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- Title
Diagnostik und Therapie des schweren equinen Asthmas in Berlin-Brandenburg – Eine Fragebogenstudie.
- Authors
Barton, Ann Kristin; Gehrke, Ronja; Gehlen, Heidrun
- Abstract
Equine Asthma is a common, chronic disease of the small airways in the horse. Affected animals suffer from chronic coughing, dyspnea and exercise insufficiency. Their disease affects the owners not only financially, but is also an emotional problem. Apart from the pharmacological therapy, life-long consequent environmental improvement is of great importance. In this study, 50 owners of horses suffering from equine asthma were questioned via an online questionnaire regarding clinical signs, diagnosis, therapy and satisfaction with veterinary care. A trustful relationship with the vet could improve owners’ compliance concerning therapy and keeping up the measures of environmental improvement over a long time. Multiple diagnostic procedures were used with the diagnosis based most often on the clinical examination (26/50) and endoscopy (28/50). The relative low percentage of anamnesis (10/50) and cytology (19/50) was remarkable. Despite a diagnosis known for several years, the vast majority of horses still showed clinical signs, in particular coughing (47/50). Environmental improvement had been performed for the majority of horses (34/50), but still many were in contact with dry hay (25/50) or straw bedding (34/50). Most horses also had contact to sand during training or paddock time (47/50). Ground care and sprinkling was performed less than once weekly in 20/50 cases. Regarding therapy, secretolytics (38/50) and inhalation of saline (29/50) were used most commonly, while glucocorticoids were used rarely systemically (14/50) or via aerosol therapy (11/50). Most horse owners showed a high compliance (46/60) and followed the veterinary recommendations concerning type and duration of therapy. Overall, 42/50 owners were satisfied with veterinary advice and 40/50 with the recommended therapy. A mean of 4.85 treatment options were performed showing the emotional commitment and high engagement for their horses. Transparency of diagnostics performed, therapeutic advice and complete answering to questions improved owners’ satisfaction. Nevertheless, the study showed room for improvement concerning low-dust environment, feeding and pharmacological therapy.
- Subjects
CHRONIC cough; VETERINARY medicine; SYMPTOMS; HORSE owners; SHOW horses; HORSE shows; DUST; HORSE breeding
- Publication
Pferdeheilkunde, 2022, Vol 38, Issue 1, p39
- ISSN
0177-7726
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.21836/PEM20220106