Lower airway dysfunction in athletic horses

During the last decade, research in exercising horses provided growing evidence that the respiratory system may be a limiting factor for maximal performance, even in healthy animals. Therefore, any pulmonary dysfunction, even subclinical or moderate, may significantly impair the aerobic metabolism and consequently performance of exercising horses. This paper briefly presents the main respiratory troubles of lower airway as well as the main pulmonary function tests used to diagnose these diseases.