Coughing and scoping advice

[SamanthaToby]

Hi all

So my boy a cob, had had a snotty nose wich i called the vet out to as it was thick an slighly yellow she gave him some antibiotics and pain killers for 5 days. A few days after they had finished he developed a cough that was quite straned. I called the vet back an she advsed its most likely the tail end of a bug he has had an to give him time. Carrying on with his normal routeen of turning out an getting head down.

Few days maybe a week later we had snot back, not as bad as befor so was given a liquid antibiotic for 4/5 days.

He has been off the meds about 2 weeks now an then today he has coughed up flem the same consistency as the nose flem.

We have been hacking an he only ever coughts at the start of the hack an is then fine. I even lunged him an he was fine u till he had had enough and then coughed.

I called the vet an she said as befor to give him a fee days see if he picks up it may still be clearing. If not she woukd be happy to scope him an see whats going on.

I have had him tested for the dreaded an come back fine.
He has been on lincons kof and nafs resptory an they havent worked. He had even been on ventapulin (not sure of spelling) for 3 days an no change.

His temp is normal, he is eating an drinllking ok an he poops are fine. When ridden he is progressing an looks to be enjoying being out.

i have been told to get him out in field out of dust, but i cant leave him out to long as he will pile weight on. I cant mussel him as it bloxks his airways.

Any ideas?

 

[be positive]

If he is in part of the time have you made a real effort to reduce the dust and what are you doing to the hay?

I have found that when they are really sensitive you really do have to break the pattern by turning them out 24/7 if you can, it may be tricky on a livery yard to section off an area with less grass but it may be the only way to really sort this out as it tends to deteriorate year on year, you need to have as much air circulating in the stable as possible, ensure the surfaces and beams are free of dust.

If you are soaking hay I find that is not enough for the worst ones and a change to haylage may be required, feed from the floor so his head is down to help with draining, scoping may give a more definitive diagnosis but the change of management required may well be the same, it is so much healthier to be outside and if he is feeling better he can do more work to help keep the weight down.

 

[SamanthaToby]

If he is in part of the time have you made a real effort to reduce the dust and what are you doing to the hay?

I have found that when they are really sensitive you really do have to break the pattern by turning them out 24/7 if you can, it may be tricky on a livery yard to section off an area with less grass but it may be the only way to really sort this out as it tends to deteriorate year on year, you need to have as much air circulating in the stable as possible, ensure the surfaces and beams are free of dust.

If you are soaking hay I find that is not enough for the worst ones and a change to haylage may be required, feed from the floor so his head is down to help with draining, scoping may give a more definitive diagnosis but the change of management required may well be the same, it is so much healthier to be outside and if he is feeling better he can do more work to help keep the weight down.

Thanks for the advice, i have changed to rape straw bedding befor he was unwell anyway to get shot of dust.
He has fresh water everyday like normal. He is fed wet hay from the floor.
I put him out for over 24 hours an thats when he has then coughed the snot up. I try to leave him in a little as possible as movement makes dust.

 

[be positive]

Wet hay may be the reason he is not improving, haylage is worth trying for a few weeks, being out for 24 hours and then coughing may just be him clearing out some residual gunk which has loosened up because he was out for that period, these dust allergy type things can respond and present in different ways but I have never had one that did not go, sometimes completely with no further sign even when they come back in, with a long period of being out 24/7, by long I mean months if not a year, if they can be out all winter it can make a huge difference.
I have one now that was really bad when he arrived several years ago, he was fine all the next summer living out, coughed and had a snotty nose within days of coming in overnight the next winter, changed to haylage which fixed him with no need to use drugs or supplements, had two winters on haylage and this winter now retired he stayed out on hay with no sign of any coughing or runny nose, he will not need to be in again as my new place has an open barn and yard which means no need to stable, ideal for a dust allergic retired pony but would be perfect for one in work as well.