“Endoscopy is the primary diagnostic tool for evaluation of the upper airway of the horse,” said Brett Woodie, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVS, of Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital, at the clinic’s annual client education seminar held Jan. 5 in Lexington, Ky. He reviewed the history of endoscopy and its current use at rest, and the advantages of dynamic examination of the upper airway of horses which are exercising on a high-speed treadmill.

Reasons a horse owner would want to have his horse’s upper respiratory tract scoped by a veterinarian include exercise intolerance, abnormal respiratory noise, nasal discharge, nosebleeds, coughing, abnormal swelling of the head or neck, or as a screening test. Endoscopic exams are performed at rest on Thoroughbred yearling sales prospects