Confirmed as equine asthma :(

[[59668]]

So it has been confirmed following the tracheal wash and BAL that my 8yo cob does in fact have asthma.
I'm all over the place.
She will start dex through a flexineb next week as the vet has to order it and there's a bank holiday in the way.
Is there any chance we will get back to jumping and anything other than light hacking? Really?

 

[CanteringCarrot]

So it has been confirmed following the tracheal wash and BAL that my 8yo cob does in fact have asthma.
I'm all over the place.
She will start dex through a flexineb next week as the vet has to order it and there's a bank holiday in the way.
Is there any chance we will get back to jumping and anything other than light hacking? Really?

Yes, I think so.

Maybe it depends on the extent. Technically my PRE has it. You really wouldn't know though. I used Dex in my Flexineb at first and then later switched to Pulmicort and Atrovent when we moved to another area and that's what the new vet prescribed.

Wetting his hay, living out, flax bedding, and keeping him in shape helps. He hacks, schools, and does whatever. You'd never know he has it. Which makes me think its a very minor case.

I think if you can manage the environment, keep the inflammation down and the always open (brochodilator), you'll be able to work him and have the asthma under control.

 

[Kahlua]

As above, managing the environment is super important but I had a horse with me that developed asthma, or at least it became apparent enough to be an issue, when she was 16. She was competing GP and continued to without issue until she was retired at 19 for other reasons. She had a nasal spray regularly for the first 12 months (we were able to reduce this after). We soaked all her hay, and made sure she wasn’t on anything dusty - bedding, hay, arena etc.

 

[Winters100]

Same as CanteringCarrot one of mine technically has it, but also you would never know.

I also used a flexineb when he was diagnosed with ventolin, pulmicort and atrovent.

He is stabled on pellet, receives steamed hay, and I keep the window to his box open all the time unless it is well below 0 (he is in a barn but each horse has a window the size of the top part of a stable door.

One thing that did occur to me was that he was diagnosed shortly after I bought him, and he was overweight and unfit. Since getting him fit and to a sensible weight I see 0 signs of this, but as CanteringCarrot says this may be simply because he is a very mild case.

In my opinion you can definitely be optimistic.

 

[kathantoinette]

My friend competes BS on one of hers that suffers with asthma albeit he does drop back to lighter work in high summer.
I think with careful management you can be optimistic. Good luck

 

[GoldenWillow]

My cob was diagnosed with equine asthma a few years ago. Careful management through the winter months is enough to keep him happily in full work but when it's pollen season he has colvasone and saline through his flexineb. Occasionally when pollen count is very high he goes onto light work but usually he's fine. We don't compete these days, my health stops us not his, but his hacking consists of up to 3 hrs hacks and as we have access to the beach there's plenty of fast work involved!

 

[CanteringCarrot]

I did just read an article (behind a paywall) that linked equine asthma and obesity. So I think this just confirms my thoughts that exercise is important. Depending on the horse, maybe you'll have to tailor it a bit (ease back on "bad days" if there are some, and slowly increase fitness overall) but I can't say it's really stopped my horse from doing anything.

 

[Fruitcake]

Absolutely. In my experience, once you get the inflammation under control and you get to the point of using the nebulised steroid as preventative, rather than treatment, it’s totally possible to keep on top of things and return to normal work. It can take some time initially though, so don’t lose heart yet.

I also agree with CC above. Management can really help. I think wetting hay and living out all year really help with my horse - to the extent that he doesn’t need the nebuliser anymore.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

So it has been confirmed following the tracheal wash and BAL that my 8yo cob does in fact have asthma.
I'm all over the place.
She will start dex through a flexineb next week as the vet has to order it and there's a bank holiday in the way.
Is there any chance we will get back to jumping and anything other than light hacking? Really?

Yes of course, I had my late mare do sponsored rides after diagnoses, and nebuliser supplements, and nose net
pony also still works and mare i have has equine airways disease, and still works (when not recovering from injury) and ventipulmin

I also switched from soaked hair to haylage as she was coughing with it, cough went with haylage

 

[Bonnie Allie]

Absolutely. In my experience, once you get the inflammation under control and you get to the point of using the nebulised steroid as preventative, rather than treatment, it’s totally possible to keep on top of things and return to normal work. It can take some time initially though, so don’t lose heart yet.

I also agree with CC above. Management can really help. I think wetting hay and living out all year really help with my horse - to the extent that he doesn’t need the nebuliser anymore.

As a human asthma sufferer and having had one of the kids ponies diagnosed with asthma years ago, the comment on getting the inflammation under control is spot on.

Over the years of visiting a specialist for my asthma and it really having limited results, despite the huge amount of meds prescribed I looked at alternate methods of reducing inflammation in my body. It has been so successful I am off meds altogether.

For me and the pony exercise is everything. I swim/run daily - pony comes on a run with me. If I miss exercise for 48hrs, symptoms begin to return.

Both of us are triggered by air pressure changes (think thunder storm asthma, I can tell you there is an afternoon storm on the way before the rain clouds appear)

Ive spent the past 5 years arguing with my respiratory specialist and one thing I’m certain about is asthma is very broad. If you can find the triggers that are specific to your case great, but even better if you can do preventative measures, you are on a winner.

 

[Mary3050]

I have one with asthma she does fine in ridden work, hacking, odd competition and a little jump when she up to it but this is due to a multitude of other issues. As long as she has her inhaler twice a day. She will caught and wheeze when she warms up but after that she fine. Reduce the dust in the environment, I use a nose net in summer to help environmental allergens, try to max out door time, dust free shavings and steam or soak hay. Fitness is key if they are overweight and unfit they get worse but it’s important to build fitness slowly so they don’t have an asthma attack.

Some have triggers my mares is dust and a few bits she allergic too. Her other thing is if she gets cold so I keep her warm in winter and school in door so the airs not to cold

 

[canteron]

Do you have rape fields near to you? Mine has a seasonal problem made much worse if rape is planted in nearby fields.
It could be a seasonal thing?

 

[[59668]]

Do you have rape fields near to you? Mine has a seasonal problem made much worse if rape is planted in nearby fields.
It could be a seasonal thing?

No we don't have any rape....

 

[Translationsneeded1]

Definitely manage weight, environment and once it’s under control, I use ventilator and I really recommend it (airways is useless imo!)

 

[CJoe]

Has your vet offered you a 10 day course with Aservo Inhaler? if not, ask for it. Was a gamechanger for us and my regular go to several times a year. Still compete and whilst I use the fleixneb for day to day maintenance, Aservo is great for clearing mucus and inflammation.

Other points of tested and tried:

Dont stable, even on dust free shavings (other than if you have to away shows etc)
Dont feed hay even if soaked, haylage only
Keep fit and trim
Avoid bonfires/dry dusty paddocks IF possible...
Always wet feeds, I avoid Alfa A etc, not sure why but it does set him off
Loose nosebands always...allow to cough!

 

[CanteringCarrot]

If you can swing it, a hay steamer is really good too. The yard no longer feeds haylage (supplier issues) and a livery told me her highly allergic horse is fine with the hay steamer, soaked or wet doesn't cut it (but does for mine).
I would of course start with the easiest and simplest changes first.