Recurrent Airway Obstruction (RAO) in Horses

horse outside into a pasture whenever possible storing hay away from the afflicted horses stall and switching from straw bedding to lowdust bedding such as shredded paper or cardboard.
Feeding the horse watersoaked hay is an option if the RAO is mild. However horses with more severe disease will need a switch to a complete pellet feed instead of hay. The barn or stable should be kept as dustfree as possible.
Some horses will also require medications to control their condition particularly during flares of symptoms. The most commonly prescribed medications include systemic or inhaled bronchodilators which help to open the constricted airways and systemic or inhaled corticosteroids which help to relieve inflammation. These medications might be used only when the horse is in respiratory distress due to a flare of symptoms or longterm to help manage symptoms in horses with severe disease that cannot easily be kept away from allergytriggering antigens.
Prognosis for Horses With Recurrent Airway Obstruction
With proper management and treatment horses with mild to moderate cases of RAO can lead fairly normal lives. However they will need to be closely monitored for flareups of symptoms and may never be able to work or exercise as hard as healthy horses.
More severely affected horses are not able to work or exercise and are likelier to develop secondary pneumonia or other respiratory infections. These horses have a poorer prognosis.
How to Prevent Recurrent Airway Obstruction
It may be difficult to prevent RAO entirely as its hard to predict if your horse will develop the disease or not. But this chronic lung condition builds gradually. If recognized early good feed and stable management may slow or prevent its progression and the horse may be able to take on an almost normal workload. If the horse is continually exposed to the irritants however the disease may progress to the point where it is unable to thrive
Make sure that any fodder and bedding are mold and dustfree. A wellventilated stable is essential for keeping your horses lungs healthy. Outdoor turnout is the best way to provide lots of fresh air as well as fresh grassrather than dusty hayfor feeding.