Why is My Horse Coughing?
Just like humans, your horse can have breathing problems too, such as equine asthma, allergic bronchitis, inflammatory airway disease, recurrent airway obstruction (heaves) and more, which impact their lives and their ability to perform. And like humans, the correct medication and treatment plan can help them make the most of their lives and maintain peak performance. The first step in this journey is to properly identify your horse’s symptoms and investigate what may be triggering your horse’s cough.
Living with asthma or bronchitis shouldn’t mean a lifetime of side effects
Equine asthma and allergic bronchitis are common diseases that should be addressed quickly in collaboration with your veterinarian. This can lead to a lifetime of treatments that affect the quality of your horse’s life. While there is no “cure” for asthma, bronchitis or heaves in horses, you can treat and manage your horse’s symptoms to make sure they live the best life possible. Through a combination of environmental modification, veterinarian-prescribed medications and diet, your horse can be healthy, and you can keep riding.
Inhaled medications are an important part of managing breathing conditions and have fewer side effects than oral medications.
Side effects of chronic oral steroid use may include:
- Increased thirst and loss of bladder control
- Lethargy and no energy to play
- Immune suppression and increased risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs) and bacterial and fungal infections
- Behavioural changes, including aggression
- Diabetes
- Weight gain
- Vomiting and diarrhea
- Ulceration of the digestive tract
- Cushing’s disease
How the AeroHippus* chamber helps
Designed specifically for horses, the AeroHippus* chamber helps deliver inhaled medications directly to the lungs for effective results using lower doses of drugs with fewer side effects. Compared to nebulizer treatments, the AeroHippus* chamber with metered dose inhalers (puffer) is fast and easy, silent and well tolerated. There are many tips and tricks to help you train your horse to take their inhaler medication easily. The AeroHippus* chamber and inhaler medications for horses can be an important part of your horse’s treatment, while helping ensure they perform their best.
AeroHippus* chambers help deliver inhaled medications directly to the lungs for effective results using lower doses of drugs with fewer side effects.
(with Canadian and USA parts)