Equine COPD (Horse Cough): Treating Horse COPD, Cough or Heaves
What is COPD?
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or COPD is similar to human Asthma. It is an allergic reaction to dust causing obstruction to the air passages in the lungs of horses. It generally affects horses ages six and older, who are stabled, eat hay, and/or live in dusty areas.
Signs your horse may have COPD:
The first signs of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease are often quite mild. Here are some signs to look for:
Decreased performance (usually the first early sign)
Elevated resting respiratory rate
Taking a bit longer to recover after work
Sluggishness
Quitting when they normally wouldn’t
More pronounced signs that your horse may have COPD are:
Heaving
Frequent coughing
Work-induced cough
Breathing problems
Diagnosis of COPD
If you notice any of these signs, especially if your horse does not have a fever, he may have COPD. Sport and performance horses are extremely susceptible to lung disease-COPD, cough, heaves. Even seemingly healthy horses are frequently affected. Your veterinarian can usually confirm this with a chest exam, but may also scope your horse to see presence of mucus and infection. Once it’s confirmed that your horse has Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, it’s time to take action.
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About the Author:
“An equine nutrition consultant, Michael Dowd has a passion for helping horse owners treat & manage through simple, effective, natural methods. If you like Michael’s article and want to read real stories of how people are using natural breathing remedies on their horses, learn more about herbal treatments for equine COPD,
