Horses with RAO exhibit exacerbations of acute airway obstruction that cause respiratory distress resulting from bronchospasm, mucus accumulation, and airway inflammation. Emergency therapeutic options for control and reversal of airway bronchoconstriction in equine airways include parasympatholytic agents which inhibit gastrointestinal motility, (32-adrenergic agonists, as well as systemic corticosteroids, which require 4-6 hours for full effect. Meta-analysis of emergency intervention for asthmaticadults found that adjunctive infusion of magnesium sulfate (MgS04) improves lung function and reduces hospital admissions. This study examined utility and effectiveness of intravenous MgS04 as a novel, inexpensive, easily administered bronchodilatory agent for horses with a naturally occurring pasture-associated form of RAO (SPARAO).
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