Laurent Couëtil: ‘Galloping Towards Respiratory Health: Research in Equine Asthma and Performance’

Laurent Couëtil, professor of large animal internal medicine and director of the Donald J. McCrosky Equine Sports Medicine Center and equine research programs, College of Veterinary Medicine, presented “Galloping Towards Respiratory Health: Research in Equine Asthma and Performance” at the Westwood Lecture Series on Feb. 13, 2024.

Abstract. Asthma is a very common disease in horses, as it is in humans. It is estimated that up to 14% of adult horses globally suffer from a severe form of the disease, characterized by coughing, wheezing and increased breathing effort at rest. Research performed in Purdue’s College of Veterinary Medicine and the Donald J. McCrosky Sports Medicine Center laboratories reveals that about 80% of Thoroughbred racehorses in the U.S. suffer from a milder, underdiagnosed form of the disease, primarily characterized by decreased performance. This talk will focus on characterizing the causes and effects of mild asthma in equine athletes and innovative approaches to field and laboratory research. It will also discuss mitigation strategies that work in real-world conditions and positively impact equine health.

Bio. Laurent Couëtil is a professor of large animal internal medicine and the director of both the equine research programs and Donald J. McCrosky Equine Sports Medicine Center in the College of Veterinary Medicine. Couëtil obtained his veterinary degree from the National Veterinary School of Alfort, France, and worked in private practice for top horse owners and trainers in Chantilly, France. He completed a large animal medicine residency at Tufts University and a PhD in respiratory physiology at the University of Liege, Belgium. He is past president of the large animal internal medicine specialty of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.