Approach to Coughing Horse Flashcards
what are the clnical signs of respiratory disease (7)
- cough
- nasal discharge +/- lymph node enlargement
- alterations in rate, pattern or effort of respiration
- respiratory noise
- altered airflow at nostrils
- poor performance
- weight loss
what is the diagnositc approach to coughing (6)
- detailed history provides vital information
- routine exam
- provisional diagnosis
- therapeutic trial
- further investigations if required
- prognosis
what are some questions to ask the owner if a horse has a cough (7)
- duration, frequency
- character
- nasal discharge at any stage
- cough related to feeding, stabling, exercise?
- eating and drinking normally
- dewormed recently
- in contact with donkeys
what are some questions to ask the owner if the horse has nasal discharge (8)
- duration
- quantity increasing or decreasing
- unilateral or bilateral
- clear, mucoid purulent or bloody
- malodorous
- related to feeding or head posture
- any change in facial contours
- associated cough
what are questions to ask the owner of a horse with dyspnea (6)
- normal at rest
- if only at exercise, what speed does it occur
- nasal discharge or cough
- if apparent at rest is it related to housing
- seasonal
- worsened by feeding
what history questions can be asked if a horse has respiratory signs (5)
1, duration: infection vs. allergic
- health of individual: prev episodes, medication/vaccination, deworming
- recent travel: competitions, long distances
- health of cohorts
- environment and seasonality: changes in environment, severe equine astham (SEA), summer pasture associated
what are breed dispositions to coughing (4)
- idiopathic tachypnea of clydesdale foals
- laryngeal disease less common in ponies
- mini horse/pony: tracheal collapse
- mild-moderate equine asthma: thoroughbred and standardbred
what can be clinically observed in the coughing horses environment (4)
- mucopus on the floor (coughed from mouth or nasal discharge)
- bedding/forage (including adjacent stables)
- location of forage and bedding storage/muck heap
- ventilation
what should be observed of the horse before you start clinical exam
- breathing at rest: rate, pattern, depth
what are rapid deep breaths associated with
respiratory distress
what can rapid deep dyspnea be caused by (4)
- hypoxemia due to cardiorespiratory compromise
- severe anemia
- hypovolemia
- endotoxemia
what can rapid shallow breathing be indicative of
pain
particularly pleural pain
what can slow deep breathing be indicative of
increased effort
uderlying pathology such as equine asthma (ROA, heaves)
how do you tell if there is increased breathing effort or distress
nostril flare and/or thorax including abdomen
noise inspiratory/expiratory or both, URT or LRT
what are the signs of URT obstruction during clinical exam
- predominately inspiratory
- often associated with noise (stertor/stridor)
what can cause upper airway obstructions (6)
- severe trauma
- swelling
- edema of head
- nasal passages
- pharyngeal obstruction
- laryngeal dysfunction
what can cause pharyngeal obstruction
severe strangles
streptococcus equi
what can cause laryngeal dysfunction
laryngeal swelling/edema
bilateral laryngeal paralysis (trauma, hepatic encephalopathy, primary neurological, idiopathic)
what areas can be examined in the head and neck for cause of cough (7)
- nasal discharge (colour, volume, uni or bilateral, odour and character, epistaxis)
- uniform air movement at nostrils
- lymph nodes (submandibular, retropharyngeal region)
- swellings/asymmetry of head
- eyes: conjunctiva, epiphora, nasolacrimal tract
- tracheal palpation & sensitivity (positive tracheal pinch response)
- URT noise (usually inspiratory)
how should you evaluate swellings/asymmetry of the head
particular attention to sinus surface anatomy
percussion over sinuses –> hollow/resonance
what can cause epistaxis at rest (3)
- guttural pouch mycosis
- ethmoidal hematoma
- nasal polyp
what can cause epistaxis after exercise
exercise induced pulmonary hemorrhage
what can cause epistaxis after trauma (2)
- sinus hemorrhage
- ethmoidal: post nasogastric intubation
how is thoracic auscultation done (5)
systemic exam
- palpation of thorax: pain pleuritis? rib fracture in foals
- lung fields on both sides
- trachea
- assess the audibility and distribution of breath sounds (normal)
- are adventitious sounds (abnormal) audible? wheezes, crackles, friction ribs
what are normal breath sounds
soft, blowing, low pitch
what can be heard with thoracic auscultation
attenuation and reflection of sound waves
inspiration > expiration
loudest over trachea (inspiration = expiration)