Prevalence of Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage, Tracheal Mucus and Recurrent Laryngeal Neuropathy in Competitive Draft Pulling Horses

• Published in: Journal of equine veterinary science 2023-10, Vol.129, p.104895-104895, Article 104895
• Main Authors: Burns, Jennifer J., MacMillan, Kathleen M., John, Emily
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Draft horse; Equine airway inflammation; Equine respiratory disorders; Exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage; Recurrent laryngeal hemiplegia
• ISSN: 0737-0806; 1542-7412
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2023.104895

•Exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage occurred in 26% draft pulling horses.•Recurrent laryngeal hemiplegia occurred in 32% and tracheal mucus in 82%.•Horse and competition factors were not associated with respiratory disease. Respiratory disease is common in the horse population and is often associated with poor performance in equine athletes. Despite their outstanding strength and aerobic capacity, little regard is given to draft horses and the respiratory disorders they may encounter when performing athletic activity. For this reason, the objectives of this study were: (1) to determine the prevalence of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH), tracheal mucus (TM) and recurrent laryngeal hemiplegia (RLH) in a population of competitive draft pulling horses, and (2) to determine if there was an association between horse weight, height, age, amount pulled, or competition placing with EIPH, TM or RLH in draft pullers. Results of this study identified EIPH in 26% of the study population, RLH in 32% and TM in 82% of participating horses; however, no risk factors were identified for the development of these problems in draft pulling horses.