The Effects of Ambient Temperature and Relative Humidity on Blood Parameters in Horses During Long-distance Flights

Aim: At Schiphol Amsterdam airport more horses needed treatment for fever arriving after long-distance flights (>5 h) from hot and humid places than from temperate climate places. Our aim was to explain this finding by determining blood parameters with predictive value for early onset of illness in horses during commercial long-distance flights. 

Methods: Blood was drawn prior to loading (Sample 1), halfway during the flight (Sample 2) and immediately after unloading (Sample 3) from 13 horses shipped from Houston to Amsterdam (test-group) and from 6 horses shipped from Amsterdam to New York (control-group) for complete routine screening. Prior to loading both groups had a 5 h resting period at the airport. Before and during the flights ambient air temperature (AT) and relative humidity (RH) were measured in each jet-stall. [...]