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TheHorse.com THE HORSE September 2016
Thankfully, I outgrew the asthma
(and the nickname) and my aller-
gies dissipated with immunotherapy.
But I remain aware of respiratory
struggles when I see my friends and
our horses dealing with whatever
is in bloom. Something I haven't
been aware of, however, is the strik-
ing similarity between asthma and
heaves, which led to heaves being
renamed equine asthma.
This month (on page 16), Sarah
Evers Conrad describes how human-
and horse-health researchers are
sharing notes about respiratory and
other conditions, hoping that find-
ings will benefit both species. It turns
out we have a lot in common with
our horses, from how we transition
to consciousness after birth to what
causes gastric ulcers.
Rio in Focus
One place in the news right now
because of its implications for both
human and horse health is Rio de
Janeiro, Brazil, where at press time
the Summer Olympic Games were
about to start.
Mainstream media outlets report
mosquito-borne disease, particularly
Zika virus, and heavily polluted wa-
ter among the health threats. In our
July issue (page 48) Dr. Scott Weese,
of the University of Guelph's Ontario
Veterinary College, addressed a
question about horses and Zika,
with a take-home that Zika has only
been found in nature in humans and
primates, so the risk for equine infec-
tions causing serious disease is low.
And, so far, there's no evidence that
Zika-associated birth defects seen in
humans occur in other species.
Still, mosquitoes spread other dis-
eases. A friend on the ground in Rio
tells me, though, that she's only seen
two flies, two ants, and no mosqui-
toes. Insect traps are "everywhere."
Sounds like officials are at the
ready for eliminating mosquitoes,
and individuals are using personal
protection measures, from fly protec-
tion clothing to pesticides.
My friend reports that officials are
testing barn water daily, and filtered
cold-water fountains are available by
the restrooms.
Feed and hay are imported for
Olympic horses, so there's minimal
disruption there. And don't forget
that a small army of vets watches the
equine athletes closely, looking for
signs of illness or injury.
Organizers have been very helpful,
despite inevitable language barriers
that exist at every Games.
I'm encouraged and excited about
what our horse-rider teams will
experience in Rio, and wish them the
very best—good rides and, most im-
portantly, safety and good health.
h
On Horse & Human Health
VIEWPOINT
STEPHANIE L. CHURCH Editor-in-Chief
@TH_StephLChurch
O
ne of my friends predictably erupts into a chorus of sneezes
each time she walks into the barn during the spring and fall.
Similarly, my childhood pony would cough "the cobwebs out"
in the first few minutes of each ride. And as a sufferer of childhood
asthma and allergies, I understand the struggle. I used to have to haul
a nebulizer with me to slumber parties, my friends nicknaming me
"Puff the Magic Dragon" because during treatment, the aerosolized
medication would float out through mask-nose-holes into the room.
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