Breathing Issues - Reassurance Needed

[Helga1980]

On Thursday I posted about M weezing badly after cantering . I've rested him since then and spoken to his owner about getting the vet to take a look at him.

My orginal post with details of weezing

This morning he looked so peed off at being left behind again whilst the others hacked out that I thought I would take him and go easy.

Full of the joys of spring he marched off the yard at high speed and insisted on canter when the chance arose spooking as he went. His stamina during the canter was as normal and his breathing was only a little noisy when pulled up with some discharge from both nostrils (he's always a little noisy).

His temperature, attitude, eating and resting respiratory rate are all normal and the discharge (which only appears after work) is clear/white so nothing's pointing towards an infection so both his owner and I are tempted to leave the vet, carry on working him and see how he is next week.

In your opinions, is this a unnecessary gamble??

 

[vicijp]

If you work a horse with a respiratory infection you can set them back months. Get it checked out and if there is something that needs treating, then he could be 100% within a week.
If there is any doubt in your mind at all then get him scoped.

 

[scrat]

I would be careful. Our cob had a slight cough which we were not too concerned about. One evening when he was bought in he suddenly went very quiet and was struggling to breath. We called a vet immediatly and he was diagnosed with COPD/RAO. He was scoped and found to have a dust allergy but we have found that his breathing can become laboured during hot weather so maybe pollen as well. My point is that it may be better to have the problem investagated now rather than end up with more damage. Has anything changed re his management that could have set this off? Maybe a change of bedding or hay. The key to better health in this situation is to scrutinise the way he is kept, I know we made mistakes but hind sight is a wonderful thing! The discharge also happens to our cob after exercise but as long as it is clear or white I think it is just his airways clearing. We use NAF Dtox and it may be worth phoning thier helpline for some advise. Good luck.

 

[PeterNatt]

You need to get your horse in to a dust free environment and only let it have 30 minute plus soaked hay. Ensure that the entire stable is dust free by removing all cob webs and dust from all the walls and cross beams etc. Ensure that all stables in the same block are also treated as the dust particles will move about and remain in suspension in the air.

The other alternative is to keep your horse out 24/7

 

[Helga1980]

He's known to have a dust allergy and is managed in dust free environment to cover this condition (currently out 24/7)

He's always been little noisey in his breathing but for some reason he was much worse on Thursday but after a couple of days of rest is back to normal.

His owner wants to leave him until next week and see how he is before getting to vet as she feels it was his pollen allergy which settled down over the weekend due to the rain.