis Ltd (Global), in collaboration with the team behind VetMetrica^TM, a suite of tools that measure how animals ‘feel’ about their circumstances, is developing an innovative solution to assess health-related quality of life in horses.

The project is currently in progress, and we are inviting veterinarians to support this effort by encouraging your equine clients to complete a short prototype survey (approximately 5–8 minutes). Veterinarians will also be asked to verify each horse’s health status via a brief questionnaire (around 4 minutes).

The results of these two questionnaires will be used to develop a novel scoring algorithm to measure the impact of health on a horse’s quality of life. While horse caretakers are already being recruited, the success of this pilot depends on input from a diverse range of caretakers across all sectors of the equine community.

Prof Jacky Reid, the creator of VetMetrica^TM tools for companion animals and scientific lead, stresses veterinary support is pivotal to delivering a valid and reliable measurement tool, one that has the potential to transform the welfare of horses worldwide.

Veterinarians who contribute will gain early insight into a scientifically validated HRQL instrument designed to:

• Enhance clinical decision-making by providing an objective measure of a horse’s well-being.
• Improve client communication with clear, evidence-based data on quality of life.
• Support preventive care and treatment planning through better monitoring of health outcomes.

Join Prof Jacky Reid and Zoetis in shaping the future of equine welfare. Your expertise is essential to creating a tool that benefits horses and strengthens veterinary practice. If you would like to participate, of if you would like more information contact Dr Cory Noble at cory.noble@zoetis.com.

About Zoetis

As the world’s leading animal health company, Zoetis is driven by a singular purpose: to nurture our world and humankind by advancing care for animals. After innovating ways to predict, prevent, detect, and treat animal illness for more than 70 years, Zoetis continues to stand by those raising and caring for animals worldwide – from veterinarians and pet owners to livestock producers. The company’s leading portfolio and pipeline of medicines, vaccines, diagnostics and technologies make a difference in over 100 countries. A Fortune 500 company, Zoetis generated revenue of $9.3 billion in 2024 with approximately 13,800 employees. For more information, visit www.zoetis.com.


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