Any respiratory experts ? advice Please

[irishdraft]

My 6 year old has had a bacterial infection in his lungs for the last 10 weeks, has seen vet, swabbed which indicated bacterial infection, 5 day course norodine, 3 days later more green mucus, pot of ventipulmin kept him clear for 10 days then more green mucus, then had 10 day course karidox which made no difference at all. Am lightly hacking walk for about 45 mins 2 /3 times a week which he can do without coughing however the minute you go to a little trot starts coughing, am at my wits end as this has gone on so long, still has green mucus out of nose & coughing but is well in himself, I know my vet will want to scope next but i dont want to jump the gun incase the lungs are inflamed & are taking time to settle, can this still be a bacterial infection ? is it usual to go on so long. Horse lives out 24/7 at grass only has wet sugar beet for feed so shouldnt be dust related howver ever since he was 3 and started work he has had an intermittent cough when going into trot but only the once & if he is out somewhere exciting he dosent cough at all, vet doesnt think this is pertinent to the current situation but at the same time he is not offering any advice other then get him scoped. help !!

 

[Andalucian]

I don't like the sound of this, lungs are very delicate and after a prolonged period of infection permanent damage can occur. In a 6 year old this is very undesirable. If I have any respiratory issues I expect the drugs to work fast, I have to say in your situation I would be looking for a second opinion and fast, don't spare the expense.

 

[ihatework]

I'd be scoping ASAP and also doing sensitivity cultures to get the right ABs

 

[twiggy2]

both of the above

 

[irishdraft]

thanks peeps have decided to get him scoped & trach washed asap its gone on too long

 

[mjcssjw2]

think you are doing the right thing. my friend had a problem with her pony, vet thought she was a nuisance, went to second vet who scoped and washed and he had pneunomia, he is now fine but not without a drama and a lot of treatment, good luck hope you get it sorted

 

[Maesfen]

Agree with the others but I'd also stop any work at all as that puts more pressure on his lungs even at a walk. If he's out 24/7, presumably wrapped up warm and dry then he's moving around enough for the state of him. I've known viruses go on for six months, don't think the weather is helping either, it's either wet and warm or cold and he gets no respite being out in it.

 

[Ditchjumper2]

Agree with this, especially for a 6 yo. These viruses can go on for ages...have you had him long?

 

[irishdraft]

Maesfen he is warm & dry in his rug, when the weather is really bad as recently i bring the horses in for the night, although I have pressure washed his stable, have him on mats & wet hay he was coughing, unfortunately he does get stressy in the stable so i like to keep him out as much as poss

ditchjumper yes I have had him since he was 5 months old, i did ask vet if it could be a virus but he seemed certain it was a bacterial infection as i have had him swabbed but I have one mare living with him & 1 other who showed no sign then got a new livery who within 24 hours of being near him started coughing, although this has stopped now, but vet maintains it couldnt be to do with my 6 year old as the other 2 have never shown any sign, all rather odd, never had a problem like this before, all very frustrating as he was supposed to be hunting now and was all ready to rock & roll when he went down with this a week before the opening meet, horses !!

 

[mynutmeg]

DEfinately further testing - lungs are delicate, my mare had aspiration pneumonia last summer following a choke, spent a week on IV antibiotics. She has almost fully recovered but is now fairly dust sensitive which she wasn't previously so I wouldn't be hanging around - if the infection hasn't cleared following a course of antibiotics then it needs further investigation and treatment.

 

[Blimpy]

I had something similar go through my yard this summer. One horse went to the vet for a lameness assessment and picked something nasty up there. Horrible cough, mucus etc. She was scoped and put on antibiotics for ten days. She cleared up after about 6 weeks but it spread to two other horses who coughed for at least 3 months in total. None of them seemed in any way sick at any stage. Just coughing and snotty noses that seemed neverending.

I didn't work them at all in this time. Kept them out as much as possible. Antiobiotics appeared to make it a bit better but I think there was probably also a viral aspect to it that had to run its course. They are all perfectly fine now and back in work.

 

[Lucky Lady]

Yes get him scoped etc. Our racehorses are scoped straight away with any sign of coughing. One of my partners horses had a virus and medications were not working, we then heard about Pulmon ez that a horse was on in the yard, for being a bleeder (burst blood capillaries in the lung) and it also fights infections, viruses so the trainer thought it was worth us trying this. Within a week he was coughing less and less and no more gunk coming out of his nose and his performance increased so much so he won his next race!!! Let us know how you get on.