Respiratory Flashcards
Function of Sinuses
Sines are air filled cavities in the skull that lighten the skull’s weight, humidify and filter inhaled air, Enhance vocal resonance. They can become inflamed (sinusitis) when obstructed or infected.
Main Parts of the Larynx
Epiglottis (Prevents food from entering the airway during swallowing)
Arytenoid Cartilages (Open and close the vocal cords)
Vocal Cords (Produce sound and regulate airflow)
Structures in the Guttural Pouches
Include internal carotid artery and cranial nerves (glossopharyngeal, vagus, accessory, and hypoglossal)
Serve to cool blood traveling to the brain
Trachea, Carina, Bronchi
Trachea (Main airway, lined with cilia to clear mucus)
Carina (Bifurcation point dividing into the left and right main bronchi)
Bronchi (Lead air to the lungs and subdivide into bronchioles)
Trachea Epithelium Function
Lined with ciliated pseudostraitifed column epithelium and goblet cells.
cilia move mucus and trapped particles upward the mucociliary escalator
Protect lungs from debris and pathogens
Mediastinum Function
Central thoracic space operating the left and right pleural cavities
Contains heart and great vessels
Esophagus
Lymph nodes and trachea
Horse have a fenestrated (perforated) mediastinum allowing limited airflow and fluid between pleural spaces
Alveolar Structure and Surfactant
Alveoli (Thin walled spaces where gate exchange occur)
Surfactant (Lipoprotein reducing surface tension preventing alveolar collapse during exhalation)
Type 1 (gas exchange)
Type 2 (Surfactant)
Signs of the Lung Injury
Atlectasis (Collapse of alveoli)
Consolidation (Fluid filled lung tissue)
Access formation (Pus filled pockets due to infection)
Lead to inefficient gas exchange
Nasal Air flow
Normal airflow should be symmetric
Reduce airflow may indicate obstruction, inflammation, or infection
Increase nasal flare may indicate exercise, excitement, heat stress or potential respiratory distress
Types of Nasal Secretion
Serous: Clear and Water (Early infection or cold weather )
Mucoid: Thick, sticky (chronic inflammation)
Purulent: Yellow and green (Bacterial infection)
Hemorrhagic: Blood stained (trauma or fungal infection)
Cough and Respiratory Effort
Coughing is associated with irritation, infection, or inflammation of the airways
Increased Effort may indicate airway obstruction or lung disease
Respiratory Noise
Stridor: High-pitched noise, indicate upper airway obstruction
Stretor: Snoring like sound, linked to nasal or pharyngeal obstruction
Importance of Fever in Respiratory Disease
Fever indicates inflammation or infection
Guides diagnostic workup and treatment
Auscultation Noises
Crackles: Fluis in alveoli
Wheezes: Narrowed airways
Tracheal Rattle: Excess mucus in large airways
Rebreathing Exam
Evaluates lung function by increasing CO2, prompting deeper breaths.
Assesses tolerance, coughing, and recovery
Testing for Viral and Bacterial Disease
Viral: PCR, virus isolation, and paired titers
Bacterial: Culture, cytological analysis
Importances of Ultrasound
Identifies pleural fluid, lung abscesses., or surface abnormalities
Use of X-Ray
Global view of thoracic structure, including lung consolidation or masses
Transtracheal Wash Purpose
Collects lower airway secretion to identify pathogens
Endoscopy Purpose
Detects structural abnormalities, inflammation, or masses in the airway
Bronchoalveolar Wash Purpose
Samples cells from smaller airways for diagnosis or inflammatory and infectious conditions
Rattlesnake Bite Signs and Treatment
Signs: Swelling, nasal discharge, respiratory distress
Treatment: Emergency tracheotomy made be need to maintain airflow, anti venom. NSAID, tube in nostrils, fluids
Ethmoid Hematoma
Blood filled masse located deep within in the horse’s nasal cavity Signs maybe Low grade unilateral epistaxis
Treat with Formalin injection, ease, or surgical removal
Recurrence is common
Nasal Polyps Signs
Soft, noncancerous growths
Obstruct airflow
Result from chronic irritation
+/- unilateral nasal discharge
Sinusitis
Inflammation in the sinuses
Signs: Unilateral discharge, foul odor, swelling
Treatment: Address infection or treat the underlying tooth problem
Laryngeal Hemiplegia
is caused by a breakdown of the laryngeal nerve, which leads to paralysis of the arytenoid cartilages that open and close to allow air into the lungs.
Signs: Roaring Nose and Excerise intolerance
Treatment: Tie back surgery, however the horse is now at risk aspiration pneumonia
Arytenoid Chondritis
Inflammation that closes it up
Signs: Noise, distress
Treatment: Cartilage removal and antibiotics
Epiglottis Entrapment
Membrane traps epiglottis and causing noise
Treatment
Laser correction of the fold
Strangles
Cause by Streptococcus equi.
Signs: Abscesses, nasal discharge, fever.
Treatment: Biosecurity, isolation, antibiotics
Primarily in young horses
Transmission through direct contact with discharge, exposure to fomites, new additions to herds, Carrier without clinical signs
Incubation period 2-6 days
Shedding 2-3 weeks or longer
Contagious maybe for 6 weeks
Carries in guttural pouch Hard pus balls
Can be metastatic (Bastrad Strangles)
Guttural Pouch Mycosis
Fungal Infection causing severe bleeding and nerve damage
Plague attached
Treatment: Surgery to ligate affected vessels
EIPH
Bleeding in the lungs from his pulmonary pressure
Treated with diuretics (furosemide)
Shipping Fever
Transport associated pneumonia
Precent by frequent stops, allowing horse to put head down, hydration, and monitoring
Pleuropneumonia Stages and Treatment
Stages: Exudative, fibrinopurulent, and organization
Treatment: Antibiotics, drainage, and supportive care
Equine Herpes Virus
Rhino pneumonitis
EHV! more serious because of the abortion, sporadic paralytic, and neurological disease
Versus replicate in musical surface can be effective or latent (dormant)
Prevent: Through vaccination and biosecurity
Rhodococcus Pneumonia
Foal pneumonia causing abscesses.
Caused by spores (areas worse)
Shed in manure
Prevention: Hygiene, plasma transfusion
Inflammatory Airway Diseases
Milder asthma with normal breathing at rest; triggered by dust
Recurrent Airway Obstruction
Severe asthma causing “heaves”;
Signs: Cough, nostril flare, tachypnea, exercise intolerance e, Heave line
Digsnosis with rebreathing and Bronchoalveolar lavage
Asthma Management
Remove and dont feed dusty or moldy hay
Improve ventilation
Try to not house horse in dusty condition or smoke
Soak hay
Dont feed large bales
Asthma Treatment
Inhaled treatments: Bronchodilators and steroids
Systemic with antihistamines or steroids
Purpura hemorragia
Causes blood vessels to swell and leak, resulting in edema usually in the limbs, rashes on mucous membranes and stiffnessIs often triggered by an abnormal immune repose usually to a vaccine
