Down Farm, Lamerton, Tavistock, Devon, PL19 8QA, UK
Tel: (01822) 613838, Fax:(01822) 616122
FACT SHEET No.4
MANAGING HORSES WITH RESPIRATORY DISEASE
Your horse has been diagnosed as suffering from respiratory disease. There
are a number of causes:
A viral or bacterial infection. In this condition the airways are inflamed
and contain lots of debris from a damaged airway lining, dead inflammatory
cells and excess mucus. These interfere with oxygen transfer into the blood
stream and inhibit the horse's ability to rid itself of the infection. Inhalation
of debris from stable air aggravates the problem and delays recovery.
Alternatively we may have told you your horse has Chronic Obstructive
Pulmonary Disease (COPD - now called Recurrent Airway Obstruction
or RAO). In this condition the small airways in the lungs are hyperirritable.
If the horse inhales small particles when it breathes, the airways are stimulated
to go into spasm, and the glands lining the airways produce excessive quantities
of mucus. These changes make it harder for the horse to oxygenate its blood
adequately, so to compensate, it increases its breathing rate and breathing
effort. In most but not all cases it will have a persistent cough, both in
the stable and when worked.
COPD is the equine equivalent of human asthma. The horse is allergic to various
constituents of stable dust, for example fungal spores present in hay, straw
(especially if mouldy) an badly managed shavings or paper bedding. Other factors
present in stable dust are dust mites and their droppings, tiny skin flakes
(released during grooming), and tiny fragments of bedding and hay
The key to managing both forms of respiratory disease is AIR HYGIENE.
How is Air Hygiene achieved?
The aim is to reduce the level of dust particles in stable air to as low
a level as possible. This is achieved in three ways
By ensuring that the horse is bedded on, and fed, materials which generate
minimal quantities of dust
By ensuring the horse is out of the stable when activities known to generate
high levels of dust are taking place. These include mucking out and grooming
By ensuring there is a very good flow of air through the stable to dilute
the levels of dust in the air
The Perfect Stable
The cleanest air is in the middle of a field! It follows that horses on dust
free management should spend as much time as possible out of the stable.
Ensure however that muckheaps and barns containing hay and straw are not close
by.
What bedding should I use?
Straw irrespective of quality must NOT be used. Shavings (not sawdust),
shredded paper or cardboard are good but the MUST be managed correctly. If
badly managed
they are WORSE than straw. Other organic bedding for example chopped hemp
(Aubiose or Hemcore), flax, or dust-extracted straw (Medibed) are likely
to
support composting and eventual fugal multiplication, and therefore are unsuitable
unless a thin layer is used and it is replaced frequently..
Don't have the bed too deep. It is essential that the ENTIRE bed (right
to the edges) is turned over every day to ensure that all of it is as clean
and as dry as possible.
In order to save on bedding costs rubber mats can be fitted and a few
inches of shavings put on top. This thin shavings bed is much easier to keep
fresh
than a deep one. Because of the rubber mats here is no need to worry about
the horse coming in contact with the floor when it lies down.
Most people bank up the bed at the sides to prevent the horse becoming
cast. Unfortunately fungi multiply in the undisturbed banks so there must
be NO banks. To prevent the horse becoming cast fix to the wall a 2inch x
1inch batten 3ft. from the ground right round the stable
Do not deep litter. Keep the bedding scrupulously clean by frequently adding
fresh bedding
Always muck out with the horse out of the stable. It is best turn out the
horse before mucking out or ride immediately after so that the dust levels
can fall while the stable is unoccupied
What about feeding?
All hard feed should be fed damped, and fed at floor level to encourage
drainage of secretions from the horse's airways
Consider feeding HAYLAGE. Good quality haylage is now readily available.
Large bale haylage can be used but once opened must be used in 3-4 days. Don't
use if there is any sign of mould.
If feeding hay it must be fed WET. This is achieved by soaking a net of
hay for several hours. The soaking time depends on the volume of hay and how
tightly it is packed. Soaking leaches soluble sugars from hay (hence the water
turns brown and sticky) and therefore soaked hay is less nutritious than unsoaked.
For this reason the period of soaking should be just sufficiently long such
that the last piece in the net the horse eats is still wet. A period as short
as 30 minutes may be adequate for a small flap of loosely packed hay. A tightly
packed heavy net may require eight hours. The simplest regime is to have one
net soaking while the other is being fed. Feeding haylage has now largely
replaced soaking hay.
How can I improve the stable ventilation?
Most stables are poorly ventilated, especially those with low roofs and
no air inlets other than the upper half of the door. It is essential that
another inlet, for example on the rear wall, be provided. Make sure that the
air inlets are not close to muckheaps or haybarns.
If the stable has windows leave them open all of the time or better still
remove one or more panes of glass
Never restrict ventilation in cold weather to keep the horse warm. If you
think the horse is cold put on another rug.
An ideal system is to allow the horse to wander around a small
yard in front of the stable. The haylage can be fed there to encourage the
horse to spend a lot of time out of doors.
What can go wrong?
Dust free management either doesn't work, or breakdowns can occur, in the a
number of ways
You have changed your bedding and feeding as we have advised but left a
thick layer of stable dust on the window ledges, roof trusses, cobwebs etc.
It is essential that these be thoroughly cleaned, preferably by hosing with
water. The stable is allowed to dry before bedding is added
'Contaminated' air is gaining access to the stable from somewhere else.
This is common where adjacent stables share the same airspace e.g. in an American
barn. Dust free management will not work unless all the horses in the same
building are managed similarly
Very high dust levels can occur in lorries and trailers. Ideally use rubber
mats only with a thin layer of fresh shavings at the rear to absorb moisture.
Muck out the vehicle as soon as you can, not just before you use the box again!
Ensure that haynets are transported, and fed outside the box. All horses travelling
with a COPD horse must have haylage or soaked hay. Leave the air vents fully
open and unload the horse as soon as you arrive.
Remember that if your horse stays overnight elsewhere, e.g. at a show,
the same rigorous approach to dust-free management must be applied
Groom the horse out of doors. Keep brushes and curry combs clean by frequent
washing
Can I ride the horse?
Horses with active respiratory disease must not be ridden. Exercise delays
recovery and encourages the development of secondary complications. Most horses
that develop COPD have done so because they were incorrectly managed during
a respiratory infection, usually by failing to rest the horse for long enough
and by keeping it in a dusty environment.
We will advise you on what is the appropriate rest period for your horse.
Is any other treatment necessary?
Often in the early stages of treatment it is necessary for us to medicate
the horse with medicines which relieve airway spasm and help clear the excess
mucus. In cases of infection antibiotics and other drugs may be prescribed.
And the good news……..
Most respiratory infections will rapidly resolve if correctly managed. Most
cases of COPD are fully reversible, although the horse retains the sensitivity
to hay and straw for life and will relapse if kept in a dusty environment
at a later stage.
Should normal horses have clean air also?
Arguably all normal horses performing athletic activity should have clean
stable air. Most of the top racing and competition yards never feed dry hay
or bed on straw.
DISCLAIMER
This factsheet is intended for use by registered clients of EqWest only. The
advice offered is general advice only. EqWest clients who wish to discuss
the individual circumstances of their horse should contact the Clinic.
To speak to a vet please phone between 8.30 - 9.30 am on weekday mornings.
