Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the horse. 2: Therapy.

The research article chiefly discusses the treatment approach for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in horses, detailing several methods such as minimizing the horse’s contact with causative factors, using appropriate bedding when stabled, feeding a particular diet, and medication options.

Therapeutic Approaches

The research suggests that the primary method to manage equine COPD is to limit the horse’s exposure to causative agents like thermophilic actinomycetes and moulds that can mostly be found in hay and straw.

• This can be achieved by keeping horses outdoors for most of the time, steering clear from potentially harmful indoor environments that can exacerbate their condition.
• If indoor housing is necessary, the bedding material plays an important role. Authors suggest using shredded paper, wood shavings or peat moss as these materials are less likely to harbor the causative moulds and actinomycetes.
• Feeding practices are also crucial. The horse should be fed a complete cubed diet. Traditional hay feeding poses a risk of exposure to harmful moulds and hence should be avoided, unless of course, the hay is dust-free and vacuum-packed.

Medicinal Interventions

Although environmental controls are pivotal in managing COPD in horses, medication can be necessary, particularly during acute episodes.

• Bronchodilators and corticosteroids are recommended by the authors to manage severe attacks. These drugs can provide immediate but temporary relief by reducing the inflammation in the airways and helping the horse to breathe more easily.
• The authors suggest that using oral bronchodilators in combination with the environmental control measures may expedite the relief from COPD symptoms.
• Finally, the paper suggests the use of inhaled sodium cromoglycate for preventive purposes. This drug can be given prophylactically to horses that have no symptoms, particularly when exposure to antigens is unavoidable (for instance, during certain seasons, in certain geographical locations, or during particular handling or feeding practices).