Zoetis Calls Vets To Help Test Groundbreaking Equine Health-related Quality Of Life (HRQL) Assessment Tool

3 weeks ago
300 views

Posted
7th January, 2026 10h15

Author
Zoetis

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 [email protected].

More from Zoetis

• 93% of horse owners would vaccinate for EHV if their vet recommended it
• Vets encouraged to engage with their farmers on the importance of orf vaccination
• Zoetis Hosts Free Webinar to Share Latest Knowledge of Lungworm
• Vets Urge Action as Dog Arthritis Misconceptions Persist
• Zoetis Acquires Veterinary Pathology Group to Strengthen Veterinary Diagnostics in UK and Ireland