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From the Editor...After such a wet period and widespread flooding in many parts of the UK over the New Year to March, horses suffering from wet, soft hooves, mud fever and other skin conditions are likely to be a problem if the wet weather continues into spring. We provide a handy hint on how to dry out soggy hooves and help restore the weight bearing action and resilience of the hooves.

Also, as a follow-on from our inaugural Talking Horses, Horse Health #1, we review Airway Disease in horses, highlighting Recurrent Airway Obstruction (RAO), the new term used to describe COPD, the ‘heaves’ and ‘broken wind’ in resting and especially in working horses.

Up to 20% of horses, especially ponies confined to indoors during winter, are regarded as ‘asthmatics’ in that they are sensitive to inhaled dust and minute mould particles from feed, hay or bedding. Often these animals also have airway allergies to inhaled pollens in the air due to flowering grass plants in the spring and summer when at grass or trained or ridden outdoors.

I hope that you enjoy reading our ‘Talking Horses’ newsletters, and don’t forget our specific issues of Talking Horses Breeding, Dressage, Performance and Ponies. New issues will be published over the next couple of months. Log onto www.kohnkesown.co.uk and select ‘Newsletters’ and subscribe to receive our free newsletters on the day they are published at 3 or 6 month intervals. We do not email any promotional type material to newsletter subscribers. The next newsletter in production is Talking Horses - Ponies and Talking Horses - Breeding. The next Talking Horses - Dressage and Talking Horses - Performance will be published in mid April in time for the spring competition season.

I hope that you enjoy reading our informative and up-to-date newsletters.

John Kohnke BVSc RDA (Vet)Handy Hint 1

Helping a Horse to Accept a Powdered SupplementMany horses find a change in feed or an added supplement not to their liking because of odour, taste or an unpalatable texture. Bitter prescribed veterinary

preparations, such as ‘bute’ granules and some worming powder granules, can be frozen and then broken into small pieces for immediate addition to a

palatable feed which is normally accepted by the horse. Horses are unable to smell or taste frozen granules in a small mixed feed. Masking agents such as molasses, apple sauce, yoghurt and even pancake mixture will often tempt

‘fussy’ horses to eat powdered supplements in their feed. One consistent aid is mixing the supplement into a garlic flavoured cooking oil mixed in a 1:1 ratio on volume with the powder. It can be mixed into the feed or administered as an oily paste over the tongue. Simply make your own garlic oil by crushing a clove of fresh garlic and dropping it into a one litre bottle of blended cooking

oil (or 5 cloves in 5 litres). Allow it to steep for 24 hours. Leave the garlic clove residue in the bottom of the container. It is then ready to mix with

the supplement and fed to the ‘suspicious’ horse! Smear a little of the oily, lightly garlic smelling supplement onto the horse’s lips and nostrils. Usually

most horses will relish the garlic flavoured oil and within 2-3 days will accept the garlic oil flavoured supplement in their feed. Alternatively, you could change to a UK patented, specially blended Supplet® pellet

product exclusive to Kohnke’s Own which are well accepted, do not sift-out, sludge in the feed bin or blow out of outdoor feed bins under windy conditions. They reduce wastage as they do not go soggy in outdoor feeders under rainy wet conditions.

The individual nutrients groups are separated into the individual colour-coded Supplet® pellets to avoid damaging nutrient interaction in the product before use, after mixing in a damp feed and when being digested by the

horse, in contrast with the loss of potency common with powered and especially liquid supplements. You may wish to check the website www.kohnkesown.co.uk for full Supplet® product details.

Website: www.kohnkesown.co.uk Email: info@kohnkesown.co.uk© Copyright 2014 John Kohnke Products International

Horse HealthTh e n ew s l e t t e r w i t h n ew s, v i ew s a n d p ra c t i c a l a dv i c e

In this issue...

Airway Allergic Reactions

Handy Hints and lots more!

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Talking HorsesIssue 2 2014

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Log onto www.kohnkesown.co.uk to explore our new website. You will be able to subscribe to our Talking Horses newsletters and find out more

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JOHN KOHNKE PRODUCTSInternational

Did You Know That...It is well established that dust and pollutant chemicals suspended in the air increases mucus secretion and can adversely affect respiratory health and performance of all performance horses.A study by researchers at Michigan State University concluded that improving the ventilation within the stable environment to limit exposure to inhaled small particulate allergens and monitoring seasonal variations, had a direct positive benefit to airway function. They found that stable construction directly influenced air quality. Stables featuring roll-up sides, vaulted high ceilings, with access to outside yards, and feeding dampened hay below chest height, had significantly lower concentrations of large dust particles compared with conventional older-style brick boxes with low ceilings, closed windows and dry hay fed in hay nets. The air in stables located on busy roadways had high concentrations of allergenic, small pollutant particles (smog) which were inhaled deep into the lungs during early morning traffic peaks, compared to more secluded stables. Unfortunately, this is the period when many horses in metropolitan stables or livery are being trained or returned to their loose boxes with lungs reactive from the insult from cold air, combined with the stress from exercise. Particle concentration was higher in spring and summer, as compared with autumn, as would be expected, and also under colder overnight temperatures when the stable doors were closed to help keep horses warm. It is also probable that horses which walk their boxes or those which are encouraged to roll in a dry, dusty indoor sand roll after exercise, when their lungs are most vulnerable to inhalation of dust, or when fed dry hay in hay nets or racks above chest height which increase the inhalation of microscopic moulds from hay, are more prone to airway disease.

Reference: Dr Melissa L May and Associates (2007) AAEP Proc 53 pg 77-79.

Handy Hint 2 Stable Bedding and RAO

It is important to check the dust content of stable bedding and it is best to select only low dust bedding materials. De-dusted virgin wood shavings are preferred. Always allow

at least 30 minutes before returning the horse to a loose box after ‘mucking out’. Leave the stable door open during this 30 minutes and provide as much ventilation as possible, particularly if new bedding has been added. This will help remove suspended dust from the air that has been ‘stirred up’. A light spray

with water to dampen the bedding surface will further help to reduce airborne dust, particularly in dry weather conditions. Thoroughly mix older damp bedding with new, clean bedding to help reduce the risk of dust being

inhaled from the fresh bedding. Horses have a natural habit to sniff and ‘stir up’ the bedding by walking around on a clean bed. Straw must be free from dust and a mouldy smell. It is recommended to use shredded

newspaper to bed down horses with respiratory disease as it contains very low levels of allergic

Kohnke’sOwn® Talking Horse Health

Airway Allergic Reactions a common problem in stabled horses

Efficient airway function is vital for a horse’s ability to exercise and perform equestrian disciplines. Horses have a high requirement for oxygen during exercise, with 80% of the metabolic energy being produced using oxygen (aerobic metabolism), even at all-out galloping speed. Any physical abnormality or disease which affects the function or efficiency of oxygen uptake within the upper airways, or lower airways in the lungs, can result in a rapid decline in performance. There are a number of upper respiratory tract abnormalities (nose, throat, larynx) which cause airway restriction, for example allergic rhinitis, see Handy Hint 8 on page 4. The lower respiratory tract is often compromised by airway inflammation, infection, excess mucus accumulation, broncho-constriction or airway narrowing (as occurs in allergic forms of asthma). Allergic airway disease can occur due to pollen, dust or sensitised particles inhaled from feed, bedding, working surfaces or in the air itself (air pollution). During the cold wet winter season and the need to keep horses indoors in stables or in livery, the risk of lower airway allergic disease is increased. Another common cause of broncho-constriction and reduced airway efficiency which compromise performance is the inhalation of near zero or sub-zero air into the lungs. This is similar to ‘ski asthma’ in humans exercising when skiing under cold conditions and breathing through an unmasked open mouth.

Recurrent Airway Obstruction (RAO)

This is a new term used to describe ‘heaves’, ‘broken wind’ or previously COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease - the term used in human medicine). It is characterised by coughing, wheezing and ‘asthma-like’ symptoms with laboured breathing and reduced exercise tolerance. It is often seen in horses stabled mainly over the cold winter months in the Northern Hemisphere. Indeed, the incidence in warmer, drier climates such as Australia, even in stabled horses, is very low (3 in 10,000 horses) compared to an estimated 55% of horses, ponies and donkeys in the UK. It mainly affects mature horses, with episodes of acute airway obstruction and breathing difficulty, followed by periods of remission of symptoms. It is now considered that certain bloodlines of horses are more prone to the condition, indicating a possible heritable component to RAO. Thoroughbreds are considered the most prone of common horse breeds. Prevalence increases with age and exposure to ‘trigger’ allergens. RAO is triggered by a genetic susceptibility and environmental combination to create hypersensitive lower airways with broncho-constriction and white blood cell accumulation. This results in excess mucus secretion in the lower airways which may physically block the already narrowed and constricted lower airways, leading to an increase in airway pressures.

Underlying Causes

The inhalation of very cold air at night can cause broncho-constriction, as is common in humans especially when suffering from the ‘flu’ which hypersensitises the lower airways. Other triggers for the onset of allergic RAO include allergic hypersensitivity to dust in hay and bedding, moulds in hay and bedding, high ammonia levels in urine soiled bedding and pollens in dry hay with flower heads. Inhalation of hay and stable dust acts to hypersensitise susceptible horses to allergens, with microbial contaminates, such as Micropolyspora faeni and the mould Aspergillus fumigatus, the latter being common in molassified feeds and dark moist stable environments, causing ongoing airway disease.

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Handy Hint 5 Avoid Working Fast in Early Morning Cold Air

To help reduce the risk of airway shutdown and increased lower airway mucus build-up, it is important to warm each

horse up for 10 minutes at the walk and trot prior to fast work to help reduce airway shutdown and inflammatory airway reaction

under cold conditions, especially in pre-dawn very cold air. It is best to fast work horses later in the morning when ground level air temperatures are warmer, especially if a horse has a history of

RAO, or chronic Reactive Airway Disease (RAD) in older horses or EIPH (lung bleeding) in the lungs of an

eventer or flat racing/hunting horse.

Handy Hint 4 The Dust Which You Cannot

See is Dangerous!Studies have shown that large particle dust greater

than 5 microns in diameter can adhere to the wet nasal passages when inhaled at each breath. This is the dust

that you can see with the naked eye suspended and swirling around in the air in a beam of light. It is found in dry sawdust,

wood shavings and seed hulls used as stable bedding. However, the small dust and mould particles below 2 microns in diameter, such as in dry straw bedding and hay, which you cannot see, can

be inhaled in the air flow and deposited deep into the lungs. It is important to ensure that a horse is able to put its head

down when eating to drain its nasal passages, otherwise the mucus and dust which has settled in the nasal

passages will be inhaled into the lower airways with the high airflow rate

during exercise.

Handy Hint 3 Remove Cobwebs from Stable Rafters

Regularly remove cobwebs which accumulate in the rafters of the roof above loose boxes (and the feed

room), as the dust can harbour bacteria and moulds, which can dislodge in damp weather or in a breeze when the

outer doors are opened. A regular spray for spiders and other insects will help minimise cobwebs.

Consult your vet for advice.

Kohnke’sOwn® Talking Horse Health

The Effects of Ventilation on Dust Levels in a Stable After Cleaning

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From Clarke 1997

The above graph illustrates that when cleaning a stable, open the doors and windows for 30 minutes or more and allow air flow to remove suspended dust before returning the horse to the stable.

Dust Particles Suspended in Stable Airspace During Stable Cleaning and for up to 12 Hours Following Cleaning

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From Clarke 1997

Did You Know That...Horses which have evidence of lower airway mucus, as confirmed after endoscoping the lower windpipe, should be given a course of antibiotics for 5-7 days and a mucolytic agent in their feed to help thin the mucus so that it can be drained from the lower airways, as prescribed by your vet. All feed should be fed dampened feed and hay in bins at floor level to facilitate airway drainage. Re-scoping at weekly intervals is recommended to monitor improvement. Ideally, reduction in tracheal mucus to a minimum of 1-2 strands or less is essential to ensure a horse can regain full exercise airway capacity. Consult your vet for advice.

The above graph illustrates that keeping the bedding clean but damp by spraying with water to settle dust reduces dust after

cleaning.

Did You Know That...Grains and hays can be contaminated with fungal organisms or moulds during harvest, storage and processing under conditions that are favourable to their growth. Moulds from feeds can affect the health and performance of breeding, growing and athletic horses in a variety of ways. Fungal organisms can be inhaled from mouldy or ‘musty’ hay, resulting in an allergic asthma-like effect on the lower airways, with inflammation and constriction of airway capacity. This can have a direct affect on airway function, reducing oxygen uptake and exercise performance. Certain moulds, when ingested in contaminated feed, can lead to an increased risk of harmful toxin production in the digestive tract. Many of these toxins, called mycotoxins, can adversely affect the appetite or the immune system, damage organs, especially the kidneys and liver, and can reduce fertility in breeding mares, as well as cause abortion and early embryonic death.A high moisture content (above 15-17%) during harvest of grains and hays, combined with plant stress by dry conditions, frost or flooding during the growing period, and broken kernels of grains which expose the inside of the kernel to contamination, can all increase the risk of mould growth and mycotoxin production.It has been estimated that up to 25% of the world’s grain supply is now contaminated with mycotoxins. Although some moulds can be used to produce bread, cheese and antibiotics, recent changes in global weather patterns, with flooding, droughts or unseasonal frosts, have increased contamination of animal feeds with a variety of harmful mycotoxins.Recent research has highlighted the widespread effects that moulds and their mycotoxins can have on athletic and breeding performance, with a growing realisation that mould contamination of hay or grain must be considered as a cause of reduced airway function and performance in athletic horses.

Handy Hint 8 Fit a Nose Mask to Filter Inhaled Air

If your horse is particularly sensitive to inhaled fine dust, mould or pollens in the air inhaled when being exercised,

fitting a nose net to cover the nostrils and filter the air, such as an Equilibrium Products Net Relief Muzzle Net®, will help minimise any allergic reaction by removing fine particulates as the air is inhaled. Simply dampening a 45cm square piece of fine muslin gauze and attaching it to the nose band on a haltered or on the bridle of a horse under saddle to hang

over the nostrils, will help remove dust before it is inhaled from a dusty working surface. Horses in the field learn to graze with the muslin nose flap in position. Covering the

upper front end of a grazing muzzle with dampened muslin gauze can also help to filter out dust and air borne

particles as a horse or pony grazes.

Handy Hint 6 Dampen Dry Food and Hay

Dry, loose hay is the major source of dust during feeding. Studies have shown that dampening hay prior to feeding can help to reduce the amount of inhaled dust and mould during feeding by up to 30 times. Dampen grass

or alfalfa hay by placing a portion in a poly woven bag (to minimise leaf loss and reduce

waste) and spray it with warm water until the hay is wet. Then allow it to drain for 30 minutes before feeding. Studies have shown

that broncho-constriction associated with inhaled dust and mould irritants, combined with inhalation of cold air in horses given an inadequate warm-up before fast exercise, increases the duration of RAO and persistent cough. In highly sensitive horses, feeding good quality haylage or cubed roughage, such as alfalfa and grass cubes, may be less allergic. Discuss

the advantages of haylage and cubed roughage with your feed supplier.

Disclaimer: The information and recommendations in this newsletter have been presented as a guideline based on the veterinary experience and knowledge of the author, John Kohnke BVSc RDA. Whilst all care, diligence and years of practical experience have been combined to produce this information, the author/editor, John Kohnke BVSc RDA, accepts no responsibility or liability for unforeseen consequences resulting from the hints and advice given in this newsletter.The information in this newsletter, or part thereof is copyright. We encourage its use in newsletters and other horse/pony club or association bulletins, provided that the source of the newsletter is acknowledged as courtesy of the author, John Kohnke BVSc RDA. The information cannot be used for magazine publication unless permission is sought from the author by email info@kohnkesown.co.uk prior to publication.

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Management of RAO

Many of the underlying causes, as discussed above, can be eliminated or reduced in managing RAO, especially in stabled horses and ponies. If the lower airway problem is associated with hypersensitivity, your vet may prescribe bronchodilator drugs, inhaled human asthma type medications and mucolytic agents to liquify excess mucus and allow its natural drainage from the lower lungs. The selection of low dust bedding, feeding well-cured dampened hay, haylage or cubed roughage at below chest height and minimising inhalation of hyper-sensitising particles, will help to control RAO in stabled horses.

Handy Hint 7 Watery Nasal Discharge and Sneezing

‘Spring Sniffles’ is common in young horses sensitised to allergic particulates, including alfalfa dust as a foreign protein inhaled from dry hay

or mixed feed. In most cases, a clear nasal discharge or drip results from nasal membrane inflammation, as well as an allergic response to pollen, especially

in horses at grass in spring when grasses are flowering. In some cases, it is simply an allergic ‘hay fever’ or an allergic ‘rhinitis’ localised in the nasal passages with

secretion of thin fluid-diluted mucus. It may not involve the sinuses, but persistent inhalation of sensitised particles will eventually result in sinus involvement with excess

mucus secretion. In severe forms of allergic rhinitis, a horse may have symptoms of noisy respiration in the nasal passages, snorting, wheezing and coughing due to local

inflammation and narrowing of the air passages deeper in the respiratory tract. These symptoms may be particularly evident when the horse is working. Often the eyes will spill tears due to inflammation around the drainage exit within the nostril area. It will attempt to rub its nose on its foreleg to relieve itchy nostrils and wipe away the mucus

when being led in hand or walked under saddle. Dampening all hay to reduce allergic particulate matter will help to settle the more severe sensitivity in some horses.

Antihistamines are generally not effective as it may make horses drowsy and can be detected for at least 7 days in a urine swab taken from a performance

or show horse. Contact your vet for advice in persistent cases. Careful observation of the change of season for increased air pollution due

to pollen inhalation in sensitised horses is essential to minimise the risk of RAO in horses at grass.

Did You Know That...Studies in Ireland by Dr Tom Buckley at the Irish Equine Centre in the early 2000’s, indicated that where respiratory disease is an ongoing problem in a stable, it is important to wash walls and floors with a steam cleaner, remove cobwebs and clean all feed bins, waterers and feed buckets by scrubbing with hot water. This will help to reduce overall bacterial and fungal contamination, such as with Aspergillus spp mould, as found in molasses, in the stable environment.

Step 1 - To build muscle and topline, Muscle XL should be given as a course, every day for 10 days, then every other day for another 10 days.Step 2 - Give Muscle XL 15 minutes after exercise while the muscles are still warm.Step 3 - Mix into a small feed of 2 handfuls of mixed feed. Or Make into a paste using an equal amount of water and garlicflavouredoil(RefertoHandyHint#1).

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