Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Haemorrhage: Welfare in Sport Horses

Key Welfare Considerations

• EIPH affects approximately 43-75% of racehorses — a very common but often underdiagnosed welfare condition.
• Blood from ruptured pulmonary capillaries accumulates in airways during high-intensity welfare exercise.
• Epistaxis (nosebleed) is the classic welfare sign but is only seen in 1-3% of EIPH cases.
• Endoscopy post-exercise detects tracheal blood welfare more accurately than visual observation alone.
• EIPH welfare severity correlates with exercise intensity and cumulative career welfare exposure.
• Furosemide (Lasix) reduces EIPH severity welfare — widely used in some countries but banned in UK racing.
• Rest following EIPH welfare episodes allows pulmonary healing before return to training.
• Nasal strips (Flair) may reduce EIPH severity by reducing upper airway resistance welfare.
• Training modification reducing maximal intensity exercise frequency reduces welfare EIPH occurrence.
• Omega-3 fatty acids may reduce pulmonary inflammation welfare contributing to EIPH.
• Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) supplementation shows welfare promise in reducing EIPH severity.
• Herbal preparations including hesperidin and rutin have limited welfare evidence for EIPH management.
• Upper airway disease management (laryngeal dysfunction) reduces welfare EIPH risk from increased respiratory effort.
• EIPH welfare monitoring through regular post-exercise endoscopy enables welfare-guided career management.
• The welfare ethics of racing horses with significant EIPH is an ongoing discussion in equine welfare circles.