Cough and snotty nose

[gailt]

My new loan pony has been here 2 weeks now, when she came off the trailer she coughed...her owner said shed not heard her cough before? she still has a cough and is now getting a snotty nose, blowing bubbles and is slight green..The owner is reluctant to call a vet out as she thinks its probably a cold..and wants to wait....the pony is eating drinking as normal, is happy and not sorry no temp...should i be worried...she is a companion to my yearling..who is not showing any signs apart from a sneeze today but that could be me being neurotic..lol...what should i do, ive put her on garlic and Koff syrup...

 

[Bert&Maud]

I would be a bit worried about the "green"!. Horses don't really get colds like we do. did she travel far in the trailer when she came to you and did she have hay in the trailer? Very often if they are allergic to hay spores it is most noticeable when they've travelled in an enclosed trailer. Is she stabled at all or out 24/7? This is a "hot" subject for me at the moment because my own horse developed a cough and snotty nose last weekend (again no temperature), vet reckoned it was an allergy to some old hay (not mine!) which was stored in the next stable and had obviously passed its best before date. Turned him out 24/7 for a few days while I cleared out the hay and vacuumed all the stables (nice work on Boxing Day!). He's had a course of Ventipulmin and some antibiotics and is now much better. Even if they are just a companion they shouldn't really be coughing.

 

[Sarah_Jane]

I'm afreaid if she is a companion to your yearling I would be insisting a vet was called pronto! You have no idea if it is serious or contagous and it is no good waiting until your yearling gets it as well - also don't forget your yearlings immune system won't be that great yet.

 

[gailt]

The owner said the trailer hadnt been used for a year and was really dusty, i thought maybe an allergy, but will see how she goes over the next couple of days, i'll get bank holiday over with as i can do without double time vet fees..lol..but will let you know

 

[brightmount]

I wouldn't take a chance when there's a yearling involved, it's not a good sign that the newcomer was coughing when it arrived, which was 2 weeks ago and is getting worse not better. It's common for horses to get the snots when they come to a new yard especially a big one and have to develop their immunity to the yard bugs, but this horse came with something already.

Are you soaking her hay? This is the first thing I do when my horse has a nasal discharge of any kind.

 

[gailt]

Hi lynwood, Yes i am soaking her hay, she was at a yard for 2 months before coming to me, there she was 24/7 out in a herd, reason owners wanted to move her again was cos they couldnt get near her with the herd...The yard im at is also distribution for shavings so i suppose it could be alot dustier than 24/7 turnout..

 

[belly]

Oh dear...what a worry.
To be on the safe side can you isolate pony??

I had a pony a few years ago who within a few days developed identical symptoms to yours. My YO panicked (and rightly so!) and we isolated her.
The vet thought it was to do with stress of moving/travelling etc and I think he called it transient pneumonia. However after a course of anti-biotics she was fine.
none of the other horses caught it either!!

 

[brighteyes]

If it's a virus, chances are yours already has it. Anti -b's are no use unless a secondary infection occurs. It's cross your fingers time