University of Guelph researchers hoping to gain insights into asthma aren’t studying any of the three million Canadians diagnosed with the condition.
Instead, they’re turning to horses.
“There are a lot of similarities between humans and horses,” says Laurence Tessier, a PhD student working on the project.
Tessier and veterinary pathology professor Dorothee Bienzle are focusing their research on just one of those similarities – heaves, an equine disease similar to human asthma.
They’re examining horses known to have heaves, in the hope they’ll be able to use genetics to diagnose it long before the animals start exhibiting symptoms.
If that happens, they say, it could lead to a similar breakthrough for asthma.
“This is a really common horse disease, and we actually know very little about it,” said Bienzle.
Horses typically develop heaves after prolonged exposure to dusty air and hay. The dust causes inflammation in the animals’ lungs, which in turn makes it harder for them to breathe.
Bienzle says the best defence against that would be to keep horses outdoors all year long – but since that isn’t feasible in Canada, ensuring a dry, dust-free hay supply might be horse owners’ best defence.
Bienzle and Tessier say they’ve collected all the data they need for their project. They’re now working to confirm their findings.
With reporting by Max Wark
