Most owners perceived an improvement in their horses' conditions when they limited animals' exposure to hay and barn dust, alone or in combination with medications. | Photo: iStock

Managing horses with allergy-induced lung disease effectively is a two-pronged approach. Veterinarians often prescribe corticosteroids and/or bronchodilators to control acute and chronic clinical signs of disease, along with recommending environmental changes to limit horses’ exposure to inhaled allergens.

But, as with most horse health care tasks, implementing the appropriate adjustments—such as avoiding dusty arenas, soaking hay, wetting bedding, and changing to a pelleted diet—can be time-consuming and expensive. And after all that work, do owners really think their horses’ conditions have improved?

Researchers recently sought to find out and were surprised by some of their findings