Ash and gases emitted since Wednesday's initial eruption of the Eyjafjallajokull volcano in Iceland could pose breathing risks to anyone exposed, including horses, according to a European equine researcher whose work centers around respiratory disease.

Local horses (living near the volcano) could experience unconsciousness, asphyxiation, or death due to toxicity from carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide, said Eric Richard, DVM, MSc, PhD, researcher at the Frank Duncombe Laboratory in France. Hydrogen sulfide and ash could also provoke bronchial constriction, cough, and bronchitis among horses within the country and beyond, he added.

Endometritis in mares

Bronchoalveolar Lavage (BAL) procedures can be used to help diagnose respiratory diseases in horses, including illnesses resulting from exposure to volcanic ash and gases

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