Winter weather often brings respiratory problems not only to humans, but also to horses. Poor barn and stable ventilation combined with more time spent inside can lead to airway distress and disease.
Blood test to identify respiratory problems in horses
Winter weather often brings respiratory problems not only to humans, but also to horses, and poor barn and stable ventilation combined with more time spent inside can lead to airway distress and disease.
As with humans, a horse blood test can be extremely helpful in identifying diseases and conditions that affect a horse's health. When a horse has difficulty breathing it can be a symptom of several life-threatening conditions and diseases.
The upper part of the equine respiratory system is lined by a delicate membrane covered by a layer of mucus that traps bacteria and foreign irritants and acts as a first line of defense against infection. When this defensive mechanism breaks down, exercise intolerance and poor performance are often the result.
A blood test may identify horses with inflammatory airway disease or other respiratory problems. Horses with inflammatory airway problems have impaired respiratory function and a decreased ability to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide in the tiny air sacs in the lungs. Due to this impairment, These conditions lead to exercise intolerance and poor performance in horses.
Use of a noninvasive blood test to diagnose IAD would reduce stress on the horse and expense for the owner.The standard diagnostic test for IAD uses bronchoalveolar lavage. This procedure involves passing a tube into a sedated horse’s lung to introduce a small amount of fluid, collect the fluid, and examine the cells that have been washed from the lung.
A simpler test under development would use a blood sample for diagnosis of IAD. Researchers at the Frank Duncombe Laboratory in France obtained blood samples from 20 healthy horses and 22 horses that had been diagnosed with IAD. Samples were drawn before and after each horse completed a 60-minute treadmill exercise test. Results showed that levels of surfactant protein D, a substance related to immune function in the alveoli (air sacs), was significantly higher in horses with IAD, both before and after exercise, than in healthy horses. This finding indicates that the alveoli are inflamed and may have been damaged, impacting the free exchange of oxygen.
Correct diagnosis is essential before respiratory problems can be treated with medications and management changes. Use of a noninvasive blood test to diagnose respiratory diseases and conditions reduces stress on the horse and expense for the owner.