Respiratory Emergencies and Critical Care in Adult Horses

Presentation Description / Summary: Respiratory emergencies in adult horses are not uncommon and can quickly become life-threatening. A thorough understanding of the underlying pathophysiology is required to enable the clinician to quickly chose the most appropriate diagnostic tests and imaging modalities, interpret diagnostic findings and take rapid, decisive action. The talk will provide an in-depth review of the respiratory pathophysiologies encountered with different equine emergencies and their effects on the patient. Treatment options and any possible adverse effects of treatments are also discussed. Where appropriate, reference to recent developments in diagnostics and emerging treatment options in the human field or other veterinary species that might be applicable to adult horses will be included. The information is presented in form of a case-based, interactive discussion of examples of common and less frequent equine respiratory emergencies focusing on recognizing and counteracting the effects of the underlying pathology on normal function. The audience will be invited to participate by online voting and contributing their own experiences.