b'2019 AAEP CONVENTION WRAP-UPimmune system, or microbiota disrup- temperature-steamed hay had the lowestInhaled Ciclesonide: Potential Help tion, van Erck hypothesized. counts. for Asthmatic HorsesCoughing and nosebleeds occurredThe type of bedding and forage repre- Current options for managing horses more frequently in horses with fungalsent significant risk factors for IAD andwith severe asthma include mak-proliferation. fungal contamination of the airways,ing changes to the environment and Overall, the researchers saw the high- said van Erck, adding that straw beddingtreating with bronchodilators and est prevalence of fungi in the airways ofcombined with dry hay put horses at corticosteroidsthe latter of which are IAD horses. They did not, however, notemost risk. the most effective approach but often particular clinical signs associated withManage these horses with inhaled cor- come with negative side effects such as fungal presence. ticosteroids and environmental changes,cortisol suppression (cortisol is a hor-Were likely underestimating thesuch as steaming hay, to significantly re- mone that regulates important body pro-proportion of horses affected becauseduce the number of fungal contaminants. cesses). Researchers looked at a potential-there are no specific clinical signs, saidYou can give any treatment you want,ly safer corticosteroid ciclesonideand van Erck, adding that these might bebut if you dont address the environ- saw promising results.failed IAD cases that havent respondedment, you will have recurring issues, sheMathilde Leclere, DVM, PhD, Dipl. to treatment.said.Alexandra Beckstett ACVIM, associate professor in equine She and her team then looked at eachinternal medicine at the University of horses environment. They found thatARTICLE SPONSORED BY Montreal, presented data from a series of horses were more likely to have fungistudies conducted by Jean-Pierre Lavoie, in their airways if they were bedded onDVM, Dipl. ACVIM, of the universitys straw versus shavings. Those consum- Equine Asthma Research Lab on the drug.ing dry hay had the highest percent- Ciclesonide has unique pharmacologi-ages of neutrophils (white blood cellscal properties that make it active in the that increase in response to infection)lungs, with little absorption into the blood-in their BALs. Those consuming high-stream and few effects on other organs.TheHorse.com|The HorseMarch 202039AAEPWrapUp.indd 39 2/5/20 2:54 PM'