Dynamic respiratory endoscopy without treadmill in 68 performance Standardbred, Thoroughbred and saddle horses under natural training conditions.

This research focuses on developing and validating an innovative Dynamic Respiratory Scope (DRS) for examining the upper respiratory tract in sport horses under natural training conditions, eliminating the need for a treadmill. The study analysed 68 performance Standardbred, Thoroughbred, and saddle horses and observed that the DRS was safe, reliable, and capable of diagnosing common causes of dynamic upper respiratory tract issues.

Objective and Methodology

• The main aim of this study was to devise and validate an efficient endoscope that could be employed for examining the upper respiratory tract (URT) in ridden and harnessed sport horses training under natural conditions. This was instigated by the observation that traditional treadmill endoscopies, though effective in diagnosing dynamic obstructions of the upper equine respiratory tract (DO-URT), often failed to accurately mimic the dynamic collapse conditions of the URT in horses.
• The researchers worked collaboratively with engineers from a veterinary endoscopes manufacturing firm to achieve their goal. Over two years, various prototypes were tested on an array of cooperative horses practicing trot, gallop, jumping, or endurance. The ultimate version of the Dynamic Respiratory Scope (DRS) allowed real-time visualisation and video recording of the URT for post-test reviewing and archiving.

Implementation and Results

• The DRS was subsequently implemented in two equine livery yards. Horses presented for abnormal respiratory noises during exercise or poor performance were placed under exercising endoscopy. The endoscopic images of the URT were recorded and the video recordings reviewed post-examination.
• The study encompassed a total of 68 horses, comprising 39 Standardbred, 16 Thoroughbred, and 13 saddle horses. Out of these, upper respiratory abnormalities were diagnosed in 44 horses. Remarkably, good quality videos were achieved in all cases, regardless of maximum speed, validating the efficiency of the DRS.

Conclusions

• This study demonstrates the safety and reliability of the Dynamic Respiratory Scope (DRS) in imaging the equine upper respiratory tract (URT) under natural exercising conditions. The successful elimination of a treadmill from the diagnostic process should allow more accessibility of this technique across different equine practices, paving ways for further clinical research in the field.
• Furthermore, the study confirms that the majority of causes for dynamic obstructions of the URT (DO-URT) can be accurately diagnosed during any type of performance without a treadmill. Horses can now benefit from early diagnosis and treatment of any potential respiratory issues that might impede their performance.