The primary concern in treating horses affected with COPD due to allergies is keeping the horse away from the underlying allergens. If the horse is stabled and begins to develop respiratory difficulty and coughing, then it may be allergic to dust, hay, molds, or certain feeds, and should be kept outside, where these potential allergens are not present. If the horse has to be kept in barn, shredded paper should be used as bedding.
Some horses develop breathing difficulty during specific times of the year, or while outside on certain pastures, due to an allergy to certain plants or pollens. Stabling the horse in a barn with shredded paper for bedding instead of straw, or keeping the animal off pastures during the problematic seasons, may eliminate the incidence of the allergic reaction. To cut down on reactions to dust and mold, an owner may dampen the hay to settle dust, but should not allow it to sit for an extended period of time; otherwise, mold may form. Horses with severe allergies may not tolerate hay.
For horses that cannot be effectively managed by a minimization of contact with potential allergens, medical therapy is needed. Medications such as antihistamines, steroids, and bronchodilators have been used with varying results. Steroids usually help decrease the inflammation in the lungs and allow the horse to breathe more freely, but they are associated with some side effects, such as laminitis. Bronchodilators help open up or dilate the airways in the lungs. The examining veterinarian will be able to determine the best course of therapy, as well as which medications will be necessary to minimizing clinical signs of the disease
