Winter Coughs - Not a Good Wheeze!

It's not just horseback riders that cough and wheeze at this time of year. Respiratory problems are common in horses as well. Loss of performance may be the first sign that something is wrong. Mildly affected animals may cough occasionally when eating or when starting work. As the condition gets worse they may cough almost continuously.

Why is coughing such a problem in the winter? We need look no further than the changes in management that accompany the colder weather. Horses spend more time inside, often stabled in close proximity to their companions, giving any infection the opportunity to spread. They are exposed to irritants and allergens in the hay and bedding.

Recurrent airway obstruction (also known as COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is the horse equivalent of human asthma. It is an allergic condition in which the horse reacts to small particles in the air. Chief among the culprits are fungal spores from the hay. This is a problem that seems to be becoming more common - probably due to the lack of good hay for horses.

We seem to have lost the ability to make good hay. Much of the hay fed to horses is dusty and liberally sprinkled with fungal spores. Under poor storage conditions, toxins such as lipopolysaccharides (LPS) can accumulate. These can cause inflammation of the respiratory tract.

Dust from the bedding may make the problem worse. It's important to keep the bed clean and dry. Replacing dusty straw with clean shavings may be a good idea. But if the shavings are allowed to build up into a soggy deep litter bed, the ammonia and endotoxins may cause more irritation than the straw ever did.

It can be difficult to differentiate between infectious or environmental causes of coughing. What can be done to investigate the problem? The vet will observe your horse breathing and listen to the chest with a