Breathing problems

[shemp]

I have a 9 year old tb gelding and he has recently coughing, mainly when riding. He is stabled all year round with turnout through the day, on haylage through the winter and hay during the summer (just because he wont finish a full bale of haylage himself in the summer so it goes off). He is worked every day without fail. I had noticed him coughing before winter last year and after switiching bedding from straw to dust extracted wood chip shavings and moving to haylage it dramatically improved. I am going to order a bale of haylage and just hope it doesnt go off and see if that helps. Hes fed baileys number 4 and alfa a oil by dengies. I just want to ask if anybody can think of angthing else i can do to improve his breathing or can tell me what he might have. Is there any feeds or supliments that i can give him to help?

 

[Meowy Catkin]

My chestnut mare started coughing when ridden once. It was generally the first time that she went into canter and then that seemed to clear her airways, but I just wasn't happy so got the Vet. She had a rattly sounding chest, so was prescribed ventipulmin and that cleared the cough up.

 

[shemp]

Usually he does cough going up into canter the first time but now its a lot worse, hes coughing just in a walk. Thanks il give that a look into

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Poor chap, it does sound like the vet needs to look at him. I hope he gets better soon.

 

[shemp]

Yeah the vet will be the next option, just wanted to do a bit of looking into it first before i fork out for the vet if its just a matter of dust avoidance or maybe loose particles in feed or anything like that

 

[Polos Mum]

Worth a vet MOT but you can also buy haylage in small bales (in conventional hay bale sizes and smaller) it's a bit more expensive but if you don't waste any it might be more economical in the long run!

 

[shemp]

Thanks i think it is going to be a vet job this week, i did think of those small bales his morning but they are just so expensive! 😱 i have ordered a big one anyway so hopefully we can get through one of those

 

[Goldenstar]

I think a vet visit is needed.
I have had great results from a supplement called wynergy ventilate when ever I have used it.
Have you tried soaking the hay ?

 

[SpringArising]

I went to the moon and back with this with my old horse.

Within about six months of owning him he started coughing when ridden. Got the vet out. Gave him a course of antibiotics and two weeks off. Started soaking all his hay. Put him out 24/7. Didn't work.

Got vet out again to do bloods - couldn't find anything wrong.

Still coughing a year later after various vet discussions and visits.

Got him on Ventipulmin - no difference. Had him scoped by top vet - all looked well in his lungs. Took mucus sample - nothing weird going on. Tried Beclazone and Ventolin with a spacer (that was fun!) - no difference.

His cough never went away, nor did it get better or worse at particular times. Some days he was fine and others he would cough in walk. He never had issues breathing - just had a dry cough. Vet told me to carry on working him as normal as it was going to be the best thing for him.

 

[shemp]

No i hadnt tried soaking his hay, i think i will though if going back to haylage doesnt work. How strange! Iv had him since he was 5 and its only been in the last year or so, he has never had a sorry day otherwise in the whole time iv had him.
Iv decided now after reading all these the vet is definitely the next step, iv had a look at respiratory suppliments but there is that many i would like to hazzard a guess as to which one to use, they all seem to do the same thing reading about them but that cant be true given the dramatic price variance between them all!

 

[Goldenstar]

On supplements all I can say ventilate has always helped when I have used it .

 

[L&M]

another vote for winergy ventilate - one of the more expensive ones, but has helped with two different horses.

I find haylage keeps better if kept in the shade at this time of year, also removing all the wrap will stop it sweating.

see what the vet says and go from there

 

[shemp]

The reviews for this ventilate stuff all do seem to be good from what iv found, the price doesnt bother me, would rather pay full wack than faff about with loads of different cheaper options that dont work.
Will definitely be phoning the vet in the morning. Have just tried now and got nowhere forgetting its bank holiday monday 🙈

 

[CrazyEquestrian]

Soaking hay is good, Ventipulmin works wonders for some though hasn't worked for mine! A friend of mine uses the Global Herbs supplement she said it works amazingly! Hope he gets better!

 

[shemp]

Thanks everyone!
How does everyone go about soaking thier hay? Just leave it in a bucket of water for an hour and then leave it to hang somewhere?

 

[CrazyEquestrian]

Thanks everyone!
How does everyone go about soaking thier hay? Just leave it in a bucket of water for an hour and then leave it to hang somewhere?

Just stick it under a hosepipe. Or like you said soak it in a bucket!

 

[shemp]

Just updating everyone, the coughing already seems to be cured! I had 2 nets of hay left to use before I started on the haylage which I soaked one of last night after reading this. Iv just got back from riding now and not 1 cough! So happy! ☺️ Thanks for the advice everyone! 🐴🐎

 

[L&M]

Great news! Also bare in mind it could be related to the dry ground - our gateways have been quite dusty and noticed two on my yard coughing in the field a couple of weeks ago. However after a spot of rain, they have both now stopped.