Shown in the picture is a lovely patient named Page. She has been treated for allergies for the last several years, but as is common, allergies can worsen over time. She recently became the proud new owner of a Flexineb and has acclimated well to its use!
As many of us horse owners know, the Willamette valley can be a hotspot for allergies caused by high pollen levels and wildfire smoke. Unfortunately, our horses also suffer from this common inflammatory condition.
Equine Asthma is also referred to as “heaves”, inflammatory airway disease (IAD), or respiratory allergies. This syndrome affects a large number of our equine patients typically beginning the spring and going through the fall, though some horses can suffer year round.
Symptoms that are often noted by owners are a frequent cough, flared nostrils when breathing despite standing quietly, and increased effort to breathe. A “heave line” may develop where the abdominal muscles hypertrophy due to increased use because of difficulty breathing. Horses may become out of breath more quickly when exercising and in some cases an audible wheeze can be heard.
The first step in evaluating respiratory symptoms is for an exam to be done where the lungs and trachea are closely listened to by a veterinarian. A rebreathing exam may be performed where the veterinarian has the horse breath into a plastic bag in order to inhale CO2, then the bag is removed and the horse will take deep breaths so that the quiet lung sounds become more apparent. The horse may also be asked to exercise in order to elicit their symptoms.
Our first line of treatment for these horses diagnosed with asthma is an antihistamine which is given orally. Depending on severity of symptoms, horses may also require a bronchodilator and/or steroids to suppress inflammation. Environmental management is crucial – this involves minimizing dust in their environment, whether it’s from hay, bedding, or arena footing. Hay can be thoroughly wetted down and should also be fed on or near the ground instead of in a round bale, raised hay feeder, or hay net where dust is able to be easily breathed in while eating. A serum allergy test is one way in which we can evaluate possible environmental factors such as type of hay or bedding to determine if certain ingredients can be eliminated that may be contributing to symptoms. Pay attention to the air quality index so that exercise can be modified for horses sensitive to breathing in particulates as those with respiratory problems need to be rested at lower AQI levels than horses with no symptoms.
Oftentimes in severe cases, horses need to be treated via nebulization. We often recommend that owners invest in a Flexineb system in order to better manage their horse’s symptoms. Medications are aerosolized so that they can treat inflammation at its source (in the airways) instead of going systemically. This reduces the risk of systemic side effects of some medications and ensures that the horse is receiving the full benefit of their medications.
If your horse is suffering from the symptoms listed above, give us a call to schedule a respiratory exam, especially as the wildfire smoke is beginning to impact equines in our area. Early treatment often helps avoid severe respiratory distress down the line.
Ask your vet about purchasing a Flexineb nebulizer from Del Oeste Equine Hospital – we may be able to save you money compared to buying online.
