Chronic Cough and Hyperpnea: Clinical Approach to Equine Asthma

Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract. 2025 Jan 13:S0749-0739(24)00086-5. doi: 10.1016/j.cveq.2024.09.001. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

Exercise intolerance, chronic cough, and hyperpnea are the clinical hallmarks of equine asthma. Diagnosis of severe equine asthma in horses is multistep; determination of the phenotype will help guide future recommendations. Management of equine asthma is largely reduction/elimination of triggering agents/conditions. Immunosuppressive therapies and bronchodilators are the mainstay of treatment of equine asthma. Rescue therapy with short-acting bronchodilators is the first goal when managing a horse with hyperpnea. The second goal is to control/reduce inflammation and airway remodeling. Immunosuppressive therapies alone will not be effective. Environmental and management changes must be established to minimize or eliminate exposure to triggering agents/factors.

Keywords: Horse; Immune-mediated respiratory disease; Problem-oriented approach.

Publication types

  • Review