The use of cardboard bedding material as part of an environmental control regime for heaves-affected horses: in vitro assessment of airborne dust and aeroallergen concentration and in vivo effects on lung function.
Authors: Kirschvink N, Di Silvestro F, Sbaï I, Vandenput S, Art T, Roberts C, Lekeux P
Journal: Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)
Summary
# Editorial Summary Recurrent Airway Obstruction (RAO or 'heaves') in horses is fundamentally an environmental disease, making bedding selection a critical component of management for affected animals. Kirschvink and colleagues evaluated shredded cardboard as a low-dust bedding alternative by measuring airborne particulate and aeroallergen concentrations in vitro against conventional materials, then monitoring pulmonary function in six clinically remitted heaves cases over a two-month stabling period on cardboard with grass silage feeding. In vitro testing confirmed cardboard bedding produced significantly lower dust and aeroallergen levels than standard options; importantly, pulmonary function tests—including ventilatory mechanics, arterial blood gases, airway inflammation scores, and bronchoalveolar cytology—showed no significant deterioration during or after cardboard bedding use compared to pasture values or healthy controls, whereas deliberate exposure to poor hygiene conditions produced marked declines. The findings suggest that shredded cardboard, when paired with genuinely low-dust forage, represents a viable environmental control strategy that maintains respiratory stability in RAO-affected horses, offering farriers and stable managers a practical tool for managing cases where pasture turnout may be unavailable or impractical.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Shredded cardboard bedding represents a practical, low-dust alternative for stabling heaves-affected horses, with measured dust levels significantly lower than straw or wood shavings
- •When used with low-dust forage like grass silage, cardboard bedding maintains lung function comparable to pasture conditions in clinical remission cases
- •Environmental management using cardboard bedding is cost-effective compared to managing horses in poor conditions, making it a realistic option for routine stable management
Key Findings
- •In vitro airborne dust and aeroallergen concentrations from shredded cardboard bedding were significantly lower than common bedding materials
- •Pulmonary function tests in six heaves-affected horses on cardboard bedding with grass silage were not significantly different from values recorded during pasture period or in healthy horses
- •Pulmonary function values on cardboard bedding were significantly better than those recorded when horses were stabled in poor hygienic conditions
- •Cardboard bedding combined with low-dust forage appears suitable for minimum-dust management of heaves-affected horses