Most often caused by allergies, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, is a long-term, non-contagious disease that can cause severe respiratory difficulty and distress in older horses. Severely affected horses can suffer "asthmatic attacks" caused by the severe inflammation of the airways in the lungs. The disease typically worsens with age, as the horse's lungs begin to develop chronic and abnormal changes of the airways, which worsen over time with continued exposure to the offending allergens.
Treatment involves trying to minimize or eliminate any potential allergens from the affected horse's environment. Keeping the horse in a dust-free environment, or housing the horse outdoors or in a well-ventilated area, usually is helpful in decreasing the symptoms of COPD. Medical therapy may be necessary for horses that cannot be maintained in a dust-free environment, or for those that have clinical signs that cannot be controlled through proper environmental changes.
