Archive Case #25: Equine Recurrent Airway Obstruction

Clinical Clues

1. A 14-year-old gelding is evaluated for chronic coughing and poor performance.
2. The owner reports the signs worsen when the horse is stabled and fed dusty hay.
3. At rest, the horse has increased respiratory effort with an obvious abdominal component.
4. A heave line is visible along the caudoventral abdomen.
5. Endoscopy and airway sampling support chronic non-infectious lower airway inflammation.
6. Long-standing hypersensitivity to inhaled organic dust can cause chronic expiratory effort and airway obstruction in adult horses.

Diagnosis

Equine Recurrent Airway Obstruction

This case is most consistent with Equine Recurrent Airway Obstruction because the horse has chronic cough, increased expiratory effort, and worsening signs in a dusty stable environment. The most important clues are the heave line, environmental trigger, and evidence of chronic lower airway inflammation, which support RAO over an acute infectious process.

Educational Use

Vetdle archive cases are educational veterinary games for diagnostic reasoning practice. They do not provide veterinary advice, diagnosis, treatment, or professional medical guidance.