THOROUGHBRED HORSES

Soft Palate Disease in Horses: Tracheal stethoscopy as a diagnostic and evaluation tool

  • 33 pages

  • Published: 9 Oct 2011

  • Author(s): Curtis, R.A., Jones, S.

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Dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP) is a commonly occurring obstructive upper respiratory disease of horses. It causes a temporary respiratory airflow restriction during intense exercise resulting in loss of power and respiratory distress. It is associated with a reported gurgling sound as the horse attempts to swallow and correct the soft palate displacement.
Recording respiratory sounds from the trachea or at the nostrils has been reported as effective in the diagnosis of dorsal displacement of the soft palate. The technique is currently a research tool only and is not commercially available. This report examines tracheal stethoscopy evaluation of DDSP as a potential tool for field use in an industry wide equine setting.
This RIRDC report will be of interest to veterinarians and racehorse trainers.