Chronic Cough and Hyperpnea: Clinical Approach to Equine Asthma

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.