Equine asthma: what inhalation can do – guest article by Dr Kerstin Fischer

Equine asthma: What inhalation can do.

When the BIBO Pulmifier® first came onto the market, Dr Kerstin Fischer wrote the foreword to the instructions for use. She had already tried the inhaler on her own horse during development. Here you can read her text in full.

Use of inhalation masks in equine asthma

In Germany and many other industrialised countries, equine asthma is a very common condition. It comprises forms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in the horse of varying severity. Besides a hereditary predisposition, repeated contact with harmful substances (e.g. dust, moulds, ammonia) and insufficiently treated acute respiratory diseases are discussed as causes. For the owner, this condition above all means time-consuming and costly care of their beloved horse.

When coughing is considered normal

Acute respiratory diseases with nasal discharge and coughing are often not taken seriously; a dry cough that occurs spontaneously «now and then», especially in the winter months, is even considered normal. All the greater is the owner’s surprise when an endoscopy reveals a great deal of thick, sticky mucus in the trachea and the diagnosis is ultimately «equine asthma».

In addition to reducing noxious substances, including dust exposure, this also includes adapted training (including regular exercise). Open stabling with hay fed from round bales, on the other hand, does not improve the condition; in fact, many leisure horses kept in these conditions are among the patients affected.

The role of inhalation

As an accompaniment to therapy, inhalation has become very important in equine medicine and has given horse owners a very helpful tool.

Regular inhalation with an ultrasonic or mesh nebuliser clearly improves the patient’s condition and supports the horse’s well-being. Over the past decades, the inhalers available on the market have improved considerably in terms of functionality. Development has moved from large stationary devices with long hose systems to compact masks. Inhalers for horses should be as easy as possible to use, easy to clean and easy to disinfect. A quiet nebuliser unit increases the horse’s acceptance, as does a light, comfortable mask. To work well, the mask should provide short paths to the airways and, of course, produce a sufficiently small aerosol droplet size.

Her impression of the BIBO Pulmifier®

There are now many mask systems on the market that work quite well. All the more impressively, the new BIBO Pulmifier® shows how know-how and experience can optimise an inhaler mask even further.

The newly developed BIBO Pulmifier® has a very quiet, durable nebuliser unit with an extremely short path to the nostrils. The new soft material of the well-fitting mask not only makes it more comfortable for horses to wear, but also significantly reduces the risk of injury.

«I was able to try out the BIBO Pulmifier® on my own horse during its development. And it won me over! Great compliments to the developers.»