In the jungle of cough medicines - an overview
Do you have a horse with equine asthma? Then you can certainly tell a thing or two about it: Medication up and down, posture optimisation, good phases - bad phases, additional products, herbs, cures, inhalation, fluctuating feed quality, lots of research and visits to the vet.
Often, only a targeted approach can deliver the desired success - and it is usually a long road to get there. Today, we want to shed some light on the subject and give you an initial overview of which medications are available on the market and when it makes sense to use them.
One thing is quite clear: medication should only be used when optimising husbandry conditions, inhalation and feed quality are no longer sufficient as therapy alone. On the other hand, it is also important not to wait too long to prevent long-term damage to the lungs.
Nevertheless, optimising husbandry conditions (plenty of fresh air, little dust, few harmful gases, few contaminants such as mould or bacteria), sufficient exercise and ideal feed quality are always the the most important points in the treatment of equine asthma and without optimising these components, no therapy will have a successful long-term prognosis.
When should medication be used?
As a general rule, every acute flare-up (also known as an exacerbation) worsens the overall picture and promotes the remodelling of lung tissue into non-functional, irreversibly destroyed and ‘scarred’ lung tissue. Therefore, if in doubt, it is better to intervene sooner rather than later, especially as there are now good therapy concepts in the modern treatment of equine asthma that are tolerated by the vast majority of horses without side effects.
Medication from the bronchodilator and anti-inflammatory drug groups is indispensable at the latest when breathing becomes significantly more difficult.
When do we speak of laboured breathing?
The horse's nostrils are dilated/inflated
The breathing rate is increased (normally 8-16 breaths per minute)
The horse shows clear abdominal breathing (breathing has a pumping effect), the horse actively pushes with the abdominal muscles when exhaling
Restlessness (paired with increased heart rate)
Sweating
Mouth breathing (severe respiratory distress - the horse is in danger of suffocating -> call the vet immediately)
If you have an asthmatic horse, you should discuss with your vet how to proceed in an emergency. The inhalation of bronchodilators and anti-inflammatories can be a good way of preventing a severe attack if you react early.
Expectorant
Expectorants are mainly given to horses when there is thick, solid mucus in the airways that makes breathing difficult. Mucolytics can have various effects: They can increase the water content of the mucus and thus make it thinner, reduce the viscosity of the mucus or influence the removal of the mucus.
Bronchodilators
Bronchodilators ensure that the smooth muscles of the bronchi relax and bronchial spasms are relieved. The relaxation causes the diameter of the bronchi to widen again and breathing becomes easier. Bronchodilators only have a symptomatic effect. This means that although acute symptoms are alleviated, the cause of the respiratory problems is not resolved.
Anti-inflammatories
Anti-inflammatories - as their name suggests - lead to a strong inhibition of the inflammatory reaction and thus help to reduce swelling of the mucous membranes. In addition, they often have an anti-allergic and anti-spasmodic effect, which provides horses with rapid relief from asthma attacks and respiratory distress.
Conclusion
The options for treating equine asthma are varied and must always be individually adapted to the horse and the situation.
Is it enough to optimise the husbandary conditions, do I need an inhaler and if so, which active ingredients should I inhale?
Do I need medication or further diagnostics?
An evaluation of the state of health and the therapeutic measures used to date should always be carried out with a vet.