Association of increased tracheal mucus accumulation with poor willingness to perform in show-jumpers and dressage horses

• Published in: The veterinary journal (1997) Vol. 182; no. 3; pp. 430 - 435
• Main Authors: Widmer, Annina, Doherr, M.G., Tessier, C., Koch, C., Ramseyer, A., Straub, R., Gerber, V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.12.2009
• Subjects: animal age; Animals; athletic performance; cell biology; endoscopy; Endoscopy - veterinary; Equine; Female; Horse Diseases - pathology; Horse Diseases - physiopathology; Horses; hyperplasia; Hyperplasia - pathology; Hyperplasia - veterinary; Laryngeal Diseases - pathology; Laryngeal Diseases - physiopathology; Laryngeal Diseases - veterinary; Lymphoid Tissue - pathology; Male; mucus; Mucus - secretion; neuropathy; Neutrophils; Pharyngeal Diseases - pathology; Pharyngeal Diseases - physiopathology; Pharyngeal Diseases - veterinary; Physical Conditioning, Animal - physiology; Recurrent laryngeal neuropathy; respiratory system; Sport horse; sport horses; Sports; trachea (vertebrates); Trachea - cytology; Trachea - metabolism; Trachea - pathology; Tracheal Diseases - pathology; Tracheal Diseases - physiopathology; Tracheal Diseases - veterinary; tracheobronchial secretion; Upper and lower airway disease; Willingness to perform; Willingness to perform; Equine; Upper and lower airway disease; Sport horse; Recurrent laryngeal neuropathy
• ISSN: 1090-0233; 1532-2971
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2008.08.015

The objective of this study was to examine the association of pharyngeal lymphoid hyperplasia (PLH), recurrent laryngeal neuropathy (RLN), mucus accumulation (MA) score and tracheobronchial secretion neutrophil percentage (TBS-N) with rider-assessed performance in sport horses. Airway endoscopy scores, tracheobronchial secretion cytology, rider-assessed general impression and willingness to perform were investigated in 171 top-level sport horses. Increased MA appears to be associated with poor willingness to perform in sport horses. Older horses had decreased PLH scores and increased TBS-N. Mucus accumulation scores ⩾3 were associated with increased odds (mean 9.92; upper and lower 95% confidence intervals: 1.5–64.6) of poor rather than excellent willingness to perform. A TBS-N of 20–50% compared with <20% was associated with decreased odds (median 0.11; upper and lower 95% CI: 0.02–0.66) of poor rather than excellent willingness to perform. In addition, horses with an RLN grade ⩾2 had significantly higher odds for giving a poorer general impression and willingness to perform. This finding, however, must be interpreted with caution, since only two horses had significant RLN (grade ⩾3).