Longtime equestrians know lung health is crucial to a horse’s athletic performance, but Susan J. Holcombe, VMD, MS, PhD, DACVS, DACVECC, presents some interesting numbers about the prevalence of airway disease and impact of reduced oxygen flow. She shares how bedding, raking, sweeping and even feedstuffs create dusty conditions that challenge horses’ and peoples’ lungs.
Source: Paulick Report, August 2, 2016. Link. “When horses (and people) breathe these things in, it will induce an inflammatory change in the lung. Not only does it cause inflammation within the lung, that inflammation will also diminish the lung’s immune responsiveness. Horses (like people) are then less able to fight viruses and bacterial infections.” – Susan J. Holcombe, VMD, MS, PhD, DACVS, DACVECC
INSIGHTS: Holcombe is focused on the racetrack environment in this article but the discussion fits almost any livestock housing environment.