ATLANTA HORSE CONNECTIONS Any diagnosis requires a thorough examination of your horse by a veterinarian.
MANAGEMENT CHANGES are proving to be very helpful for horses diagnosed with RAO. Hay steamers, increasing or reducing pasture turnout, moistening the stabling areas, along with bedding and a low-dust diet can prove to be beneficial for many horses. medications to horses. Most frequently the veterinarian may provide an owner with medication to be given to the horse by mouth or by injection in the muscle. This type of therapy is generally inexpensive and effective at alleviating inflammation, but has the potential to result in more side effects as compared to other therapy options, such as inhalation therapy.
Medications may be prescribed by the veterinarian to provide immediate relief of the horse’s clinical signs. These medications are centered-on decreasing inflammation in the lungs and helping to alleviate the narrowing of airways. The medications that the veterinarian will prescribe commonly include corticosteroids, bronchodilator medication, and often a combination of both. There are several ways to deliver these
Inhalation therapy is the delivery of medication directly to the lungs by breathing-in the mediation, similar to humans with asthma inhalers. Inhalation therapy is more expensive, effective in compliant patients, and results in few adverse effects. Inhaled therapy is best administered by use of a specifically designed administration device for use in horses such as the AeroHippus® (Trudell Medical International; London, Ontario,
Canada) or the Flexineb® (Nortev; Galway, Ireland) nebulization mask. These portable devices provide another way to safely and effectively deliver medication directly to the lungs. It is important for owners to discuss the treatment options with the veterinarian to ensure that the horse is provided optimal care, as well as meeting the owner’s time and financial needs. When working closely with the vet, together a treatment plan can be devised that is effective and suits everyone. It is also important for owners to be aware that this is a disease that often needs recurrent treatment each year, and year to year. Regardless of the method that is used to provide treatment for the horse, on-farm management remains the most important component to ensure success.
WELLNESS
are now mass produced at a cost that is reasonable. The supplementation of the diet with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid has been shown to provide a beneficial clinical response in horses with RAO on a low-dust diet. Regardless of the type of products used, the principles of on-farm management remain the same... reduce the exposure to dust and allergens.
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