Copd help

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Owl and Bo

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Hi everybody,

Was wondering if I could have some advice from you all. My horse has copd (diagnosed with a lung flush) and takes a steroid inhaler intermittently. This does help drastically but I only give her it for 3-4 weeks roughly 3 times per year when I feel she is struggling. The problem is when I ride. She seems so lethargic and snatches at the reins to lower her head to the ground to help take in air easier I'm assuming. She only does this in the arena and not whilst hacking. I'm starting to feel terrible for riding now and wonder if I should just stop?! Well schooling anyway? I purchased Winergy Ventilate a few days ago after reading great reviews about it. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you :)
 
I have a mare with COPD/RAO. She developed it as a result of dusty hay 3 -4 years ago, and while she is normally very well, can relapse easily (last event was when someone inadvertently let her eat some hay during a stop on a ride).I have a ventilator mask and the drug at home in case she ever needs it.

I know what you mean about the lethargy and the snaking the head down. This would suggest to me that your mare is not really right. I never did any schooling anyway, but we live in a valley and the local hill used to really take it out of my poor girl at the start of a ride. I think that schooling would be stressful for the condition on two grounds: a) the actual intense nature of the schooling itself and b) that she will be breathing up dust, spores whatever from the surface of the school.

I was advised to keep my horse out 24/7 (which I was doing anyway though she has access to a bedded stable and that's fine). She reacts terribly to hay so is always fed haylage (low grade stuff specially made for us by the next-door farmer). Her feed is always served quite wet. finally, and probably the most important, I never overtax her. She is a very forward going, willing, big-hearted horse, so if she starts to 'fade' on a ride I just take her really steadily and turn for home.

Its perhaps not what you want to hear, but I think you have to face up to compromises with COPD. Such supplements as I gave her were really only symptomatic veneers, and I gave them up.

Ffor this reason, if no other, I would never sell my mare, as her condition really needs watching, and she so nearly died on me. I learnt from my ignorance on that one (not accepting how serious the symptoms were, and treating her with breathing supplements) so now I'm super-careful. All the best with yours.
 
Thank you for your view Rose Folly,

When you say you have a ventilator mask does that mean its a continuous flow of medicine that your horse gets? What kind of medicine is is? Salbutamol or something similar?

She lives out all summer and in an outdoor stable in the winter and is fed only haylage. She seems to be much worse in the summer I'm assuming due to the clammy air/pollen in the air which I suppose would affect anybody with a lung problem. She hasn't actually been too bad in the winters.

I will contact the vet and see if there is an examination to tell the extent of the damage now. No she is with me until one of us goes! I just want to make sure she is as comfortable as possible and I'm trying everything that's available to help her. Thanks again, best wishes.
 
Hi, my boy was diagnosed with COPD at the beginning of last year and he has to have a beclamethasone (pinky purple colour) inhaler, the vet stressed that as this is a preventative inhaler it is important that it is used regularly as the effectiveness of it builds up over time. My boy is worse over the winter as the dust sets him off and he is in a bit more over winter, so he has 2-4 puffs every day depending on his symptoms, he is also aggravated a bit by the early spring pollen so continues with it through the spring. He doesn't use his inhaler June-Nov/Dec incl, but when he starts it again he has a high dose (8-10 puffs a day) for a week to get it into his system. That along with his dust free bedding, big stable nowhere near any dry hay, straw or the muck heap and soaked feeds and hay seems to do the trick.

The vet also said keeping him slim and fit would help, some days he is a bit lethargic so I don't push him, but generally he is fine, jumps, hacks and does dressage at novice.

Good luck :)
 
Thanks Gorgeous George,

Yes the beclametasone is the inhaler that I use too. I wonder if anybody has had success with the blue inhaler salbutamol? I will ask the vet about this one. I just feel she is struggling at the minute poor girl.
 
Hi my vet did say they also used the blue reliever inhaler as an addition to the purple one for horses that were struggling, so def worth asking.

if you are buying them yourself I've found Chemist Direct the cheapest, but you will need a prescription from yr vet.

All the best.
 
I just phoned the vet Gorgeous George about the blue one salbutamol. He said they have never used it with horses and tend to use ventopulmin but that never helped her in the past. He said he will find out dosages etc and get back to me and write a prescription! I'm quite excited to see if this helps which I'm sure it will! Thank you I will have a look on that site and let you al know how effective it is as it could help others too.

Yes thanks amymay for stating the obvious! I don't ride in there anymore I just thought it would be best to describe symptoms as best as I could :)
 
Oh for goodness sake! It was the bluntness of your reply that I was picking up on. I was genuinely asking for worthwhile advice which I received from others. I meant riding in general not just the school but again thanks for pointing that out :)
 
I think suggesting not riding on a surface that causes your horse breathing difficulties to be a well observed comment. There was nothing blunt about the comment, just a simple observation.

You didn't mention riding in general, but you did mention specifically riding in the school.
 
Would recommend putting horse on inhaler permanently. That way the inflammation in lungs is kept low at all times rather than flaring up & only then giving steroids.

Don't no how much use salbutamol will b as its very shirt duration of action & if I remember right horse dose is about
 
Sorry fone posted 2 soon!

Dose about 8-9 puffs a time. Better option would be salmeterol- similar drug 2 salbutamol but longer duration of action & given on regular basis like the beclomet.

Also what r u using 2 give the beclomet? Best thing 2 use us aeromask- yes they are expensive (i managed 2 get insurance company 2 pay for it) but they are far superior in amount of dose delivered 2 lungs.

I could go on & on bout inhalers/pollen allergy/ horsey hayfever having been there done with my very difficult 2 sort mare! Also I've got personal interest in this area being an asthmatic pharmacist!! So do feel free 2 PM me bout anything if u want
 
Oh that's very handy to know that you are an asthmatic pharmacist :)

I use the volumatic spacer device thing with a paediatric mouth piece on the end which fits her nostril perfectly. I'm also very good now at hearing/feeling her breathing so the mist goes in at the best time. I've had a look at the nebuliser machine things and they are very expensive but it would be something I would purchase if I knew that it would definitely help her. I will ask the vet about the salmeterol also. Thanks for that. I was thinking the salbutamol I could use only before I ride. Would that be do able? Or is it something you have to give a few times a day. I don't think she struggles whilst ambling about in the field and thankfully she has never had an "attack" of distressed breathing either.

Thank you so much for that information on the salmeterol.
 
Yes salbutamol would normally b given before exercise just bearing in mind it is short acting so say u were going longish hack on warm day horse could be struggling by time u coming home.

Its very much trial & error finding what works with ure individual horse.

Another option would b 2 try likes of global herbs pollenx I had great results with that for a while & the winergy ventilate gets good press- sadly my horse PTS b4 I could try that.

Another option 2 discuss with vets is using fluticasone instead of beclomet- I feel its far superior drug giving better symptom control with less puffs as its stronger. Yes its more expensive but you use less of it. & if vet thinks the salmeterol might help it comes in a combined inhaler with the flutic- called seretide. All this is 'unlicensed' use/prescribing by ure vet so they do need 2 b willing to do that. My vet was very good & basically let me decide what I wanted 2 use/try.

Also what bout steroid/hayfever nasal sprays? I tried them as well with small improvement but horse very upset getting them so stopped- quite a lot of people had success with them.

Sorry so long!!!
 
In cases of acute copd (not sure if yours is acute or chronic) Sputolosin can be great for controlling it. Ventipulmin did very little to help my mare, wheras sputolosin gave her almost instant relief. Perhaps discuss with your vet. Other that that, management is key, no dust, outdoor life, if in stable must be outwards facing and no ponies in the vicinity to have hay, straw, no dusty indoor/outdoor schools etc etc. She was a competition mare and with correct management we were able to carry on, very successfully (although overnight shows were a problem) We always tried to find stabling away from the venue (a field) or kept her in the horsebox with the ramp down and gates closed (not sure they'd let you do that these days.) Good luck and keep us updated x
 
Yes chocy I was wondering how long the salbutamol would last? I could always take it in a backpack if we were planning on a longer ride :) I will try the pollenx after the ventilate if there is no benefit from it. I will also ask the vet about fluticasone. I haven't used a nasal spray and hadn't even thought of that so that's something else to try, thanks for that advice.

Little nell it's terrible I don't even know if its acute or chronic! I'm assuming its chronic as its there all the time. Thankfully she has never had an attack where she has been struggling to actually breathe. Yes she lives out mainly and in an outdoor box in winter and fed only haylage, no hay whatsoever! Fed from the ground also.

Thanks very much for the advice. A few things to try now. I wonder if anybody has had any success with aromatherapy oils or those little homeopathic pills?
 
Hi,
My boy struggles with his breathing :-( he has the blue salbutamol inhaler and the orange flixotide which he has every day (6 puffs of each in morning).
I also have ventipulmin if he has bad day as it seems to help him alot!

I also feed him local honey to help - my sister has it to help her hayfever so asked vet if would have similar effects / help horse. Worth a try and it really does help i think. He has been much better this year. I started feeding him the honey in february to help build up before pollen season really kicked in. He has only (fingers crossed, touched wood for now more) 1 really bad episode this year - vet came out and gave him steriod injection to kick on head). It isnt the nicest thing, i hate seeing him when he struggles.

I am lucky to have lovely big fields with shelters so he is out all the time in the summer (when really hot or pollen count high) i shut him in the field shelter during day as it is airy (also size of 3 stables)!!! I also dont work him at all if he slightly bad as hate feeling him so deflated and anti working (when he normally is a cheeky chap). I also try to give him a good long canter ONLY when his breathing is 100% to open up airways and get air moving.

good luck with your girl. Feel free to message me about anything - i could get a degree in this stuff after having my boy throw all sorts at me over the last 4 years!
 
Ah that's interesting about the honey katiey. I know it's supposed to ease a sore throat and cough in humans so why not in horses. I shall do some research! It's good to know that you find it helps, always makes other keen to try then.

Also the canter thing is interesting too. I suppose if you think about it the rocking motion may help to dislodge any "gunk" that's in there? It is horrible to see them struggle :( it breaks my heart. My girl is a little Arab and was always so perky and forward going. Don't get me wrong she is not miserable and still has her lively moments just nowhere near as much as she used to. I will try anything to help her.

Thanks so much for all the advice and tips. Plenty things to try and research to do :)
 
Hi Owl and Bo,

Sorry I didn't reply to your query re inhalers earlier.

My mare is in remission, thank goodness. But having had the fright of my life when she nearly died, I bought a mask, which for a fortnight she was using on a daily basis (under veterinary discipline obviously.) I cannot remember the name of the inhalant, but he told me its the same one as is used for humans with asthma - becanase??

I only have to use it if she has 'an incident' and the only one has been when she was inadvertently fed hay by someone who didn't know her problem. But the inhaler box and the drug are tucked aw\zy in the feed room so they ar there at the drop of a hat if I need them.

From other responses this makes it seem that my girl is a low danger risk now - but you can't be too sure!
 
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