RECURRENT AIRWAY OBSTRUCTION IN HORSE: CASE STUDY REPORT   3000w

A 12-year-old Thoroughbred gelding was examined for a cough whilst being stabled over the winter. There was limited available turnout so the horse remained stabled on shavings in a stable barn. The horse was fed dry hay. There was no previous history of coughing.

The clinical examination was unremarkable. The owner described an intermittent dry cough occurring at rest and exercise. At this time the owner was advised to introduce environmental changes to reduce dust exposure. The horse was moved to a stable away from the hay store and started on soaked hay. An inflammatory blood profile was taken which revealed no abnormalities.

Despite implementation of environmental changes the cough persisted. The horse was re-examined two months later at the clinic. On this occasion the horse presented with a bilateral mucopurulent nasal discharge and persistent cough. The horse was tachypneic (25 breaths per minute) with increased abdominal effort; the remainder of the clinical examination was unremarkable. A re-breathing examination was performed to aid auscultation of abnormal lung sounds; there were no adventitious sounds and the trachea was normal on auscultation.

Problem list

Intermittent cough at exercise and at rest

Mucopurulent nasal discharge

Recurrent episodes

Tachypneic

Differential Diagnosis List

Recurrent airway obstruction (RAO)

Inflammatory airway disease