COPD

[stormox]

My horse has had scopes and BAL's and been diagnosed with COPD. It started about 3 years ago with just a little cough and the odd lump of mucus, she is out and if I brought her in to ride or in torrential rain which she hates the stable is open front and back with roof vents. Dust free shavings and haylage.
She had last year off with lockdown and when I started riding her earlier this year the coughing has been too bad really to do much.
She is on ventipulmin, the vet is reluctant to put her on steroids.
My question is are there any specialists in this area? (Like Prof Knottenbelt with sarcoids?)
If possible I would like to see if anything more can be done. Shes only 8. Thanks

 

[GoldenWillow]

I think I posted on your previous thread? Iirc your mare is stabled in an american barn where the rest of the stables are bedded on straw? I have had a copd/equine asthma horse in this situation and they really need a stable with it's own airspace that you can control and it's totally the right management to have her on haylage and dust free bedding. I've also, and my vets agree that while ventipulmin is helpful short term, long term in this situation it loses it's efficacy.

Can you mention the flexineb to your vet, this, along with dust free management is a standard treatment. With the steroids going directly into the lungs rather than systemic the risks associated with oral or injected steroids are greatly minimised. There is also the aservo inhaler but I have no personal knowledge of this. J was diagnosed as at 7 and with dust free management he is fine on no meds but pollen is a big trigger and there's little anyone can do to minimise that! But with flexineb once a day or every other day he has been in full work, including fast work, with no problem, so hopefully you will find a way forward with your mare.

 

[stormox]

I think I posted on your previous thread? Iirc your mare is stabled in an american barn where the rest of the stables are bedded on straw? I have had a copd/equine asthma horse in this situation and they really need a stable with it's own airspace that you can control and it's totally the right management to have her on haylage and dust free bedding. I've also, and my vets agree that while ventipulmin is helpful short term, long term in this situation it loses it's efficacy.

Can you mention the flexineb to your vet, this, along with dust free management is a standard treatment. With the steroids going directly into the lungs rather than systemic the risks associated with oral or injected steroids are greatly minimised. There is also the aservo inhaler but I have no personal knowledge of this. J was diagnosed as at 7 and with dust free management he is fine on no meds but pollen is a big trigger and there's little anyone can do to minimise that! But with flexineb once a day or every other day he has been in full work, including fast work, with no problem, so hopefully you will find a way forward with your mare.

I brought her home from the livery yard to my house, she is turned on a mountainside next to the sea and if she has to come in to tack up, groom etc its to a stable open front and back with large vents all round high up too.
The vet thought once I was able to get her away from the livery yard and out more she would be fine but actually she is just the same.
She seems to be allergic to a lot of things, she was stung by a wasp last year and her whole body swelled up and she had difficulty moving.
Also she has photosensitivity and her white pasterns are scabby and gunky.
I will ask the vet about nebuluzers.
Thank yoi

 

[GoldenWillow]

That is fantastic that you have managed to do that for her, my stable is exactly the same with the vents, I've got Yorkshire boarding. I wonder if nebulised steroids would would get on top of it and then once she was stabilised she would be much better, it's got to have made a difference taking all those triggers out of her environment? Pollen is a huge trigger for J but the flexineb has been a game changer.

My insurance was happy to pay for mine, I spoke to them to check and they said it was standard treatment for these issues so hopefully your vet will be able to help.

 

[stormox]

The only downside to having her home is she has to go in a trailer to a safe place to ride, but as she's coughing too much to ride at mo its not an issue.
She has been home 5 weeks now, no improvement yet but fingers crossed...