Equine Flu or Allergies?
Did you realize the horse could have allergies? It makes sense if you consider the type of environment they live in. If they are not outside (and in some instances even if they are) they can have an allergic attack to dust, molds, smoke, and other air borne allergens like burning smudges, bug spray and perfumes or medicinal odors.
The name for this condition is Allergic Respiratory Disease (ARD) and it shows up with flu-like symptoms rather than sinus or nasal difficulties. The horse's lungs will get inflamed, making them far more susceptible to virus and bacterial infections. This manifests as a recurring problem your own horse never quite will get more than. You'll also likely see coughing, excessive eye discharge and discover they get tired easily.
It seems the most common cause of ARD is several types of mould spores and weeds in hay or straw. This is a seasonal thing, so you may only see the problem popping up in the spring and the summer. Problem is, winter and fall feed come from the same source, so what happens is the horse builds up sensitivity about time and their reactions increase.
You can keep them outside in refreshing air to try reducing the symptoms. If however your own horse needs to be stalled, store your current hay in a different location and make sure the airflow in the barn is good. Soak the hay before feeding if generally there is a dust problem.
If your own at home solutions aren't helping much, call your Vet and have her take a look at the fluid and cells in the horse's lungs to figure out how severe the allergy is. There's also a new blood test that can tell the Vet precisely what the horse is allergic to. Exciting news, because that means customized treatments for each horse. Other treatments include corticosteroids (cortisone) and bronchodilators.
Figuring out what the problem is in the first place is fifty percent the battle and once you have that under control, the horse is nicely on his way to making a good recovery.
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