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Published on: February 9, 2022
The prevalence of abnormal breathing patterns during exercise and associations with dynamic upper respiratory tract
L E Fitzharris1, S H Franklin2, K J Allen1
1Langford House Equine Hospital, University of Bristol, UK.
Reasons For Performing Study:
There is very limited published information on the prevalence and significance of abnormal breathing patterns adopted during canter/gallop.
Objectives:
The aim of this study was to report the prevalence of abnormal breathing patterns during canter/gallop and to investigate whether these may be associated with dynamic upper respiratory tract (URT) obstructions.
Study Design:
Retrospective analysis of clinical records.
Methods:
Simultaneous audio and URT videoendoscopy recordings from 365 horses referred for treadmill evaluation were analysed.
Results:
Thirty percent of horses had an abnormal breathing pattern at canter or gallop, of which 23% had a 2:1 breathing pattern (i.e. one breath is taken over two strides). The prevalence of abnormal breathing patterns was higher at low canter speeds than during strenuous exercise. There was a significant association between breathing pattern during strenuous exercise and the presence of an URT obstruction.
Conclusions:
This study suggests that abnormal breathing patterns during canter and gallop may be associated with dynamic URT obstructions; therefore, horses identified by owners or veterinary surgeons to have an abnormal breathing pattern during exercise, in particular a 2:1 breathing pattern, may warrant investigations for diagnosis of respiratory tract disease.
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