Traitement des problèmes du système respiratoire profond

Lower respiratory troubles in mature sports horses mainly include viral diseases (influenza, rhinopneumonia) ; bacterial diseases (that are generally due to commensal bacteria invading the lower respiratory tract because of an impairment of the pulmonaty defences); inflammatory processes (mainly in horses suffering from heaves and inflammatory airway disease) and exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhages. Dysfunction such as hypersecretion of mucus, bronchospasms, bronchial hypereactivity and oedema may complicate any of this diseases. Treatments focusing on the etiological agents (anti-viral therapy, modulation of immunity, and antibiotic therapy), on the associated symptoms (anti-inflammatory, bronchodilators, regulator of the muco-ciliary clearance) and on the nursing and general management (rest and environmental hygiene) are described in this review