Breathless on exercise

[dianeholmes]

I have a Haflinger gelding who is well into his 20s. He has been breathing badly on exercise over the past couple of months. He has been seen by vet and scoped with Tracheal lavage. The results were very clean - too clean really. No bacteria grew and the neutrophilia was 5%. I had a horse with respiratory allergies who I lost last year and his neutrophilia was any where from 78% to 94%!!! Vet has challenged the results with the lab but they see results like this frequently. There was a small amount of mucous seen on scoping but nothing remarkable. He was coughing initially but antibiotics corrected this elemet of the problem.

Fudge is still breathing badly on any exertion and can look tucked up at times. His resting heart rate is low and sounds normal. The vet is a bit at sea to be honest and is suggesting further investigations i.e. a deeper scope and a sample taken from the alveolae. Perhaps a lung biopsy but has explained these can be very risky.

Fudge is well in himself, eating well, looking good, is cheerful and alert and plays in the field.

Not at all sure what to make of all this - the vet is taking advice from a consultant medical specialist.

Anyone seen anything similar??? He is not insured for vets bills due to age and I do not have deep pockets!!!!.

 

[texel]

I assume he is bitted? It would be useful to have him scoped with his bit in his mouth to rule out bit induced elevation and dorsal displacement of the soft palate at exercise.

Or you could ride him in just a head collar, in an enclosed safe arena to see if this makes a different -worth a try.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Several reasons for this

Unfit
airways congested
copd
illness
asthma
infection
laminitis
allergies

I would get the vet to have another look , they will prob get you to ride him then listen to his chest or lunge him and listen .


He might need a course of ventapulmin or more investigation..

I would get vet out soon as to get to bottom of this.

 

[muff747]

I don't understand how this was posted on the 23rd and I didn't see it until it has been answered today

I assume he has been examined after exercise and vet has listened to his lungs, and as a result decided the scoping was appropriate.
Was there a noise in the lungs then?
One poster has listed being unfit or laminitis as other possibilities but I would have thought you and your vet will have ruled those out?
I know you have said he is well in himself and plays in the field, is he breathing heavily after playing in the field as that is also exerting himself?