| Equine Respiratory Diseases:
"It is estimated 30% of the equine population in the northern hemisphere suffer from heaves."
Heaves or RAO (Recurrent Airway Obstruction) is a respiratory disease that has become the most common medical condition in horses in temperate climates such as North America and Northern Europe. Leading equine veterinarians estimate the average prevalence is 25 - 30% in North America and Europe. Globally there are 18-20 million horses and after lameness, respiratory disorders are the biggest contributor to lack of performance in horses.
RAO-affected horses have an allergic reaction to stimulants in their environment that ultimately causes constricted airways and excess mucus production. Early signs of the condition are lack of performance, a forced effort to exhale, cough and nasal discharge. The primary target group are the active sport and competition horses above 6 years of age where the disease is most commonly developing.
Although environmental management can improve the surroundings for affected horses, it has little effect on the long-term treatment of heaves. Currently no totally effective therapies and none of the available medications are considered curative. As a result, heaves generally persists for the life of the horse.
Management and prevention of heaves requires intervention with medication to relieve respiratory distress - corticosteroids to reduce inflammation, administration of bronchodilator drugs to relieve respiratory distress and assistance in the removal of mucus from the airways.
Increased scientific investigation and focus on inhaled therapy for the horse over the next couple of years will favour a change in the current systematic medication regime to inhalation therapies, just as has been experienced in humans. Horses have a larger tidal volume and compulsory breathing through their nose and are therefore ideal candidates for inhalation therapy.
Successes with the treatment of respiratory illness in horses have lagged human equivalents due to the lack of effective methods for delivery of inhalation medication and specific drug doses for equine medication. Equine veterinarians recognise there is a need for effective medication.
"Most RAO-affected horses are highly sensitive to any agent that provokes airway inflammation. As little as seven hours of exposure to a stable environment can initiate airway hyper-reactivity that lasts for more than three days."
ASX Announcements 16 February, 2007: R-salbutamol Confirmed as Effective Treatment for Horses with Equine Airway Disease.
18 January, 2007: R-salbutamol Produces Significant Relief for Horses with Heaves. 9 November, 2006: Stirling to Commence Studies of R-salbutamol in Horses.
10 October, 2006: Stirling Products Granted First Patent Approval for Heaves in Horses.
13 September, 2006: Stirling Obtains Investigational New Drug Assignment for Heaves. 13 July, 2006: Stirling Establishes Joint Venture European Company.
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