Horses are one of the best beneficial pets that many people love to raise and bring good to their owners, as the Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, said, “Goodness is tied to the forelocks of horses.” Breeders always need to educate themselves about the life of horses to take care of them and treat them from serious and contagious diseases. Among the diseases that affect horses is coughing. There are many reasons for horses to get a cough, and several symptoms appear on infected horses, especially after eating or drinking strange food after exerting effort.
Coughing is not dangerous if the required measures are taken quickly, because the longer the time is delayed in treating the cough, the more difficult it becomes, as it causes damage to the respiratory system. Here is this comprehensive guide on the most important causes of horse cough and how to diagnose and treat it.
Follow this article from teketrek.
What does a deep hoarse cough mean? and why does it occur?
Horse cough is an irritation that occurs in the horse’s respiratory system. It may be a dry cough or accompanied by nasal and mucus secretions. In this case, a doctor must be consulted and treatment must be received. It may also be the result of foreign substances entering the horse’s airways when eating or drinking, or when exercising and exerting effort, or before starting exercises. In this case, the cough is a natural reaction that the horse performs to clean the airways of foreign substances entering them.
Common causes of horse cough
Horses are very sensitive animals due to their activity and strength, as they are exposed to many diseases related to the respiratory system. One of the most prominent problems facing the respiratory system is coughing. The causes of coughing include the following:
Exposure to dust
Horses are fast animals and were used in ancient wars due to their speed, activity, and quick interaction with humans. They are patient animals that endure a lot of hardship. Horses may be exposed to dust and dirt while running or during training exercises, as this dirt and dirt enter the airways, which makes the horse cough severely as a reaction to expel the stuck things so that it can breathe, and in doing so, it cleans the airways of any deposits stuck due to dust.
Respiratory tract infection
Respiratory tract infection is one of the most important causes of coughing in horses. This infection may be caused by a viral infection called EHV, called equine herpes virus. This infection is caused by several horses being infected with the same respiratory infection due to their presence in the same place. This leads to repeated coughing by the horse. The cough is accompanied by nasal secretions and may cause a high temperature and loss of appetite. This virus causes miscarriage in pregnant horses, or the appearance of some neurological problems.
https://teketrek.net/en/tiger-snake-facts-habitat-and-venomous-traits/
Symptoms of equine strangulation
Equine strangulation is a common cause of horse coughing. It is a respiratory infection caused by Streptococcus equine bacteria. This bacteria spreads through nasal secretions and affects all horses. Symptoms of equine strangulation include high fever, coughing, secretions, and decreased appetite. It may be accompanied by swollen lymph nodes. Equine strangulation may increase the risk, especially if the swollen glands burst, which leads to the spread of pus on the skin and may lead to the death of the horse by 40%. Early diagnosis of the disease and immediate treatment are required before the problem worsens.
Diagnosis of equine cough
Early diagnosis and knowing the cause of equine cough is done by visiting a doctor when there is a persistent cough and a high temperature with loss of appetite. These symptoms are similar to many diseases such as herpes virus or equine strangulation. The type of disease is determined by medical examinations performed by the veterinarian, who takes a blood sample to determine the extent of the spread of the virus and bacteria in the blood and to know its type. Then the doctor can determine the type of treatment required.
Horse cough treatment
Horse cough is not always serious as it is caused by dust or something stuck in the airways and when the cough increases this means there is another reason and it must be treated, and here are some ways to treat horse cough:
Vaccine doses are very necessary for horses to prevent possible diseases.
There are many treatments to get rid of worms and you should consult a doctor about this procedure.
Dust can be a cause of coughing so dust should be reduced in the environment where horses are raised and the stable should be constantly ventilated.
There are many nutritional supplements that can be given to horses to maintain the health of the respiratory system.
Drug treatment for horse cough
There are many medical treatments that the veterinarian prescribes for horses in the event that the infection is persistent and accompanied by symptoms of fever and secretions. In this case, the doctor prescribes antibiotics as they have an effective and strong effect against any virus that causes coughing. In some cases, the infection is mild, in which case nutritional supplements for the respiratory system are prescribed, such as Airvent Syrup, which contains vitamin C that supports immunity and contains ingredients that open the airways such as honey, mint and oils, and the nutritional supplement Honey C, which contains many nutrients and herbs that are beneficial to the respiratory system.
Natural and preventive treatments
Preventing horses from diseases and coughing is very necessary and is better than treatment, as proper ventilation must be maintained for the stable, and horses must not be exposed to dust continuously and repeatedly. The stable must be kept clean from any viruses and bacteria by continuously sterilizing places where many horses are present. Changing the horse’s environment is also necessary to obtain proper ventilation.
https://teketrek.net/en/dog-flu-symptoms-treatment-and-prevention-tips/
How do you keep your horse away from coughing?
Prevention is much better than cure and there are several tips you can follow to protect your horse from diseases, which are as follows:
Be sure to give the horse the required vaccine according to the doctor’s instructions.
Clean the horse’s place continuously and sterilize it from viruses and bacteria.
Separate the horses with cough from the rest of the horses in the stable.
Ventilate the place constantly and move the horses to other clean places.
Give the horse Vitamins as directed by the doctor to strengthen the immune system.
Give the horse plenty of rest.
FAQs about horse cough
- How can I treat horse cough at home?
Horse cough can be treated at home by cleaning the horse’s place, ventilating the place, and giving the horse the necessary vitamins. These procedures can be done if the horse does not show other symptoms such as high temperature and secretions. In this case, you should go to the doctor and take the necessary treatment after diagnosis.
- Does horse cough go away on its own?
Yes, the cough goes away on its own if it is related to dust or something stuck in the airways. However, if it is related to a virus or another disease, then treatment takes a while until the cough disappears.
- What is the best remedy for a horse’s cough?
It is not permissible to give horses antibiotics continuously due to the serious side effects they leave. Horse treatment can be started with milder medications that depend on nutritional supplements that strengthen the immune system. In the event of no response, antibiotics are used.
- What is the best antibiotic for horse cough?
Beta-lactam antibiotics are among the most effective antibiotics and should be given to horses in doses determined by the doctor.
Finally, horse cough is not as dangerous as some people think, but it requires early diagnosis to find out the cause and then start treatment. Please note that any delay in treating severe cough is dangerous, and please differentiate between occasional cough resulting from exercise, effort or eating uncomfortable substances, and recurring cough which indicates irritation of the respiratory system and cough resulting from viral infection which is accompanied by other symptoms. When differentiating between these three types, the required treatment is taken.
