Cures for Breathing Problems in Horses

Breathing problems in horses can have a variety of different causes. If your horse is having breathing problems, you must have a veterinarian diagnose the cause of the problems before you can attempt to treat them. Improperly treating breathing problems can cause them to become worse or the horse's health to deteriorate dangerously. The best way to treat or cure your horse's breathing problem is to identify the cause and then provide a combination of medication and good horse management to minimize symptoms.

  1. Allergens

    • Some breathing problems in horses can be traced back to allergies that they have developed. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common breathing problem that occurs in horses that spend a lot of time inside. These horses develop allergies to mold and dust inside the barn and symptoms can be reduced or alleviated by determining the cause of the allergies and removing the allergens from the horse's environment. Wet, poor quality or moldy hay, can cause breathing problems for horses. The condition of the hay is one of the first things that needs to be checked when a horse develops allergen problems.

    Environmental Changes

    • Horses with breathing problems are more likely to have problems caused by potential irritants in their environment. A dusty barn with poor air-flow is not beneficial to any horse, but it will exacerbate problems in a horse that already has breathing problems. Making sure horses have plenty of water, good air-flow in the barn and minimizing the dust in bedding and barn aisles can improve the breathing conditions for all horses. Turning horses out while mucking stalls, and blowing out or sweeping barn aisles, can reduce the amount of dust they are being exposed to.

    Corticosteroids

    • Corticosteroids are prescription medications that are used to minimize the effects and treat some types of equine breathing problems. Corticosteroids work by suppressing inflammation that may be caused by allergens, reducing the horse's mucus production and decreasing muscle contractions that may occur in the cases of a horse with COPD. Corticosteroids are typically used for short-term treatment of horses with breathing problems because they can cause long term problems with the horse's heart and immune system. Corticosteroids must be prescribed by a veterinarian.

    Bronchodilators

    • Bronchodilators, a category of medicines that include the drugs clenbuterol, albuterol and pirbuterol, are given to treat respiratory problems in horses, sometimes along with an anti-inflammatory drug. These drugs are most effective when given through the use of a face mask, which affected horses may take some time to accept using. These medicines are controlled by the FDA and must be prescribed by a veterinarian.