Dry or wet cough in horses: what should you do?

What is the difference in sound?

A dry cough sounds sharp, short and hollow — think of a barking sound with no resonance. No mucus is produced and the horse seems barely bothered by it. A wet cough sounds different: deeper, gurgling and sometimes followed by nasal discharge or the coughing up of mucus. With a wet cough you will often notice the horse holding its head low to clear the mucus. Pay attention to timing as well: does your horse mainly cough at the start of a training session, or throughout the day, even at rest?

Common causes by type

The cause determines the approach, so it pays to observe carefully.

• Dry cough: Equine Asthma (formerly IAD or RAO), dusty stables, mould spores in hay
• Dry cough: allergic reaction to pollen or wood dust in the environment
• Wet cough: bacterial or viral respiratory infection such as rhinopneumonia or influenza
• Wet cough: strangles (streptococci), recognisable by yellow or green nasal discharge
• Both types: poor stable ventilation — insufficient fresh air worsens any respiratory condition

When should you call the vet?

Not every cough requires an immediate vet visit, but there are signs where you cannot afford to wait.

• Fever above 38.5 °C combined with coughing
• Yellow, green or bloody nasal discharge from both nostrils
• Cough that persists for more than 5 to 7 days without improvement
• Elevated respiratory rate at rest (normal 8–16 breaths per minute)
• Visible flank movement, flared nostrils or prolonged exhalation

What can you do yourself as a first step?

While you monitor the situation, there are practical measures you can take right away. Move the horse outside or to a well-ventilated space and reduce dust exposure: soak the hay or switch to hay alternatives such as haylage or hay nuts. Avoid wood shavings as bedding and use good-quality straw or rubber mats with minimal bedding instead. Reduce training intensity for as long as the coughing continues and plan in rest periods. Record your observations in the horse profile in EquiSight so you can give the vet a complete picture: how often does the horse cough, at what times, and is there any nasal discharge?

The role of stable air and management

Research shows that horses in traditional indoor stables inhale up to four times more dust particles than horses kept outside. Even with clean hay, a poorly ventilated stable can chronically irritate the airways. Check that there are at least 4 to 6 air changes per hour in the stable. Practical adjustments include: opening windows and doors during the day, using roof vents, and not storing hay above the horse boxes. For horses with recurring dry coughs, an open-fronted stable or paddock paradise is often the best long-term solution.

Monitoring treatment and recovery

For a bacterial infection the vet will prescribe antibiotics; for Equine Asthma, bronchodilators or corticosteroids via inhalation are common. Make sure you complete the full course of treatment, even if the horse already appears to have recovered. Store treatment dates, medication dosages and the course of recovery in the horse profile in EquiSight. That way, at the next episode you will immediately have historical context and can ask more targeted questions about the signs you are seeing via EquiCoach. Average recovery from a viral infection takes 2 to 4 weeks; Equine Asthma requires long-term management.