Baby foal has snotty nose.

[MindyLee]

While outside today doing my morning feed, I went to play with my filly who is just shy of 2 weeks old and noticed that she is got a faint weird sound in her breathing. Did'nt think nothing of it as she seems her normal self till she all of the sudden starting clearing her nose with sneeze like blows like if she had dust in there. And wades of snot came out!!!

I am guessing she is catching a cold so is there anything I can give her to clear her up??? Would penecillen work or do I have to try something else?

Thanks for you help.

 

[bevann]

Ask your vet about using SMZ tabs twice daily 1 tab is for 100 pounds or it comes in an oral suspension grape or cherry flavored liquid Not sur eof the dose for that.Most small animal vets carry the liquid.As with any antibiotic you must do 5 days even if symptoms clear up after 2 or 3.I am leary of penicillin since you have to stick babies and it can make them run away from you.Good luck and check with your vet.Have him check lungs since snotty noses can turn into something worse.Good luck

 

[Westwood Farms]

I would say call the vet out, just in case. I would hate for her to get pneumonia. They can give you thr proper medications, and monitor her.

good luck

 

[MindyLee]

Thank you much! Asked a vet as I really dont have one about the SMZ and he has them and now getting ready to go pick them up! THANKS!!! Hopefully she'll be fine...well I know she will. At least she's living up to her name now "Little Snot!" lol

 

[txminipinto]

Just be careful treating every snotty nose. I would have the vet do an exam and determine if antibiotics are necessary. There are some risks associated with antibiotic use, such as: diarrhea and decreased bacteria gut flora. Unless she has fluid in her lungs and a fever, I would probably wait to see if she can fight this on her own. After all, that's how we build immunity.

 

[Royal Crescent]

I would have the vet check the baby out. I am leery of everyone always running to antibiotics, for what is often a virus, as it may impact the effect of antibiotics when you really need them and won't cure a virus. This is said as NO experience in vet medicine

, just with humans, but a virus is a virus and while it can develop into a bacterial infection occasionally, it is unwise to assume that it will. On such a young foal, I would really go with a vet.

Just my opinion.

Barb

 

[MindyLee]

The vet put her on the "Sufamethoxazole & Trimethoprim tabs" which I have to crush and split for her weight. Otherwise that is what she is on and she seems all normal for now. It just started today as no signs yesterday of anything so we'll see how she dose on these. Like I said, she blow out a chunk of mucus snot but it's not continuious flowing. So I caught it early before it turns bad. Thanks for all the info and I will keep you updated.

Also that is her in my photo on the side here. (She's so cute)

 

[HGFarm]

If this was something like strangles you would NOT want to use antibiotics! But for foal pneumonia, you would. I would have the vet out to take a look at this baby first before giving medication. Sometimes it can do more damage than not, and without knowing for sure what she has...

Is the baby running a fever?

Also, if it is a virus, sometimes that just has to run it's course and antibiotics are not necessary. You would want to know if it is something contagious if you have other horses around....

 

[MindyLee]

Nope no fever, no strangles, just a little lung butter and I think I figured out the reason behind her cold.

4 days ago, I finally but a bucket of water down at her height to start her on water to drink. I did notice her dunking her face in it a little and playing in it quite a bit like if she was a kid in a swimming pool. So Im thinking and the vet agrees that she got some water down the wrong pipes and thats what may have caused this cold. Otherwise totally herself and just snotting a bit and the vet just said to keep a eye on her and if she gets worse, contact him imedently!

 

[kaykay]

I have to say the oral liquid SMZ's is so much better for foals as you know they are getting the whole dose.

I would also worry a bit though about treating her without a vet hearing her.

Sending good thoughts!

Kay

 

[MindyLee]

I know that having the vet out to check her is the best for her, BUT I need to find a vet that would able to diagnosse her properly. For the whole entire time of owning minis (aprox 6 yrs) Each and everytime I have a vet (tried all in my area 6 of them) They ALL never have diagnosse my minis correctly first. I always do and they look the horses over and agree with what ever I say. I am NO vet by any means, but with all the past experiance of telling the vets over the phone what is wrong with that particular mini at the time. They come out check it over, and everytime has agreed with me or has told me "they can't determin what is wrong and wait it out" Bill me for $200 + and on their merry way for nothing. I guess I am just sick of hearing what I already know & whats wrong or that I never seen that before and wait it out" and even "she needs to be put down" When everyone of my horses pull through with whatever they have had wrong with them. I hate paying someone that amount of $$$ to say these kind of things and it is pretty bad that I have went through that many vets to hear the same thing over and over. My gut will tell me if its out of my hands than go to the vet with no doubt, but if I know that it is not severe enough, than wait it out. EXAMPLES OF WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE PAST...



#1 very sick mare (new) dont seem herself, called vet #1, said flu, I said no I think bad case of stomech worms, I tried a certian wormer, can I try stronger, Vet- No You will kill her. Had her out, told me flu, I went with it, no progress, so I wormmed her with something stronger. BOTS BOTS BOTS!!! more bots than poo and shortly after back to her normal self. BILLED $185



#2 Mare kicked in stiffle, swollen, and cant use it. Called vet #2. Told him over the phone she was kicked in stiffle and needs pain releavers as I can tell it hurts. He told me put soke it in ice it and she'll be just fine. I told him NO! You cant soke a stiffle and you need to get here now. After arguing for 20 miniutes with him he finally agreed to come out. He came out and after 1 hr later and pulled in and yelled at me about how I said ancle over the phone not stiffle. I did say stiffle he just didnt pay any attention cause he did'nt want to come out. After yelling and arguing with me he gave me a speach on how the mare was suffering and needed to be put down and that she will never walk on 4 legs again and give-up on ever showing her. After trying to convince me in putting her down, and me strongly disagreeing, He gave me some pain releavers and other meds, billed me $250 and was on his way. Later on a few weeks later word got to me by a little birdy, that the reason he wanted to put my mare down was because I compeat against his wife in the showring and he thought my mare was nicer than hers. I did go on and show this same mare 1 1/2 yrs later and placed very well with no issues with her leg.

#3 Stud started bloting, otherwise nothing else wrong with him just big as a house, I figured blockage, or kidney stones, freaked out called vet #3 came out told me my stud is most likely going to die so be prepaired for it, left my farm with me still freaking, (did take some blood for testing) Billed $300 +. Today stud is back to normal and doing just fine...

#4 Vet came out to do coggins on stud colt that I was selling, buyers where there. The whole time vet was there, he told the buyers that my colt was all wrong for them and he know of a better one for sale and that my colt was no good. his excact words "unaceptable" I could have droped-kicked him in the face for that! He also went on to say that same word for the rest of my farm, fencing, barns, water tanks, and so on. I told him right there in front of the buyers that he is NEVER welcomed to step foot on my property again, and than turned to the buyers and told them if they were not going to buy my little colt because of what he said, my colt is no longer for sale to you! In the end, they did'nt care for that vet also and loved my little guy no matter what.

And the list keeps going on and on so yah I guess I am a little leary about having any of my only choices of vets coming out to misdiagnose my minis unless I feel that I have no other choice and need them there for sure. Sorry but I hope you cane see where I am coming from about at least my local vets. Sorry for so long lol but :arg! :arg! :arg!

As of this morning after 3 treatments with meds. She seems to hardly be snotting and lungs sound a lot better. So I think she'll be just fine. Thanks for everyones suggetions and concerns as I do truely apperciate them, just fustrated with the vets around here.

 

[Royal Crescent]

Wow, I would not call those vets either!!

I am lucky to have a few good choices in vets in my area, which is good cause I am only learning and always have to ask about what to do.

Sounds like you have things under control though. How is the little one doing now?

Barb