5am worries

[hock]

This has been grumbling on for a while and as I’ve woken up worrying about it so I thought I’d run it past you guys, as you’re a good bunch for thinking outside the box etc.

So mare foaled in May, lovely big very strong foal. She was in to foal and bedded on straw (I usually use bedmax or similar). She was coming in for about a week before she foaled, out early then in late no stress and a text book pregnancy especially for a maiden (Percheron mare). Any way the day she foaled we noticed a dry none productive cough and high resps around 50. Because she was in on straw and hay (we have indoor stables) we turned her out that day totally stripped the yard of anything dusty, cough continued both inside and outside. Vet came back and confirmed she didn’t believe the management now straw was gone was a problem and took bloods. She said she found it slightly concerning as the mare was doing really well, looking fantastic and no temp just raised resps (although she only witnessed this inside). Blood came back with clear but with a very slight raised white blood cell count which she said may indicate she’s fought something off but is only slightly raised it was difficult to tell. She went on ventipulmin and she’s been out 24/7 for months. Trying ventipulmin did improve but it was also the very hot weather and I was noticing when my hay fever was bad she would cough more. She’s now been off ventipulmin a while and no increase in symptoms but I am aware the weather has gotten colder. So the next plan is to scope which is now booked in. I’ve started to wean her from her foal and she is stabled with very short walk outs and grass picks about 6 times a day but other than that she’s stables next to her baby (we have the same routine with her baby - weaning is going really well). The coughing which is usually when living out first thing in the morning for maybe half a dozen none productive coughs. While she’s been in the morning cough I would say has improved but she will cough for a short while at night, but she also stamping a lot and moving about because of the discomfort from her bag. Although fingers crossed the stamping was much quieter last night and her bag is shrinking. I did a 5 day panacur worming about 3 weeks ago just incase of lung worm etc but no change. Last night I’ve started her on Cetrizine now she’s not feeding her foal and I will see if this helps while we wait for her scope in a fortnight (I wanted her to be weaned before I took her in (she’s been quite foal proud). So just to recap, she’s out 24/7 all summer and only in now to start weaning, she has ad lib hay which is very good quality, round bale, coming in hasn’t worsened her symptoms, no temp, nobody else has coughed or shown any illness, body score is great, and the cough is daily occasional. It is making me miserable though as she’s produced this fabulous foal, been a great mum and I feel a bit helpless she’s still coughing. Just to add we’ve had a few days when we first separated mare and foal into next door stables of higher stress from her so some shouting pacing etc but this didn’t cause her to cough. So if anyone has a spare magic they can lend me whilst we wait to see if the antihistamines work or the scope I would be forever great full. Please don’t hold back on suggestions no matter how slight or criticism about management etc I’m after a result and I’ve seen great advice come from this forum. Baby V photo, she’s a nightmare to photo as she’s all about the mugging for attention. She’s so fluffy she looks like she’s made from nylon … you don’t think the mares allergic to nylon do you ?.

 

[SEL]

My little pony with the floppy soft palate still coughs at times. We know she has a pollen allergy and it's worse during early spring but hear it other times too. She was roaring until she had a hobday a couple of years ago.

Mine had had a foal too and her old owner says there was no significant noise pre foal so I have wondered if it was something to do with that or just coincidence

I'm sure the scope will give you answers and hopefully nothing serious

 

[hock]

My little pony with the floppy soft palate still coughs at times. We know she has a pollen allergy and it's worse during early spring but hear it other times too. She was roaring until she had a hobday a couple of years ago.

Mine had had a foal too and her old owner says there was no significant noise pre foal so I have wondered if it was something to do with that or just coincidence

I'm sure the scope will give you answers and hopefully nothing serious

Thank you for your reply! It’s definitely at the back of my mind was it foaling/pregnancy induced as we’d never had a whisper out of her before!
Do you treat your pony for the pollen allergy or is manageable without? Hobday rather than tie back would be my choice if it was required, I didn’t realise how often the tie back fails!

 

[hock]

P.s Sel you made “floppy soft palate” almost sound cute, you have a way with word ?.

 

[Carrottom]

Pollen eze helped a horse I knew with a pollen allergy.

 

[SEL]

P.s Sel you made “floppy soft palate” almost sound cute, you have a way with word ?.

Fortunately the pony is cute given all the grief she's caused!! She likes galloping flat out into fences ?

She doesn't like inhalers (as in reared up at me despite bribery and she's normally very sweet tempered) so she did have some piriton when the pollen was really bad and I didn't do anything too energetic then. In the hot weather we rode early. She's now bitless which has made a huge difference to her breathing under saddle. Vets said to get her as fit as possible over winter so she's coming into her tricky period with her lungs primed. I'm also going to try some of the herbal stuff just to see if it helps because you have to start with it early. Polloneze did nothing for her so I was going to see if there's something aimed at early spring.

If she's in for any length of time I dampen hay but I try to keep her out because even dust extracted bedding makes her worse.

Scope is worth it because they can take samples. We went down pollen allergy route first because vet was convinced it would be something simple. I had a hunch it wasn't. Took 2 scopes to see the palate issue but once the specialist watched videos of her in work he knew exactly what was up. I've seen videos before she had the foal and she is a bit wheezy but not roaring so something happened in the 18 months she was pregnant/ feeding ?

 

[tristar]

do you soak the hay?

 

[hock]

Fortunately the pony is cute given all the grief she's caused!! She likes galloping flat out into fences ?

She doesn't like inhalers (as in reared up at me despite bribery and she's normally very sweet tempered) so she did have some piriton when the pollen was really bad and I didn't do anything too energetic then. In the hot weather we rode early. She's now bitless which has made a huge difference to her breathing under saddle. Vets said to get her as fit as possible over winter so she's coming into her tricky period with her lungs primed. I'm also going to try some of the herbal stuff just to see if it helps because you have to start with it early. Polloneze did nothing for her so I was going to see if there's something aimed at early spring.

If she's in for any length of time I dampen hay but I try to keep her out because even dust extracted bedding makes her worse.

Scope is worth it because they can take samples. We went down pollen allergy route first because vet was convinced it would be something simple. I had a hunch it wasn't. Took 2 scopes to see the palate issue but once the specialist watched videos of her in work he knew exactly what was up. I've seen videos before she had the foal and she is a bit wheezy but not roaring so something happened in the 18 months she was pregnant/ feeding ?

I’ve screen shot your reply so when we scope I can ask about both. So was the first scope inconclusive and then the vet heard the roaring to confirm for soft palate? I’m wondering if I should get her lunging so the vet can hear her under stress? Your reply has been so useful thank you x

 

[hock]

do you soak the hay?

So the indoor hay was steamed but outdoor hay isn’t (huge wrapped round bales). I do have grass (sometimes too much) but I give access to hay/haylage all year round for everyone.

 

[Fruitcake]

Could it be that bedding on straw caused the initial inflammation and it's persisting even after changing management? In my experience, once inflammation gets to a certain point, if you don't deal with the inflammation itself (usually with steroids in some form), it won't sort itself out. Ventipulmin is good for symptomatic relief as it's a bronchodilator, but won't treat the cause.

 

[Surbie]

do you soak the hay?

I was going to ask this too. Mine started to cough on dry hay, which was very difficult when he was out in a field with a round bale as he'll literally bury his head in it.

For the last for 3.5 years I've had him in fields that aren't supplemented and, when in, on damped (not soaked) hay which has stopped the coughing.

 

[PurBee]

Can you get a vit e blood test? Nutrients are hard to accurately measure, but give some kind of guidance.

It just strikes me this came on very late pregnancy time. The foal growing will be taking all nutrients from mum, so risk of slight deficiency occurring more likely. The rapid heartrate, stamping link with vit e deficiency. Stamping due to limb stiffness. In humans dry cough and vit e deficiency is linked.

For the cheap cost of it, i’d give her a 30 day course of ‘natural vitamin E’ and assess.

If she’s been on mostly hay than lots of green grass id also suspect vit e deficiency. Considering she’s been milking aswell.

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

Raised white blood cell usually indicates an infection of some sort one of my horses have had this twice, both times vet put him on a 5 day course of antibiotics then re tested both times the bloods went back to normal after the course, I'm surprised your vet hasn't just done this.

 

[hock]

Raised white blood cell usually indicates an infection of some sort one of my horses have had this twice, both times vet put him on a 5 day course of antibiotics then re tested both times the bloods went back to normal after the course, I'm surprised your vet hasn't just done this.

Put on antibiotics as a matter of course, yes I’m normally very anti antibiotics but I tend to agree with you. The elevation was very slight so her opinion was she may have fought something off. I have a second opinion also booked in. Weird really as my usually practise is throw antibiotics at everything and my approach is caution but the one time actually it does seem common sense we haven’t done it - I do have spare knocking about but will wait for the second opinion. Many thanks

 

[hock]

Can you get a vit e blood test? Nutrients are hard to accurately measure, but give some kind of guidance.

It just strikes me this came on very late pregnancy time. The foal growing will be taking all nutrients from mum, so risk of slight deficiency occurring more likely. The rapid heartrate, stamping link with vit e deficiency. Stamping due to limb stiffness. In humans dry cough and vit e deficiency is linked.

For the cheap cost of it, i’d give her a 30 day course of ‘natural vitamin E’ and assess.

If she’s been on mostly hay than lots of green grass id also suspect vit e deficiency. Considering she’s been milking aswell.

I’ve screen shot this as well, really great post thank you so much. It’s so kind to share your knowledge and what an interesting topic! Many thanks

 

[hock]

I was going to ask this too. Mine started to cough on dry hay, which was very difficult when he was out in a field with a round bale as he'll literally bury his head in it.

For the last for 3.5 years I've had him in fields that aren't supplemented and, when in, on damped (not soaked) hay which has stopped the coughing.

This is great to know and what a relief your coughing has stopped. Not this mare but another mare I have will sink all the way down to her shoulders eating the round bale, makes me smile every time. She does occasionally surface for air lol.

 

[hock]

Could it be that bedding on straw caused the initial inflammation and it's persisting even after changing management? In my experience, once inflammation gets to a certain point, if you don't deal with the inflammation itself (usually with steroids in some form), it won't sort itself out. Ventipulmin is good for symptomatic relief as it's a bronchodilator, but won't treat the cause.

Another screen shot, again thank you so much for the advice! Thank you for taking the time.

 

[hock]

I was going to ask this too. Mine started to cough on dry hay, which was very difficult when he was out in a field with a round bale as he'll literally bury his head in it.

For the last for 3.5 years I've had him in fields that aren't supplemented and, when in, on damped (not soaked) hay which has stopped the coughing.

It’s a Surbie!! Sorry my dear I missed your name! So it’s turns out I like to post on HHO at 5am and past midnight … might explain missing the reply was from you! I’m weaning at the minute so taking the occasional disco nap and had a lovely bozzie update. I am amazed how my pride and admiration of him is bigger than my sadness, I didn’t expect that at all. Chris thought I was going to have to be medicated ?? when he went but I just feel as though it’s all fitted so well and obviously I’ve met you and V too.

 

[hock]

Just a quick update as I lie in bed waiting for my mare to cough lol. I’ve got a long list of stuff now to grill my second opinion vet about thanks to all your help. I really bloody love HHO and appreciate people taking the time to help me and meggy, whilst the cough is chronic it makes me miserable and stressy for her, I will update you as and when. A photo of the noisy buggar!

 

[PurBee]

She’s got a lovely face..such a sweetie!

All the best with her, i hope the cough resolves soon ?

 

[hock]

She’s got a lovely face..such a sweetie!

All the best with her, i hope the cough resolves soon ?

Thank you so much! I’m ? too.