Respiratory problem

[BFS_Simon_Says]

Long story short, just went down to the barn and Simon is doing some heavy coughing, he's always had a slight cough but this is bad. He coughed for about 5 minutes straight a little bit ago, stopped for a few minutes then went back to coughing. His breathing seems very laboured like he can't get enough air in. And the only vet in the area has closed up shop and the other vets in the province don't seem to want to take on any more patients. Any clue as to what could cause this? I did some research in the last 10 minutes but it has me absolutly freaked out now.

 

[Reijel's Mom]

Do you think he might be experiencing choke? If you do an LB search for choke or an internet search you'll find various ways to deal with it. When I've dealt with it I needed vet assistance, though

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[SilverDollar]

Is there a vet on call that you can at least get some input from via telephone?

I hope it turns out to be nothing serious. Keeping you and Simon in my thoughts.

ETA: You mentioned it's normal for your horse to have a cough; have you changed his hay or any of his feed? Do you have a new load of hay? Mold spores are always in hay and if he has allergies already, perhaps a new load has a higher concentration of them. Is the barn closed up? Do you know if he may have eaten something in his pasture? Just trying to think of causes.

 

[Carolyn R]

Vets in many areas won't take on more clients they must travel to (they won't expand their coverage area), but MANY will see you if you transport the patient to their clinic. You need to ask this info up front.

If it is choke it is not uncommon for nansal discharge (feed, water, anyhing that won't go down will start coming out the nasal passage). There could be a bacterial infection.... pneumonia, any number of things)

You should try calling different clinics and see if they will see patients "in House" rather than traveling to them.

 

[eagles ring farm]

I would hope they would come out

take other patients in an emergency

 

[weerunner]

If he is eating fine and your sure it is not choke try giving him carrots. I've heard that there is a chemical in carrots that helps open their air passages and makes them breath easier, but only give them to him if your sure he is swallowing with no problem. Just a thought, but worth a try.

Hope he clears out those passages and soon for you.

amanda

 

[Connie P]

I am not a vet but I am thinking Heaves. That will cause coughing and respiratory difficulty - you really need to have a vet come out. Wishing you all the best.

Here is some information for you.

http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$departme...nsf/all/hrs3713

 

[HGFarm]

I too feel it is imperative that this horse is seen by a vet, regardless of the reason he is coughing so hard. It can only be assumed, but sounds like, if his breathing is also labored.... that this would be an emergency situation. Please let us know how he does!!

 

[mizbeth]

DITTO on above. I would call a Vet, or take him in as soon as possible.

Coughing is not normal and usually a sign of something else.

Good luck,

Beth

 

[MiLo Minis]

It does sound as if he has heaves. Have you taken his pulse and temp? Are they normal? Does he have a slight nasal discharge? Does he seem to have to make an extra effort to push air OUT? Does he wheeze when he pushes the air out? At this time of year when horses are inside more often, being fed hay and with the colder air it is not unusual for heaves to worsen.

You can keep him outside on pasture 24/7 or as much as possible. Dampen his hay by soaking it overnight and use a good quality grass hay - no dust or mold. If you can't get a really good grass hay try feeding pelleted hay soaked. Keep his stall as dry and clean and well ventilated as possible.

You can help relieve his immediate distress with a cough syrup such as Zev from your feed store.

Get him to a vet ASAP though! Check with your provincial veterinary medical association to find a vet that will see him.

 

[bfogg]

He is showing me something in his throat about 3/4 of the way down. I would just load him up and show up at any vets! Even a small animal vets as a last resort. They would hae small tubes etc. I know they aren't big horse but not many would refuse you if your sitting in their driveway. It's a chance anyway.

Good Luck

Bonnie

 

[BFS_Simon_Says]

I finally got a vet out here, I guess when you say money isn't option and mean it the vets will do whatever they can to get their hands on it. so the charge for the vet to come to my barn (just travelling fees) was $250.00. But whatever. She came out and checked him over, there is quite a rattle in his right lung he doens't have any mucus but she said that she can't rule out the start of heaves or copd. She took some blood to rule out an infection and gave me corticosteriods and an injectable steroid. If they don't work within the week and his wheezing doesn't get any better they will arrange for a trailer to come pick him up and they will do a scope of his airways and get a better look at his lungs and trachea. Thanks for the help everyone

 

[MiniatureEscapades]

I finally got a vet out here, I guess when you say money isn't option and mean it the vets will do whatever they can to get their hands on it. so the charge for the vet to come to my barn (just travelling fees) was $250.00. But whatever. She came out and checked him over, there is quite a rattle in his right lung he doens't have any mucus but she said that she can't rule out the start of heaves or copd. She took some blood to rule out an infection and gave me corticosteriods and an injectable steroid. If they don't work within the week and his wheezing doesn't get any better they will arrange for a trailer to come pick him up and they will do a scope of his airways and get a better look at his lungs and trachea. Thanks for the help everyone

Oh wow! When you said this it just clicked with me. This sound ALOT like what happened to my filly recently. She started weezing, a little at first and it wasn't that bad. We soaked her hay to cut the dust (she had showed signs of allergies in the summer) and kept her outside in the clear air but it got worse a couple of days later. She NEVER did have mucous, she never really coughed or sneezed. We called the vet out and she had a real rattle in her lungs, but no signs of congestion in her nasal passages.

We didnt say money wasn't an object, beacuse it was, so we put her on Naxcel injectable twice a day and it knocked it right out. Our vet told us that Sulpher pills were a good way to help knock out respritory infections, as well. Could you maybe run that by your vet and see if she thinks it's a viable thing to add to how you are treating it?

We used 5 days of shots (on day 5 she became impossible to inject) and three days of sulpher and the rattle was gone. Still never got a runny nose or any real sign of being sick besides that horrid wheezing and the rattle in her lungs. We never really did know what it was, we were just happy that it was gone!