One of the main functions of the equine respiratory system is to trap debris. The horses nasal cavity is lined with ciliated epithelium, which produces mucus and is equipped with cilia.1 Air-borne debris gets trapped in the sticky mucus as it enters the nasal cavity and the cilia move from side to side in order to move the mucus toward the throat.1 When the debris-filled mucus reaches the throat, it can then be swallowed and digested or expelled through coughing.1 Research has shown that nearly half of the horse population has obtained some sort of lung disorder that is typically caused by small dust particles and individual hygiene issues that are related to the particles.2 Since these problems are affecting nearly half of the horse population,
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This drug is in the form of a cellulose powder that is sprayed into the horse's nasal cavity.3 The powder turns into a mucus-like gel as it collides with the warm, moist nasal membrane.3 This provides an extra layer of mucus in order to filter out debris that is taken into the nasal cavity.3 This could help decrease the prevalence of lung disorders in horses and therefore decrease respiratory rates in a positive fashion. This experiment will study the effects of BreatheWiseTM on respiratory rates during hot days and cool nights. If there is more debris present, the horses would have more of a chance of having a lung disorder which could increase respiratory rate. Since horses are obligate nasal breathers, the amount of air that they are taking in depends directly on a clear nasal passage. If the nasal cavity is filled with mucus and debris, then the horse will have to increase its respiratory rate to take in enough oxygen. By administering a medication similar to the one described above (called "breathe-all"), the respiratory rate of the horses could decrease due to a clear nasal cavity caused by the increased filtering properties that the drug is …show more content…
It will be done the week before school starts in order to ensure that classes and school-related activities do not interfere with the experiment and also to ensure that the horses will not be overworked during experimentation. The experiment will be reproduced five days in a row in order to gather enough results. Ten middle-aged horses ranging from 12-16 years of age will be used from the SAU Equestrian in order to ensure that there is no age-related error in the results. The horses will be split into two groups of five. The first group of horses will be tested at 1 P.M. which will be the time at which the peak temperature is reached during the day. The second group of horses will be tested at 4 A.M. which will be the time at which the lowest temperature of the day is reached. Using the highest and lowest temperature of the day will provide the greatest difference in results so I can examine if there is a significant difference in the change of respiratory rate during the day versus the
This drug is in the form of a cellulose powder that is sprayed into the horse's nasal cavity.3 The powder turns into a mucus-like gel as it collides with the warm, moist nasal membrane.3 This provides an extra layer of mucus in order to filter out debris that is taken into the nasal cavity.3 This could help decrease the prevalence of lung disorders in horses and therefore decrease respiratory rates in a positive fashion. This experiment will study the effects of BreatheWiseTM on respiratory rates during hot days and cool nights. If there is more debris present, the horses would have more of a chance of having a lung disorder which could increase respiratory rate. Since horses are obligate nasal breathers, the amount of air that they are taking in depends directly on a clear nasal passage. If the nasal cavity is filled with mucus and debris, then the horse will have to increase its respiratory rate to take in enough oxygen. By administering a medication similar to the one described above (called "breathe-all"), the respiratory rate of the horses could decrease due to a clear nasal cavity caused by the increased filtering properties that the drug is …show more content…
It will be done the week before school starts in order to ensure that classes and school-related activities do not interfere with the experiment and also to ensure that the horses will not be overworked during experimentation. The experiment will be reproduced five days in a row in order to gather enough results. Ten middle-aged horses ranging from 12-16 years of age will be used from the SAU Equestrian in order to ensure that there is no age-related error in the results. The horses will be split into two groups of five. The first group of horses will be tested at 1 P.M. which will be the time at which the peak temperature is reached during the day. The second group of horses will be tested at 4 A.M. which will be the time at which the lowest temperature of the day is reached. Using the highest and lowest temperature of the day will provide the greatest difference in results so I can examine if there is a significant difference in the change of respiratory rate during the day versus the