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Effects of environmental control on pulmonary function of horses affected with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Author(s) -
THOMSON JILL R.,
McPHERSON E. A.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
equine veterinary journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.82
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 2042-3306
pISSN - 0425-1644
DOI - 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1984.tb01845.x
Subject(s) - asymptomatic , medicine , copd , pulmonary function testing , pulmonary disease , tidal volume , compliance (psychology) , cardiology , pulmonary compliance , pathophysiology , lung , respiratory system , psychology , social psychology
Summary The effects of environmental control on horses affected with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was assessed by clinical examination and pulmonary function tests, ie, maximum change in intrathoracic pressure, tidal volume, minute volume, non‐elastic work of breathing, dynamic compliance, inspiratory and expiratory flow rates and arterial blood gas analysis. A controlled environment (ie, bedding horses on shredded paper and feeding a complete cubed diet) caused symptomatic COPD affected horses to become asymptomatic within four to 24 days (mean ± sd 8.4 ± 4.8 days). When asymptomatic, their pulmonary function values did not differ significantly from those of normal horses, which indicates that the pathophysiological changes occurring in equine COPD are reversible. The time taken for horses to become asymptomatic correlated significantly with age, duration of illness and severity of disease as adjudged by the non‐elastic work of breathing.