DR. ANNE MARIE RAY is shown here with Dr. Meg Brinton’s horse, Jupiter; an 18-year-old friesian dressage horse used by the Black Pearl Friesian Dance Troupe. Horses that exhibit signs of distress or allergic reactions during smoky conditions should be checked by a vet to determine if the problem is more serious. Photo by JC Cortez.
RIDGEFIELD – As smoke from distant wildfires clogged Clark County skies and dropped local air quality to “unhealthy” levels last week, authorities warned residents to stay indoors while worried horse owners throughout the area were left to wonder if their animals would be safe outside.
“You have to be careful with horses; especially horses that already have respiratory problems,” said Dr. Anne Marie Ray, an equine veterinarian at the Ridgefield Equine Clinic.
Ray advised horse owners that last week's episode was light enough that it wasn't inherently dangerous, but it was bad enough to require them to keep a close eye on their animals.
“With the current situation with the smoke, we do worry about the horses and the allergens that come along with that. We do recommend people be caution of that,” Ray said.
For horses with chronic or severe allergies, or horses affected by the condition known as recurrent air obstruction, allergens and pollutants have the potential to cause severe reactions. Even light smoke can be dangerous to some horses, Ray said.
“Those horses will sometimes be observed to have increased respiration rate. They will also look like they are really having a difficult time actually taking a breath,” she said.
Horses in danger may exhibit visible distress, cough or nasal discharge and should see a vet to determine if it is caused by allergies, a bacterial infection, or something unrelated, said Ray, who also pointed out that the nature of last week's episode made preparation difficult as the smoke was virtually unavoidable.
“The way that the smoke rolled in, it sort of permeated the air; so, unfortunately, there's not a great way to get horses out of the smoke,” she said.
For smoky conditions that have not yet become bad enough to warrant evacuation, Ray cautioned owners to take other steps to make sure their horses make it through the episode in a healthy, less stressful way.
Don't ride when smoke is thick, she said and avoid riding in smoke during the hottest part of the day when the stress of respiratory irritants combined with 90-plus degree heat can take an even greater toll on the animal's health.
Keep hay clean and dry, Ray said, to reduce irritants within the barn. Don't stack wet or moldy hay which can combust and cause a potentially deadly barn fire.
“We always recommend that people be aware of their hay,” Ray said. “Obviously, no smoking in your barn, especially where you keep the hay or shavings for bedding.”
Owners can also take steps to maximize airflow through their barns to flush out pollutants and allergens.
“All of the dust and mold and the smell of urine can be pretty hard on horses' airways as well,” she said.
Most importantly, owners need to aware of conditions and have an executable plan in place in advance in case evacuation becomes necessary.
“As with any disaster the plan would be, just like with yourselves, you have to be ready to go,” she said.
Owners with trailers should make certain it is in operable condition with all necessary licensing and permitting kept up to date. Make sure your horse can be geared to leave with as little time as possible; and keep an equine first-aid kit with bandages ready to go. A trailer's tires should be in good condition and its interior should be cleaned regularly because fluids can eat away at the structure, Ray said.
“I have seen cases where the bottom of a trailer has actually come out from underneath a horse because the wood had rotted. (You) need to be certain your trailer is in really good shape,” she added.
For owners who do not own a trailer, workable plans should be made far in advance with a person who will be willing to evacuate their horses in emergencies.
For owners who board their horses, Ray advised talking with staff to coordinate an evacuation plan.
“We should not assume … that it's up to the owner of that boarding facility to get your horse out in case of an emergency,” she said.
Resources are available to horse owners who want to find out more about equine disaster preparations. Websites like thehorse.com or the American Association of Equine Practitioners' www.aaep.org publish guidelines and tips to help owners prepare for and cope with emergencies. If owners have specific concerns or questions, Ray directed them to call their vet.
“Certainly we always encourage if clients have questions they are always welcome to call us and we can give them something very much tailored to their situation,” Ray said.
