Breathing thingy, what do you think?

[popsicle]

Over the last few weeks my horse seems to be less fit than she was. It's not down to any less work, as my other horse has the exact same work and has remained just as fit. Poppy is 15 this year and seems to be puffing after just a few mins of cantering or galloping, not so much trotting, she has no nasal discharge and is not coughing, although she did have a cough at the beginning of the year. The other horse is only one year younger and as I said seeming much fitter. Could it be an allergy do you think? She is well in herself and not off her food etc.

 

[Cliqmo]

Sounds a bit like asthma to me

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

Could be an allergy popsicle but I would have expected coughing if it was an allergy that affected her breathing (and thus the amount of oxygen she has for her muscles). My Sunny has a mild allergy to tree pollen and he starts a dry cough at about now. Is your girl overweight or underweight? Either could affect her energy levels. She could have picked up a low grade virus: is her temperature normal? If it doesn't clear up in the next week or so (as these things sometimes do) I'd get the vet out and run some blood tests to check whether she is anaemic.

 

[YasandCrystal]

I don't want to worry you but the same happened to our 15 year old mare last year and it got so bad that after a short canter she would stop with heaving sides and her mouth open gasping. We got the vet put and he diagnosed COPD - apparently 15 is the typical age. We managed it by making a homemade hay steamer using a wheelie bin cutting a hole low down and buying a cheap wall paper stripper and pushing the hose in the bottom - worked a treat and so cheap. Anyway we also used Flixotide inhalers very expensive at 55.00GBP each. This winter the mare was turned out until Christmas when she had to be stabled at night - all the symptoms instantly returned. I contacted Ellen Collinson the herbalist and bought her 'Respiratory' herbs - same price for the tub as one inhaler and she is cured - no more problems.
Here's Ellen's website if you need it
www.equineiridology.eu
Best of luck - I hope yours doesn't have COPD

 

[BackInBlack]

2nd box of frogs to say i'd have bloods run if no improvement over the next couple of weeks. same thing happened to me last year and it turned out my horse had liver disease plus bad red/white blood cell levels, but it could point towards many things like a virus or pain from somewhere, copd etc so a blood test would be a good idea. good luck.

 

[popsicle]

Thanks very much everyone, you have all been really helpful. I'll give her a couple of weeks and if there is no improvement I'll get the vet out. Yasandcrystal thanks very much for posting with all the tips, that was very interesting and I'm glad your mare is ok now. Oh and she is a normal weight Boxoffrogs.