Exercise‐induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) is bleeding that occurs from the lungs of horses during exercise. It occurs in the majority of Thoroughbred and Standardbred racehorses and in many other horses subjected to strenuous exercise.

Nosebleeds aren’t usually serious. However, frequent or heavy nosebleeds may indicate more serious health problems, such as high blood pressure or a blood clotting disorder, and should be checked. Excessive bleeding over a prolonged period of time can also lead to further problems such as anaemia.

When galloping, racehorses have a very high cardiac output that pushes blood through the pulmonary circulation. This creates very high pressure in the pulmonary capillaries whereby they may rupture releasing blood into the alveoli of the lung.

Treatments. The medical treatment for EIPH is to administer a diuretic called Furosemide (brand name Lasix among others) 4 hours before exercise, which increases urine output and thus reduces blood volume. In this way it has been shown to reduce calculated pulmonary capillary blood pressure and transmural pressure.

With an infected sinus, discharge may travel not only out the nose, but also down the throat, causing a cough. If the cough occurs only during or after exercise, it is possible your horse has exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage. In these cases, the blood sometimes runs down the throat and causes a cough.

Fatal Pulmonary Hemorrhage Definition. FPH was defined as pulmonary hemorrhage that leads to inevitable fatality within 24 hours of its onset despite any type of intervention, excluding the causes related with proved tumor progression, infection, or trauma.

The most likely causes of a cough in an adult horse are viral respiratory tract infection, pharyngitis, an allergic respiratory disease (RAO or SPAOPD), pneumonia, IAD, and EIPH. With the threat of all of these illnesses, you should always consult your veterinarian if your horse develops a cough.

Veterinarians evaluate the severity of the disease based on the presence and types of inflammatory cells in the airway secretions. The examination of fluid samples obtained from the lungs by bronchoalveolar lavage, or BAL, is often the most useful testing procedure for making a diagnosis of heaves.

What to do: Rest the horse two days for every day he coughs and make sure he gets plenty of fresh air. Tell your veterinarian about the situation, though a farm visit may not be necessary. Antibiotics are not effective against viral infections, but careful nursing can help the horse’s immune system do its job.

When swelling further narrows the airway, it becomes difficult to breathe. Croup causes a characteristic “barking” cough that sounds like a seal. Swelling in and around the voice box also causes a raspy voice and squeaky breathing noises. Croup can be scary for both children and parents.

What are the treatments for a tickle in the chest?

1. Resting. Getting plenty of rest can give the body energy to heal.
2. Drinking plenty of fluids.
3. Avoiding smoke and secondhand smoke.
4. Taking medications that address the underlying issue.