Dietary Support For The Lungs
By Linda Kennard – NAF
September is upon us, the nights will be drawing in and many of us will be looking to bring our horses into their stables for part of the day. This change of environment can have a major effect on some horse's respiratory system.
Horses evolved to thrive on wide open plains, and their respiratory tracts are designed for exerting maximum performance from fleeing predators, not the same at all as working efficiently in enclosed environments. Respiratory disease in the horse is second only to lameness as a major cause of reduced tolerance to work. So for horses over winter it can be difficult to avoid the dust burden associated with products such as hay, straw, sand schools etc, which can stress the lungs of susceptible individuals.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a term used in human medicine and until recently it was used to describe the equine condition. In humans it relates to severe and progressive inflammatory lung disease which is seen primarily in smokers.
Research over the last 10-15 years has shown that the human condition and the equine condition are quite different. It has been established that the equine condition is more closely related to human asthma rather than human COPD.
The equine condition is characterised by recurrent bouts of reversible narrowing (bronchospasm) and inflammation of the airways. It has been shown that with improvements in management and with the use of medication the airway obstruction can be reversed. However it does reoccur when the horse is re-exposed to a dusty environment. Therefore Recurrent Airways Obstruction (RAO) is now the preferred name.
The respiratory system is continually challenged by large amounts of foreign material. Viruses, bacteria and fungi are all readily inhaled from arena surfaces during exercise and from dusty bedding and stable environments.
Signs will vary from horse to horse and the early signs can be quite subtle. Horses suffering from RAO may not have a temperature and can appear well in themselves. The condition usually develops over a period of time. Symptoms can include coughing, this can be most noticeable during and after exercise, nasal discharge, which maybe clear to begin with turning white and creamy or yellow in colour, increased respiratory rate, the normal resting respiratory rate for an adult horse is 12 - 20 breaths per minute, exercise intolerance and depressed appetite.
As well as management playing an important role in the control of RAO, help within the diet is also available. Using a dust free fibre source, such as haylage and low dust bedding can be useful.
Within the diet antioxidants are proving themselves invaluable because of their ability to mop up undesirable toxins from the system. These toxins, known as free radicals, are key to the deterioration of the delicate lung tissue. Once free radicals have built up in the lungs they exacerbate and accelerate the condition. Supplementing your horse's diet with antioxidants is the same principal as eating five helpings of fruit and vegetables a day yourself. When choosing an antioxidant product ensure it contains a broad range of naturally sourced nutrients. No one nutrient is successful on all animals, and the synthetically produced vitamins often compare poorly with their natural neighbours. Ideally a combination of MSM with antioxidant complexes would be advised to support lung tissue integrity. Repeated stress to the lungs can cause significant tissue damage. Bio-available sulphur is required by the body to form amino acids, the building blocks of soft tissue. Therefore where symptoms or history indicates the use of MSM, an entirely natural form of sulphur, is recommended.
Garlic is also recommended on a daily basis. Garlic has been used since medieval times as an expectorant and is said to have natural antiseptic and antibiotic properties. If choosing garlic ensure that the whole cloves are used and not just the extracts.
