Multiple illnesses and conditions can cause horses to cough. Sometimes it is harmless, but it may be the first sign of serious trouble. Here are some of the more common causes of equine cough:
- aspiration pneumonia
- inflammatory airway disease (IAD)
- influenza
- pleuropneumonia
- pneumonia
- recurrent airway obstruction (RAO, “heaves”)
- rhinopneumonitis
- strangles (distemper)
Source: Equus, January 23, 2017.
Virginia Buechner-Maxwell, DVM, DACVIM, of Virginia–Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine in Blacksburg, Virginia, discusses the presence of coughs in certain situations:
- Coughs that persist through a ride
- Coughs that produce mucus
- Coughs that occur after transport
- Coughs that arise for no apparent reason
- When youngsters cough
- Coughs occurring mainly when a horse is eating
- Coughs that become frequent
- Recovery from a cough