COPD symptoms

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katymay

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I moved the ponies to their winter paddock over the weekend, due to it only being an acre they have to be stabled overnight.
Little guy is sounding very chesty by the morning and coupled with his very thick coat was sweaty, stables are lovely and airy but because he is small he cannot look over the door properly for air, he is on dust free shavings and I'm going to soak his hay and put it in a trug on the floor rather than a net, I'm also going to try global herbs airways to see if that helps?
Is there anything else you can recommend? I would love to keep him out 24-7 but this isn't doable at the moment.
Will be calling the vet for advise asap.
Thank you from a worried mummy :(
 
Hi there

If he is small then sadly he will be nearer the floor and the dust free shavings wont help a true COPD sufferer :( they still have an element of "dust" albeit sawdust rather than "dirt dust".

You can try soaking his hay, it may help, and it is extremely mid at the moment, supposed to get colder at the weekend....

Is there anyway of giving him a temporary smaller door (bit of wood, pallet etc etc) so he can at least get his head out in fresh air?

Are his sides "heaving"? if you can see heave line that is a possible sign, although he sounds like he also got stressed being in perhaps?

If he has a dry cough...that could also be an indicator....

If a vet does diagnose COPD, you will more than likely get a tub of ventapulmin to treat him then in my experience get him out 24/7 asap (IF this is the case).

Also you find a lot of COPD suffers do way better on haylage, no apparent reason but I have a COPD chap who cannot touch hay despite it being steamed/soaked, it just makes him cough, perhaps spores or something but he is fine on haylage!
 
If he has to stay in I'd swap to just a rubber mat for bedding so you can keep dust down as much as possible and rinse out every day.
 
Thanks all, sadly I cannot adapt the stable door as it's rented :( he also cannot go out 24-7 as it's low lying very wet soil and I need to make it last.
I have just been back down to muck out and his breathing is completely normal now, no crackling or snot, nice and clear, he doesn't tend to stress in the stable as he lives his home comforts :) think he sweated due to lack of air and I've usually had him clipped by now.
I have come up with a plan though, paddock owner extended concrete base over summer so I could electric tape around that and leave his door open? Just hoping it won't stress the big guy out seeing his companion free! The biggest risk is him escaping on all the long grass, hence why he can't really have haylage as he is a fatty.
Thanks all, big slice of chocky cake for you all x
 
My horse has COPD and displayed symptoms similar to your pony but he deteriorated very quickly and developed a full blown infection in his upper respiratory tract and was very sick. Was touch and go but thankfully he pulled through.

My horse was put on well-soaked hay - properly dunked and not just dampened with a hose. he also went on rubber mats and hemp bedding that was also dampened. this works for him. he has approx. 8 hours turnout in winter and 16 in teh summer 9comes in for the flies).

I was given ventipulmin, Suptulosin (when muscus got very thick) and when he was very bad a pump and nebuliser.

My horse is now very sensitive to dusty forage and when last YO gave him just one net of unsoaked hay he developed a cough within hours. Despite me telling them he can never, ever have it.

I hope your pony recovers, COPD is managable without too much hassle. Would one of those nylong webbing stall guards work? Be ware of feeding straight off the floor as dust from the yard environment can stick to wet hay. Feeding from a trug is better.
 
Stockers said:
My horse has COPD and displayed symptoms similar to your pony but he deteriorated very quickly and developed a full blown infection in his upper respiratory tract and was very sick. Was touch and go but thankfully he pulled through.

My horse was put on well-soaked hay - properly dunked and not just dampened with a hose. he also went on rubber mats and hemp bedding that was also dampened. this works for him. he has approx. 8 hours turnout in winter and 16 in teh summer 9comes in for the flies).

I was given ventipulmin, Suptulosin (when muscus got very thick) and when he was very bad a pump and nebuliser.

My horse is now very sensitive to dusty forage and when last YO gave him just one net of unsoaked hay he developed a cough within hours. Despite me telling them he can never, ever have it.

I hope your pony recovers, COPD is managable without too much hassle. Would one of those nylong webbing stall guards work? Be ware of feeding straight off the floor as dust from the yard environment can stick to wet hay. Feeding from a trug is better.
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I've been wondering about the webbing stall guards too as my horse has started to show mild signs of COPD over the past few years when brought in for the winter. Does anyone use them instead of a door?
 
Pinkvboots said:
they are quite tough I have an 12 hand pony on livery here and he has one and we never shut the door and his been fine no breakage or escape:)
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Even a known bum scratcher? Will ask paddock owner if he minds, felt so awful putting him to bed tonight, he sniffed his trug of soaked hay and walked to the other side of the stable in disgust :( I feel like I'm totally failing them at the moment, haven't ridden since last weds and it's depressing me :(
 
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