Ammonia is the Enemy
Michelle Anderson
August 01 2006, Article # 7208
Harmful effects of ammonia inhalation include burning of the delicate tissues of the lungs and eyes, narrowing of the throat and bronchi, fluid in the lungs, airway hyperactivity and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Level of 10 ppm have been found to cause health issues in calves. Levels at 450 ppm have been found in many stables at floor level.
Proceedings of the Equine Nutrition and Physiology (PDF)
Symposium, June 1999
A University of Kentucky study testing for ammonia levels in stalls found floor levels of
218 ppm.
Pneumonia's Fatal Grip
Heather Smith Thomas
December 01 2006, Article # 8286
Pneumonia can be caused by bacteria, molds and fungi and high ammonia levels cause respiratory distress as well as suppression of the immune function. Pneumonia is an extremely serious problem for foals and is the main cause of death in foals under six months of age.
Retrofit Your Rig
Sushil Dulai Wenholz
May 01 2006, Article # 6869
Dr. James Hamilton, DVM Southern Pines Equine Associates in N.C., states that the first major health concern with trailering horses is shipping fever. "Statistically, 20-30% of horses in trailers for more than eight hours develop shipping fever," he says. "Of that population, about 25% develop pleuro-pneumonia. And of that 25%, half ultimately die." Reducing the contaminates the horse breathes, including high levels of ammonia, is extremely important to improving the trailer environment. If the air quality is improved, that can lower the risk of your horse developing shipping fever, notes Hamilton.
The harmful effects of ammonia exposure for humans includes permanent damage to the lungs and eyes. Short-term exposure to ammonia will dull the sense of smell so that people may cease to notice the odor. People can become "hardened" to the effects of ammonia exposure and the symptoms of ammonia exposure may diminish, but the long-term hazards are still present.
Urea: MSDS
Mallinckrodt Baker, Inc
May 04 2007
Urea is excreted in the urine and breaks down to create ammonia. The hazards of urea exposure are similar to those of ammonia exposure. The Environmental Health and Safety Department considers urea in the work place to be highly irritating and workers handling urea must wear goggles and protective gloves. Inhalation of urea has been found to cause coughing and shortness of breath. Long-term exposure to urea has resulted in a high incidence of protein metabolism disturbances, moderate emphysema and chronic weight loss in workers.
Helping Horses with Heaves
Nancy S. Loving, DVM
September 2007
Proper management of horses with serious respiratory problems is extremely important. Heaves, also called recurrent airway obstruction (RAO), or a more subtle form called inflammatory airway disease (IAD), are conditions similar to asthma in humans. The horse has difficulty getting the air in and out of the lungs and performance and health are dramatically reduced as a result. Dr. Couëtil from Purdue's School of Veterinary Medicine, stresses that "prevention should be focused on decreasing levels of airborne particles and irritants". Irritants that can trigger heaves include mold spores, endotoxins and ammonia.
Heating Barns in Winter: Use Caution to Avoid Respiratory Problems
Oklahoma State University
November 14 2007, Article # 10813
Horse owners who heat their barns to keep water from freezing and to protect horses from cold temperatures during late fall and winter should remember supplemental heat can cause problems if used incorrectly. Ventilation is important when horses are kept inside a barn, said Dave Freeman, PhD, PAS, Dipl. ACAN, Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service equine specialist."Closing up a barn to maintain heat may increase respiratory diseases because of high ammonia content and bacterial growth in stalls," Freeman said.
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