Signs & Symptoms of Horse Emphysema

Horses are quite delicate for all their size and strength. Although wild horses have to be hardy as a matter of survival, domesticated horses have become prone to all kinds of ailments, due in a large part to the unnatural habitats we place them in. One of the worst complications of keeping a horse stalled for a majority of its life is the development of emphysema. Knowing what the signs of this disease are can help an owner make informed decisions.

  1. Signs

    • The most common symptom of horses with emphysema is the way they will breath. As the horse breathes out, it will "heave", pushing the air out and often "wheezing" as the air is expelled. The flanks will collapse inward visibly as the horse expels its breath. This kind of breathing will also form what is called "heave lines" along the horses flanks. Because of these recurring symptoms, horse emphysema is often called "heaves".

    Symptoms

    • The most obvious symptoms of this disease are the sounds and visual symptoms of the animal's breathing. But there are other, more subtle symptoms. The horse will be unable to endure hard exercise; will often cough as breathing becomes more demanding; show a lack of energy; lose weight; and can sometimes have persistent nasal discharge. If your horse is showing these symptoms, it is time to have him checked by a professional for emphysema.

    Prognosis

    • While emphysema is not a disease that can be totally cured, proper treatment will drastically reduce the symptoms and improve the horse's health. Get the horse out of the closed in stable environment. Outside air with a minimum of dust and a maximum of ventilation is the best medicine for horse emphysema. Boosting the horse's diet with vitamins and probiotics can help it's immune system which may have been weakened by the disease. If these things do not help, consulting a vet about drug treatment might be an option.