Pro – Combo # 2 support the Respiratory System

Pro-Combo # 2 is recommended when your horse has excercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) – Lung Bleading. EIPH is defined as bleeding from lung with exercise. In fact, most racing horses will experience EIPH at some point in their careers.

Lungs and Air Passages
Air passages consist of nasal cavities, sinuses, throat and windpipe. Mucous membranes with cilia in strategic places are contained within these passages.

The inhaled air gets warmed, moistened and cleaned on its way through the nose. It is then exposed to the large areas of blood-enriched mucous membrane.

The filtering of the larger particles is done through the nose hairs and the smaller particles get caught in the phlegm of the mucous membrane that exists throughout the entire nose.

The cleansing process continues in the lower air passages where the smaller particles leave the body through perspiration.

The windpipe is divided into two bronchial tubes in the chest area. The bronchial tubes lead to each lung where they are separated into very small bronchus.

The bronchus inside the lung lobes divides into smaller passages, and continues to the pulmonary alveolus. It is here that the gas exchange (oxygen/carbon dioxide) between air and blood take place.

Gas exchange – The horse inhales oxygen, which gets absorbed into the arterial blood, after which the venous blood emits carbon dioxide through the exhalation. The lungs perform this whole gaseous detoxification process.

The Horse Capacity
The lungs and air passages of a horse are well developed and adapted to high capacity. When the horse is resting it has a respiration rate of 7 to 12 respirations per minute. The respiration rate can increase to approximately 100 – 120 respirations per minute when the horse is performing hard and fast exercise.

Symptoms from Airways
During exercise, horses can experience tiredness and weakness if the transportation of oxygen from lungs to muscles is poor. The performance rate, endurance and resistance will decrease if the horse has a low level of iron.

Catarrh
An inflamed mucous membrane is referred to as a catarrh, and catarrhs always have a secretion.
When the secretion from a horse’s nose has a clear, thin consistency it may be caused by several reasons, for instance the conditions in the stable. A cold and draughty stable or a stable with poor ventilation may give the horse a cold. Consequently, to have a good environment in the stable is extremely important.

Mold Poisining
Micro particles will enter the alveolus (the smallest branches in the bronchus) and reside.

Some of these smaller mold particles will cause a wide variety of diseases.

The characteristics of mold spores are that they enhance allergic reactions and, therefore their preference for colorization in cavities and invasion of blood vessels cause specific problems.

When the blood vessels get invaded, an infection in the sinuses and lungs can easily spread to several organs causing symptoms of illness. These symptoms can show up in the stomach, intestines, heart, kidneys, liver, spleen, thyroid and the brain.

We would like to stress the importance of using fodder that is completely free from the mold!

Lung Bleeding (EIPH)
One theory of what causes EIPH states that as a horse exercises, pressure waves travel through the lungs, causing trauma.

As a horse engages into heavy exercise, pressure waves are produced with each footfall (while trotting at racing speed, the pressure on the hooves can reach levels of up to 3,300 lbs) of the forelimbs. The wave is transmitted from the shoulder blade (scapula, see lung muscles), and moves up and along the back regions of the lungs. It is in this area where the most hemorrhaging occurs in EIPH. Thick blood, infections in the lungs, mold poisoning, kidney disorders and bad hoof care is other causes of Lung Bleeding.

PC #2
The combination of amino acids, vitamins and minerals in PC #2 are well known for their healing ability in the respiratory system.