COPD treatments - long

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BigRed

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My TB mare is 15. I have had her since age 7 with absolutely no respiratory problems. 8 weeks ago she started to cough and to blow her nose. She has had two lots of ventipulmin and one sputalosin. Followed by 1 batch of antibiotics and is just finishing a course of Steroids. I stopped feeding her hay - it is very good hay - the vet said I had to soak it and my horse refuses to eat soaked hay ! So she has been having very good quality haylage.

The gut wrenching coughing has stopped and been replaced by the odd delicate cough. She still wants to blow her nose excessively, although nothing comes out of it.

The vet suggest keeping her exercised without galloping around. The next treatment is going to be inhalers - has anyone got anything to say about how effective these are, or what the benefit is to having her scoped ?
 
had this sort of problem with mine last year. she does lots of snezing and nose blowing had a cough too. she was scoped as wanted to check to see ifinfection was present as she had had simmilar compliant in the autaum b4 whcih we though was an infection. scop showed no infection but when wash was looked at showed signs of inflamation this is associated with RAO (COPD) thishad been caued by an allergic reaction to something. as she had had two lots of vetipulmin ahe went on inhalers one steriod one not she tolorated these very well much to the amazment of my vet! they were a bit of a pin to start with as its quite a few puffs to count twice a day. she stayed onthe steriod one for most of summer gradually cutting it down and came off end of sumer. and so far this year no sign of persitant cough (fingers crossed) has the odd cough and is nose blowing quite a bit but vet said not to worry just yet. Personally i would go for scoping as then you know what you are dealing with and youdont waste your money on unessacary treatment.
 
Phone winergy and ask for info on ventilate. They should be able to give you information/research articles on antioxidants, etc to treat COPD (now called RAO).
 
Is your horse stabled? If so, it would be very helpful if you could tun out 24/7. If not, make sure you are using a dust free bedding.
 
My ned Sunny has just started giving a few delicate coughs too Tracey01. He had never coughed before (to my knowledge) but 2 years ago I moved him to a wonderful new yard (welfare issues) and that summer he started coughing. The previous yard was halfway up a mountain, above the snowline, and there weren't many trees about. But the new yard is much lower and is surrounded by mature hedges and lanes and woodland. He is allergic to tree pollen and the poor lad coughs like stink from the first day the hawthorn is in blossom right through to September. His first little "ahem" is a lot earlier this year but that could be due to the nice weather (catkin pollen everywhere) or the fact that he's now 23 ish and his immune system isn't as good as it was at 13.

I've heard good things about Respirease (sp???) but haven't used it yet. I'd be interested in what other members have found helpful x
 
My 7 yr old gelding who is in fab condition etc, but in the winter he has 2 be stabled 24/7 and vet said he has mild COPD. It became really bad and he was put on something from the vet which stoped the coughing when he was on it but then he came off it and went back 2 coughing at feeding time but lately he has started coughing all the time and I can only ride him for 10 mins. I just cant seem 2 get this cough back down to wht it normally is. Im going to get the vet next week and I was wondering what tests etc i should have done? He has soaked hay, shavings and out in the day!
 
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