Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cardiac and Respiratory Disease in Aged Horses.
- Journal:
- The Veterinary clinics of North America. Equine practice
- Year:
- 2016
- Authors:
- Marr, Celia M
- Affiliation:
- Rossdales Equine Hospital and Diagnostic Centre · United Kingdom
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
As horses get older, they often face issues with their hearts and breathing. Older male horses and smaller breeds are more likely to develop heart murmurs, which are unusual sounds made by blood flow in the heart. The most common breathing problem in these horses is airway inflammation, which can lead to serious conditions if not treated. If a horse has ongoing breathing issues, it can cause heart problems over time. Managing both heart and breathing issues together is very important for the health of older horses.
Abstract
Respiratory and cardiac diseases are common in older horses. Advancing age is a specific risk factor for cardiac murmurs and these are more likely in males and small horses. Airway inflammation is the most common respiratory diagnosis. Recurrent airway obstruction can lead to irreversible structural change and bronchiectasis; with chronic hypoxia, right heart dysfunction and failure can develop. Valvular heart disease most often affects the aortic and/or the mitral valve. Management of comorbidity is an essential element of the therapeutic approach to cardiac and respiratory disease in older equids.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27329492/