Breathing Problems in Horses
Did you know....
14% of horses suffer from severe Equine Asthma* which includes heaves?
And that 84% of horses were found to have Inflammatory Airway Disease (IAD)** ,another form of asthma?
Allergens, such and mould and fungal spores found in hay lead to respiratory disorders such as Inflammatory Airway Disease (IAD) and Recurrent Airway Obstruction (RAO), also known as COPD.
How does it show itself?
In most cases it doesn't, and may go undetected. You may however see the following:
- Occasional coughing
- Reduced performance (e.g. reluctance to respond to aids)
- Mucus from the nose
*Pirie R. S. Recurrent airway obstruction: a review. Equine Veterinary Journal. 2014;46(3):276–288. doi: 10.1111/evj.12204.
**Dr. Julie Dauvillier and Dr. Emmanuelle van Erck-Westergren, 2013, 2014
Why does it matter?
Equine asthma can be detrimental to the horse’s comfort and can hinder performance.
How can Haygain help?
Taking steps to minimise exposure to the airborne respirable dust will undoubtedly reduce the risk of Equine Asthma.
The dust in hay is a key cause of respiratory inflamation. Steaming hay with a Haygain hay steamer eliminiates respirable dust particles, killing mould, bacteria, fungal spores and mite faeces.
Reducing stable dust and ammonia off-gasing is also important. Haygain's ComfortStall sealed, orthopaedic flooring reduces bedding requirements by up to 75% and being sealed and hydrophobic, removes ammonia off-gassing caused by urine.