COPD

W

whiteclover

Well-Known Member
Joined
22 March 2011
Messages
815
Visit site
has anyone had a horse with copd? Vet diagnosed my new horse with copd last week & said gentle hacking. I hacked him out today. I wanted to go for a gentle hack but we ended up being out for an hour and did a little trot work uphill. I wasnt best pleased. Anyway when I checked him tonight his breathing seemed worse. Im worried.

He said last week that he couldnt hear any sounds in his breathing. I think its a pollen allergy as theres lots of rapeseed around here.

What meds did your horse have, whats he/she like now?
 
Hi my boy was diagnosed in January, so mainly he is sensitive to dust, hay, straw etc. but he also has problems at this time of year we think due to the rapeseed.

My vet started off by scoping him and giving him a tracheal wash so he could make a firm diagnosis. He then spent about 6 weeks on an expensive inhaler called flixotide which started to get things under control and he is scoped every 6 weeks or so to see if the mucus/inflammatory cells etc in his resp system is decreasing. He is now on an inhaler called beclametasone and as he went a bit downhill last week he has just started a 2 week course of injected steroids :(

Changed I have made are feeding him soaked hay from the floor, moving him to an outdoor stable so he has more fresh air and bedding him on woodchips. I also now ride him in a nosenet.

My vet said that gentle exercise was good if he was coughing as it really helps to shift the mucus etc. but not to exert them. Thankfully my boy has remained bright and perky, and doesn't seem at all distressd!

Sorry this probably isn't all that helpful, but maybe getting your horse scoped would be helpful then the vet can at least see what is really going on - good luck.
 
Hi

My mare was diasgnosed with COPD and pollen allergies about a month ago and the Vet put her on Ventipulmin. She was fine when she had finished the 10 day course but went downhill again a week last fri so was put back on it. I went to my local tack/ feed store and told them of my situation and they suggested I try her on a natural based product called Anti Pollen Tablets from Equus Health. Someone on here also told me to try her on Garlic Powder as its stronger than the flakes or granules and it acts as a Respiritary aid and opens the airways.

I can honestly say that since she came off the Ventipulmin and onto the garlic and pollen tablets she has been fine, hasnt needed her full face fly mask on and she hasnt coughed/ sneezed once and her eyes have stopped running. Its only been a week though so time will tell whether they work or not

My vet also suggested putting Vaseline round her nostrils every day aswell as that stops the pollens from going into her nostrils. Which does work as I used to do it before adding the garlic and tablets to her feed but it didnt stop her eyes from running.

She is also on wood pellet bedding and have stopped giving her hay as she coughed with it and she wont eat soaked hay. She loves haylage and doesnt cough at all on it but am trying other options aswell as dont want her going fizzy/ being too overweight on haylage. I bought a bag of HorseHage yesterday so am also going to try her on that once the haylage is finished as its supposed to be dust free and good for horses with COPD.

Im still in the process of trying to find out what is causing it though but I do think its pollen related as shes out 24/7 and has been for the last 2 months or so and was out in her field when she took poorly with it a couple of weeks ago.

Hope yours gets better soon xxx
 
I think its pollen related because he started breathing heavier when he was turned out 24/7. Ive started putting vaseline on inside of his nostrils. Theres lots of rapeseed around here including two fields not far from the yard. Im looking tonight at another yard. Ive seen one last week but it had rapeseed next door. Vets given me inhalers to try with him. Should be fun I hope he takes to them.
 
My horse also has pollen-related coughing. As soon as the rape is in bloom, he starts coughing. He has had Ventipulmin for a week, which has helped, but after a few days without it he starts coughing again. This usually lasts during the time the rape is in flower and then stops afterwards. He also can't eat hay and has haylage.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top