Many rib fractures have little impact on the respiratory system. However, depending on their location and degree and manner of displacement, they could inflict severe damage to organs within the thoracic cavity with sometimes fatal consequences. | Photo: Courtesy Dr. Rodney Belgrave

Sometimes, a subtle sign can be an indication of a potentially serious problem. A cough here, nasal discharge and flared nostrils there. A rapid heart rate. These manifestations of respiratory distress can be the early indicators of respiratory disease, a major cause of morbidity (illness) and mortality in horses.

At the 2016 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention, held Dec. 3-7 in Orlando, Florida, Rodney Belgrave, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM, of Mid-Atlantic Equine Medical Center, in Ringoes, New Jersey, described how to diagnose and treat respiratory emergencies in horses.

First, he listed signs of respiratory distress, which “may or may not be obvious depending on the rate of onset of the condition and its severity.” These include nostril flare, tachypnea (increased respiratory rate), short shallow breaths, cough, nasal discharge, varying degrees of exercise intolerance, and reluctance to walk due to pleural (lung) pain