Vet feature What’s that noise?


Phil Cramp BSc BVM&S MS Dip ACVS & ECVS MRCVS American and European Specialist in Equine Surgery is one of the directors of Hambleton Equine Clinic in Great Ayton. Here he discusses the diagnostic techniques used to detect respiratory issues in horses.


endoscopy, when we put a flexible camera up the horse’s nose and look at the airway to see if it is functioning well or if there are any problems. This is an excellent diagnostic tool but a large number of diseases are not visible when the horse is at rest and are only apparent when the horse is exercising. Frequently there is more than one problem occurring at any one time.


A horse wearing an overground endoscopy kit


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orses are phenomenal athletes but they have a few design flaws,


one of which is their relatively narrow and long airway and the fact that one of the major nerves that controls the larynx (entrance to the airway) is very long. As opposed to exiting from the spinal cord in the neck and entering the larynx which is relatively close by, it goes all the way down the neck, around the heart and then back up the neck to the larynx. This predisposes it to injury. Furthermore, when we ride horses, we choose to make them carry their head and neck in unusual positions which can also affect the function of the airway.


Anything that compromises the radius of the airway can severely affect the flow of air down it. In other words, if the airway is not able to be as open as possible when a horse is exercising, then the horse will tire more quickly. The other tell-tale sign is that any structure collapsing across the airway will generate turbulent airflow which, in turn, will create an abnormal noise. These noises are often described as ‘whistles’, ‘roars’, ‘thick-winded’ and ‘gurgles’ amongst other things. If a horse is making an abnormal noise then there is nearly always something causing it and, if we are going to be able to treat it successfully, then we need to know which structure in the upper airway is responsible. A first line approach is to perform


It is important to recognise this limitation as if nothing is seen at rest, then we need to look whilst the horse is exercising. There are two ways of doing this; one is to perform endoscopy with the horse on a treadmill where the horse runs on the spot. There are clearly some limitations to this, for example, these only exist in a few centres, you have to train the horse to use it and it can be dangerous and expensive. The other method is over-ground endoscopy, where a scope is fixed up the horse’s nose and attached to the horse via specialised tack. The horse is then ridden whilst the endoscope is in place and the video is reviewed. Overground endoscopy has been around for a decade or so but now is relatively commonplace and not only is it less expensive but it can be done on your yard, in your school or on your gallops. It is well tolerated by most horses and allows the horse to perform the exact exercise that causes the abnormal noise. This all allows us to be able to make an accurate diagnosis and therefore recommend the best treatment option and hopefully get the best result for you and your horse.


It has revolutionised the way in which we diagnose upper airway noise and how we investigate complaints of abnormal respiratory noise. In fact, at our practice, we offer it as part of a poor performance workup such is the ease of using it and the information gained by using it. When you consider that over 80% of all upper airway disease is multifactorial and that about 95% of these problems are dynamic (which is the term we use to


describe disease which only occurs during exercise) you can see what an essential tool it is.


Overground endoscopy is one of those developments that literally changes the diagnostic landscape and when you combine this with advancing treatment options, such as laryngeal reinnervation, it gives us the ability to really help more horses.


Please call us at Hambleton Equine Clinic on 01642 723132 or email on info@hambleton- equine.co.uk if you have any questions.


Above: a normal larynx at rest; right: not normal during exercise


Lancashire’s Allan Birch takes the top spot in the SEIB winter novice qualifier at Onley Grounds Equestrian Centre


the latest SEIB winter novice qualifier on 4th January. With 66 combinations contesting the class, it was Lancashire-based Allan Birch who rose to the top to claim the victory.


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Twenty-six of the initial starters jumped clear around David Cole’s first round course. From that field only 10 negotiated the jump-off track with nothing to add and in doing so, produced some quality double clear rounds. The competition was hard fought with just two qualifying places on offer for the championship final at the Royal International Horse Show, Hickstead, West Sussex later in the summer season.


Partnered with Amy Moreton’s 10 year old British-bred bay mare, Oldlands Livaldi, Allan crossed the finish line clear and less than a second faster than their closest rival to guarantee their place in the championship final.


6 EQUESTRIAN PLUS FEBRUARY 2020 | For advertising telephone 01380 734373


nley Grounds Equestrian Centre in Rugby, Warwickshire hosted


Allan Birch & Oldlands Livaldi


Second place went to Stockton- on-Tees based Harry Wood with the six year old bay gelding Johidoki, a horse that is owned by Victoria Wood. This combination also finished double clear in a quick time of 43.68 seconds.


SEIB Winter Novice qualifier results


1st Allan Birch & Oldlands Livaldi – 0/0 – 43.47 seconds 2nd Harry Wood & Johidoki – 0/0 – 43.68 seconds.


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