copd/pollen allergy - wwyd?

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whiteclover

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My horse has been on inhalers for about 3/4 weeks now but in the last few days his breathing has got worse and hes flaring his nostrils to breathe. Hes being naughty with the inhalers and I try to get help with him but theres often no one around to give me a hand. Since Friday hes got worse and Ive been giving him the inhalers twice a day since then but theres no improvement. Ive noticed that his breathings shallow when I use the inhalers and I think hes doing this to evade having to breathe it in. Hes moving on Monday to another yard by the sea which Im hoping will help his breathing but what do I do in the meantime? Do I keep on with the twice a day inhalers?

I havent spoken to the vets yet but will do on Monday.
 
Sorry if I'm stating the obvious things but

Have you fed the hay from the floor?

Tried increasing time in/out and noted any changes?

Tried a nosenet on a head collar or a full face fly ask 24/7 to help shield nose?
 
This is something your vet needs to be involved in as soon as possible. If the inhaler isnt working properly for whatever reason then you would need further treatment that will give your horse some relief. Hopefully being nearer the coast may help but if the trigger is something like rapeseed then you are probably always going to have some nearby. You will need to start getting geeky about the direction of the prevailing winds, whether they blow across whatever the trigger is before getting to you and then plan where you turnout.

Ive looked after a few horses with summer copd type conditions and can suggest local honey daily, Butterbur supplement from Gold Label, nosenets, soaked hay etc right up to serious steroid treatment from the vet.

If you can do your bit with dust free management and well thought out turnout hopefully the vet will do his bit with the drug therapy.
 
At my previous yard we had a horse with a chronic pollen allergy, do you know exactly what yours is allergic to? Different pollens peak at different times of the year and as mentioned above oil seed rape is around this time and is very common.
Unfortunately if your horse is only taking shallow breaths then the inhaler won't be working - they need a good deep breath to get it down into their lungs :-( How many 'puffs' is he on? do you have both inhalers?
I can second local honey, must be produced within 3 miles of where your horse is kept and should ideally be started back in january/february time. My last mare also had a pollen allergy and this helped her and the other boy I mentioned a lot! The change in area may help - my mare showed no signs of a pollen allergy when she lived in wales but was qyuite bad with me in Kent - big change in area though!
Also a small amount of vaseline rubbed around just inside the nostrils - you can also get a hay fever type one for humans especially for hay fever sufferers which you can use but obviously be careful when turning out in this heat with it on, especially if your horse has a pink nose!
We used to bring our two sufferers in during the day and turn out at night
I became a bit of a pollen count geek too and would be constantly monitoring it!
Hope the vet can help xx Good luck xx It is horrible seeing them suffering with it
 
VickyH said:
At my previous yard we had a horse with a chronic pollen allergy, do you know exactly what yours is allergic to? Different pollens peak at different times of the year and as mentioned above oil seed rape is around this time and is very common.
Unfortunately if your horse is only taking shallow breaths then the inhaler won't be working - they need a good deep breath to get it down into their lungs :-( How many 'puffs' is he on? do you have both inhalers?
I can second local honey, must be produced within 3 miles of where your horse is kept and should ideally be started back in january/february time. My last mare also had a pollen allergy and this helped her and the other boy I mentioned a lot! The change in area may help - my mare showed no signs of a pollen allergy when she lived in wales but was qyuite bad with me in Kent - big change in area though!
Also a small amount of vaseline rubbed around just inside the nostrils - you can also get a hay fever type one for humans especially for hay fever sufferers which you can use but obviously be careful when turning out in this heat with it on, especially if your horse has a pink nose!
We used to bring our two sufferers in during the day and turn out at night
I became a bit of a pollen count geek too and would be constantly monitoring it!
Hope the vet can help xx Good luck xx It is horrible seeing them suffering with it
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Hes on both ventilin & beclomethasone. I brought him in yesterday but his breathing seemed worse. I had a horse who had a pollen allergy last year & he moved yards to a different county and his breathing was fine.
 
Hey, my boy was exactly the same... on inhalers but had few bad days and then inhalers didnt help :-( so frustrating and upsetting!!! However there is hope....

I now feed him local honey - worked with my sisters pollen allergy so ran it past my vet and he said worth a try and has made huge difference. I changed 1 thing at a time so could see what did / didnt help! He now has inhaler in morning, local honey and then i put a vaseline round his nostrils. He didnt like the nose net and my vet said if he struggles breathing that will obstruct any air flow so not always good move!
He is back to his normal self... lost his coat shine but now is shiney, cheeky, happy again. He even back in work :-)

Good luck x
 
Ill try to find some local honey. Hes got worse now Ive moved yards. His breathing is really bad and theres a heave line. Im hoping it will settle down soon. I tried to give him the inhalers tonight but he was so arsey I gave up. Im at my wits end with this problem.
 
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Hes being chased by the top dog in that field. The vets have given me ventipulmin when I asked for steroid injections/powder. He will not take the inhalers. I am not happy at all & to top it off horse doesnt look too happy either. I cant catch him either.

leviathian - would the mask be suitable for a horse who doesnt like the baby spacer?
 
would you bring him in tomorrow given that his breathings got worse and he is being chased in the field? Hes not fit at all.
 
whiteclover said:
Hes being chased by the top dog in that field. The vets have given me ventipulmin when I asked for steroid injections/powder. He will not take the inhalers. I am not happy at all & to top it off horse doesnt look too happy either. I cant catch him either.

leviathian - would the mask be suitable for a horse who doesnt like the baby spacer?
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:) Sorry enlighten me what is a baby spacer?? (never had children)


what I like about the mask is once you get them used to wearing it and get to puff the flixotide in there is no wastage where as the bottle one vet gave me if they jerk head all the stuff comes out .

have a view of their web site, there are two types one from Canada one Australia


http://www.eramask.com/


http://www.trudellmed.com/animal-health/aeromask
 
If he is being chased in the field and running in this heat yes I would bring him in and ask YO if you can change fields. Not fair if he is being bullied and running in this heat against his will.
 
I went down this morning and he seemed okay in the herd though there was a heave line. I fear this isnt good and he may have to be retired/put down.
 
Hi... Dont give up hope. My boy was like this several months ago - bad heave line, couldnt walk without breathing heavy and really looked uphappy.
Vet came out and gave him injection to relax airways. He had to stay in over the weekend so he could get his breathing back together (as something in field triggering him off). He was on ventipulmin everyday as he wouldnt take his inhaler - vet said that increased blood flow to nostrils could be making his nose area sensitive. I then reduced ventipulmin as he started to take his inhaler again. Then also added local honey to his feed and vaselin round his nose. Gradually over week increased his turnout each day. He is now out 24/7 and bk in ridden work. Trying to get him back lunge fit as that will help. Keep chin up.
Where abouts are you based with him? x
 
whiteclover said:
I went down this morning and he seemed okay in the herd though there was a heave line. I fear this isnt good and he may have to be retired/put down.
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If the vet says its not that serious, why dont you take them at their word?

Retiring seems a little drastic to be honest, never mind pts.

Can you take a video to show why his breathing concerns you maybe?
 
katiey said:
Hi... Dont give up hope. My boy was like this several months ago - bad heave line, couldnt walk without breathing heavy and really looked uphappy.
Vet came out and gave him injection to relax airways. He had to stay in over the weekend so he could get his breathing back together (as something in field triggering him off). He was on ventipulmin everyday as he wouldnt take his inhaler - vet said that increased blood flow to nostrils could be making his nose area sensitive. I then reduced ventipulmin as he started to take his inhaler again. Then also added local honey to his feed and vaselin round his nose. Gradually over week increased his turnout each day. He is now out 24/7 and bk in ridden work. Trying to get him back lunge fit as that will help. Keep chin up.
Where abouts are you based with him? x
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How did you get your horse to take the inhalers again? My horse is being awkward with them. I can just about manage it with someone else holding him. The vets told me just to feed him ventipulmin and stop the inhalers but hes not great breathing and the heave line is evident though she says Im worrying too much. Im going to ask for him to move fields as Im not keen on him being chased all the time.
 
The move could help a lot. One of mine moved from a field in a valley (surrounded by gardens) to one up on a hill. She had a pretty severe pollen allergy which resulted in several emergency vet visits for severe attacks & using an inhaler 2 x daily (which she hated). Since the move, she has been fine.
 
whiteclover said:
How did you get your horse to take the inhalers again? My horse is being awkward with them. I can just about manage it with someone else holding him. The vets told me just to feed him ventipulmin and stop the inhalers but hes not great breathing and the heave line is evident though she says Im worrying too much. Im going to ask for him to move fields as Im not keen on him being chased all the time.
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Why are you not following the vets instruction? Dont you trust her?
 
If he was that bad then he wouldn't be chased all round the field, he just wouldn't be able to do it! That, coupled with what the vet is saying, makes me think that you're worrying far too much - you seem to have decided on what the problem is & what the outcome will be regardless of all evidence & vet opinions to the contrary.

Does your yard do full livery? If so I'd suggest you ask the vet to put all treatment in writing, hand it to your YO & put him on full livery for a month. Walk away & let someone less involved deal with it - if you want to stay in contact with the horse then go up & spend some time with him but don't get involved with his day to day management or medical care.

AT this stage, from what you've said, I certainly wouldn't be considering PTS!!!!
 
Actually full livery sounds like a good idea. I need a break. Also how can you say seeing a heave line isnt bad? Thats what I dont get from the vet.
 
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