Horse COPD
is a breathing disease and is short for: chronic (long term) obstructive
(blocking) pulmonary (lung) disease. This condition can be thought of as
‘asthma’ in horses. Horse COPD causes coughing, wheeziness, exercise intolerance.
COPD starts when airborne particles
cause allergic reactions in the lungs of your horse. Sometimes the disease
starts when a horse is exposed to new sorts of mould spores in an old
consignment of hay. Pollen can cause the problem in the summer but once lungs
have been sensitised many different factors can make COPD worse. Things
that make COPD worse are:
- Dusty bedding esp. straw
- Dusty hay (particularly mould spores in the hay)
- Chemicals given off by wood shavings in bedding
- Chemicals given off by paper bedding
- Ammonia from urine and faeces in the bedding
- Pollen in allergic horses esp. rape seed pollen.
- Viruses affecting the breathing
- Mineral imbalance
- Pollutants e.g. fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides,
car fumes.
Treatment of Horse COPD
Vets treat COPD with drugs like
Ventipulmin (keeps airways open) Sputolosin (breaks down mucus) Steroids e.g.
prednisolone, Anti-allergics like Sodium chromoglycate.
The most important way of managing
COPD is to keep your horse away from things that cause the problem as above.
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773363 (UK)
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Mobile veterinary advice line: 07734 240 709 (UK)
All numbers available 9am - 5.30pm UK time.
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