Lung lavage in horses

If you are the owner of a horse suffering from a serious respiratory disease, sooner or later you will come across the treatment method of lung lavage. Lung lavage is often seen as a last resort, especially for horses suffering from dampness, but it is often criticised. We have summarised the procedure for lung lavage, when it should be carried out and what risks can occur during lung lavage.

When do you do a lung lavage?

Lung lavage is a therapy for horses with very severe respiratory problems. It is considered a last resort (‘last chance’), as it is only used when other therapeutic measures such as the use of medication or inhalation have failed. 


Lung lavage is generally suitable for horses suffering from thick and severe mucus congestion in the smaller airways (bronchioles). If horses suffer from bronchospasm or irritated mucous membranes without mucus deposits, lavage is unsuitable as a therapy. 

Lung lavage in horses: the procedure

Lung lavage or hyperinfusion is a therapeutic measure that takes place under veterinary supervision. Contrary to what one might imagine from the term, however, no fluid is flushed directly into the lungs. Rather, it is a procedure lasting several days in which the horse is administered large amounts of fluid within a few hours under strict supervision. 


An isotonic 0.9% saline solution (NaCl) is used. For an adult warmblood, the amount of saline solution used can be over 30 litres, which is administered to the horse within a few hours. After the intake of saline solution with the help of a nasogastric tube into the stomach or through a venous catheter into the vascular system the blood pressure rises due to the increase in blood volume. This causes fluid to leak into the pulmonary alveoli. On its way through the bronchioles, this fluid leads to a liquefaction of the mucus, which can then be transported out through the trachea. During lung lavage, the horse is closely monitored, for example by regularly measuring the resting pulse rate. To avoid the risk of colic during lung lavage, horses should not eat for approx. 8 hours before the procedure.

Is it possible to do a lung lavage in the stable?

As lung lavage is a massive intervention in the horse's circulatory system, the procedure is usually carried out in an equine clinic, where the horses remain under observation for around 5-10 days. ‎ Lung lavage takes place on three consecutive days and lasts for several hours. As lung lavage requires close monitoring of the horse's state of health and close supervision over several days, it is usually not possible in the stable.

What are the risks of a lung lavage?

Lung lavage is a massive procedure that can put a lot of strain on the horse's circulation in particular. For this reason, there are also some risks associated with lung lavage: In particular circulatory problems such as an accelerated heart rate, restlessness, trembling and sweating are common symptoms. In addition, breathing may deteriorate during or shortly after lung lavage, but normalise again after a few hours. If the horse is administered the saline solution via the nasogastric tube, mild colic symptoms and diarrhoea may also occur. In very rare cases, lung lavage can lead to circulatory failure or other serious side effects.


In order to minimise the risk of lung lavage, the horses to be treated must have a certain health status.


Lung lavage is not suitable for horses with:

heart or circulatory problems
Existing severe respiratory distress
Bacterial diseases
Kidney problems
Emphysema
Excessive mucus congestion

What are the costs for a lung lavage?

The cost of a lung lavage in horses can vary greatly, depending on how long the horse is cared for in the clinic and whether complications occur during treatment. In Germany, you can expect to pay between €1,000 and €3,000 depending on the clinic and the length of stay. 

What happens after the lung lavage?

In most cases, lung lavage is very successful and the severely ill horses improve after this procedure. In order to maintain the improvement in symptoms even after lung lavage, cosequent management is essential. This includes both posture optimisation and follow-up treatment, for example with medication.

Bevor du einen Termin zu einer Lungenspülung ausmachst, hole Dir immer erst Rat bei Deinem Tierarzt und hole Dir im Zweifel eine zweite Meinung.

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