Can horses suffer from Asthma?

[Nitro mouse]

Hi I have had to get the vet out to my horse this afternoon, he was hacked out this morning and was fine and full of bounce. He was happily grazing when I arrived the yard and was happy munching when I took his field mate in. But as I was getting in he started to hyperventilate and he looked like he had just run the grand national. In his stable he refused feed and hay (major sign he is poorly). Just stood head hanging and with laboured irregular breathing.

Vet came gave him a shot of ventopulmiin (?sp), and has taken bloods. His breathing has improved. But is not 100% normal. (I have checked him again at 8pm).

Anyone experienced anything like this? Now waiting on blood results and obviously will take it from there...

The speed this came on is what has got me, no sign of anything and then whoosh ...Hence the asthma attack thoughts.
Thanks all xx

 

[Henny]

My horse had something similar, but very dramatic. Ended up in liphook intensive care for 3 days! He has been diagnosed with COPD, or recurrent airways disorder. He has taken some careful management, but a year on is back to full fitness and drug free.

 

[karenm]

Horses can have asthma as one of my friends horses has it and has a special horse designed inhaler. He copes fine, she just has to watch what the weather is like.

 

[Nitro mouse]

Thank you for your replies, it does help with the worry. It was the speed and severity which came as a shock. I have seen horses that have been diagnosed with COPD before, but I have never seen it come on with the speed and severity it did with J this afternoon.

Could you go into more details on what treatments you have had, (obviously I am going on vet advice, but it's useful to have more info). I suspect that a change in the weather may have triggered it? He has soaked hay, and his bed is a combo of wood pellets and wood chip. He is out during the day and in at night, but his stable has excellent air flow.

Thanks again xx

 

[karenm]

I hadn't heard of COPD coming on that quickly. My old boy has COPD but we found it came on gradually as I noticed he would be out of breath quicker than he had been, but was fit.

I don't know much about how my friend found out about her horse having asthma, but saw her putting the inhaler on him a few times. It was quite simple, it attached to a head collar and covered one nostril. I think she only had to use it every few weeks and only at certain times in the year, but I suppose it would be the same as a person, it would depend on how bad the asthma is to how often it would need to be administered.

I hope this helps! xx

 

[ihatework]

One of mine has an allergic asthma

 

[Henny]

My horse had never had it before (had owned him 5 years) it was his first year on straw bedding. I got a call to say he was making funny breathing noises, so I went down, vet called and we went to liphook. They were concerned about that his larynx could of collapsed (it hasnt) and how much oxygen was in his blood. He was treated there for 3 days in dust free (as possible) environment, and came home on 100 steriod tablets a day and ventipulmin. I then turned him out 247. Once he had finished steriods he was much better but I wasnt convinced about ventipulmin and if he started his funny breathing (like an asthma attack) it didnt react quick enough. So he had a NAF suppliment twice a day and 2 inhalers. I gradually cut down on inhalers to just using them if it was needed. Now I have moved yards and he is on hayledge and lives out and Ive only used the inhalers once in about 5 months.
Sorry for the long reply! I think if you can identify the trigger that's the key, and much more natural than having to rely on drugs long term. Its taken us a while, but it was very sudden and severe and now he is back to fitness and fine! I am just more careful now!

 

[Nitro mouse]

Hi everyone thank you so much for your replies.

Vet has confirmed that J has asthma, it will probably be nigh on impossible to find out what the trigger is, as he has had it both in the stable and now out in the field. He is on dust free bedding, and has soaked hay. I have also started him on Dodsen and H Breathe Free to see if that helps. We will have an inhaler for him to help when he has an attack. Vet rec that he wears a nose net to hack out, and on warm days a mesh fly mask with a nose net.

Have any of you found any of the suppliments to be any good?

On the plus side, he bloods show that apart from the wheezes he is a fit and healthy horse, given he is 21 always a good thing to hear.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Hi I have had to get the vet out to my horse this afternoon, he was hacked out this morning and was fine and full of bounce. He was happily grazing when I arrived the yard and was happy munching when I took his field mate in. But as I was getting in he started to hyperventilate and he looked like he had just run the grand national. In his stable he refused feed and hay (major sign he is poorly). Just stood head hanging and with laboured irregular breathing.

Vet came gave him a shot of ventopulmiin (?sp), and has taken bloods. His breathing has improved. But is not 100% normal. (I have checked him again at 8pm).

Anyone experienced anything like this? Now waiting on blood results and obviously will take it from there...

The speed this came on is what has got me, no sign of anything and then whoosh ...Hence the asthma attack thoughts.


Thanks all xx

Simple answer: yes they can - my mare was diagnosed with Asthma


i use gold label vapor mist stable spray and a era mask both on this page of this website

http://horse-care-and-advice.weebly.com/a.html




.