Proprietary process for pre-treatment of hay to reduce clinical signs, and inflammation associated with Recurrent Airway Obstruction (RAO) in horses

The project objective is to demonstrate the efficacy of an innovative process for pre-treating hay in reducing clinical signs and inflammation levels associated with Severe Equine Asthma (SEA, or Recurrent Airway Obstruction, RAO, or "heaves") in horses, thus creating a new method for effectively managing a horse’s breathing environment while simultaneously reducing the related economic and labor burden on owners. SEA is the most common respiratory disorder plaguing stabled horses, with the most severe form affecting ~15% of the equine population in the northern hemisphere, representing ~150,000 horses in Canada alone. Mild/moderate equine asthma is estimated to affect up to 75% of horses. Negative impacts of SEA are quite significant with horses experiencing frequent coughing, inability to work, and labored breathing at rest, often leading to a premature retirement or euthanasia. Clinical signs develop in susceptible animals when they inhale environmental antigens, especially those present in hay. SEA is a chronic disease for which there is currently no cure. The clinical signs can be improved with drugs, primarily corticosteroids and bronchodilators. However, the majority of currently available medications either carry prohibitive costs, or are not indicated for long-term use due to risk of severe adverse effects. Furthermore, clinical signs rapidly recur after treatment cessation unless they are combined with strict management changes of the horse’s breathing environment. Currently available management techniques, however, experience poor owner compliance due to either onerous time and labor requirements, or significant higher costs of feeding. In addition, most alternative foodstuffs incorporated into existing management techniques result in a reduced nutritional value as compared to conventional dried hay, or represent health risks such as botulism in horses fed silage, and stereotypic behaviors when using pelleted feedstuff. Given the above we believe that there is a strong need amongst horse owners for methodologies which facilitate the environmental management process by offering a more efficient, and cost-effective solution. As the most important factor in exacerbation of SEA is repeated inhalation of antigens occurring during the consumption of conventional hay, we believe that effective environmental management can be achieved by developing a method of pre-treatment of hay which eliminates the emission of organic dust particles normally occurring during consumption. Nutri-Foin Système Inc. ("Nutri-Foin") has developed such a method of processing hay; hence the principal activity of the project will be to conduct a clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of the Nutri-Foin Process in treating the symptoms generally associated with SEA, as well as the inflammation levels in the lower airway which are indicative of the condition. The clinical trial will be conducted by Dr. Jean-Pierre Lavoie, in association with the Université de Montréal.