Coughing is a very non-specific symptom that can be easy to ignore, especially if sporadic.
Here are a few tips to help pinpoint the cause:
1. Does your horse have a fever? Any over the counter digital thermometer can be used to take your horses’ temperature rectally. Rectal temperature is the most accurate. If the thermometer reads >101.5F, that would be considered a fever. Elevated rectal temperature is usually correlated with a viral or bacterial infection.
2. Does your horse have nasal discharge? Nasal discharge can range in color and consistency. White to yellow discharge is more consistent with infection. Clear discharge may be more consistent with irritation, like allergies. If discharge is coming out of both nostrils, this may indicate a lower airway issue (lungs). If it’s coming out of one nostril only, that is more consistent with an upper airway issue (like sinuses). Blood in the nostrils after exercise is consistent with exercise induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH). This is most common in horses that perform at high speed (such as racehorses or barrel racers) but can occur in others. Just because no blood is seen, doesn’t mean it isn’t occurring. These horses may just cough or have increased respiratory effort.
3. Does your horse cough during certain times of day or during certain activities? Horses with asthma or inflammatory airway disease (IAD) tend to cough in dusty environments (like when ridden in a dirt or sand arena). They can also be triggered by allergens in the hay or in the barn. For instance, they may cough after getting a new flake of hay in the feeder or at the round bale. They may cough in the barn stall, but not when out on pasture.
4. Is the coughing seasonal? If your horse coughs during certain seasons, this may also point you more toward equine asthma or IAD.
What can your vet do to help?
- A veterinarian can listen to the lungs and perform a “rebreathing exam” to make abnormal lung sounds easier to hear.
- Your vet can perform a bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) or transtracheal wash (TTW). These can be used to look at cells in your horses lungs to determine if there is inflammation, blood, bacteria, or fungi. A BAL can be used to classify your horses as having inflammatory airway disease if present. Blood cells can be seen in horses with exercised induced pulmonary hemorrhage.
- Radiographs (X-rays) can be taken of the skull to rule out sinus disease. Radiographs can be taken of the lungs, but this requires a high-powered machine at a referral hospital.
- Ultrasound of the lungs can be performed to look for fluid in the chest (as with pleuropneumonia) or irregularities on the surface of the lung (comet tails or b-lines).
What can you do to help if suspicious of airway inflammation?
1. Wet down dirt arenas before riding or turnout.
2. Improve barn ventilation
3. Wet or steam the hay to reduce dust and allergens. Avoid round bales.
4. Use low-dust bedding such as pellets or shredded paper
5. Maximize pasture time when available
6. Follow your veterinarian’s recommendations regarding nebulization, bronchodilators, or corticosteroids
What can you do naturally?
- Consider supplements that decrease inflammation, open airways, thin mucus, and improve the immune system
- What could that include? Products with Mullein, Turmeric, Malabar Nut, Elecampane, Peppermint, Yarrow, and Omega 3 fatty acids (such as in flaxseed), among other natural ingredients.
This is not a substitute for proper veterinary care. These can be used to help manage your horse long term and preserve lung health and function.
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