Coughs + (also posted in Vets)

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anniewarren

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Apologies this is long! My 16yr old has had a cough now for about 10 wks, started with soaking hay, reducing straw bedding not aggressive but would cough if going up hill and the start of any hack but not always would be some days and not others. He does not have a temperature, is bright eyed, no nasal discharge (only evidence of some mucus once on floor that must have been coughed up) and in a healthy conditiion. I decided to get this checked out by a vet as he was coming to see my friends horse. We lunged him in a school on small circle and he coughed quite abit. Vet listened to his lungs and confirmed all was well so this was good. He did not ask if I had given him anything for the cough and said that he could but if this did not work then back to square one so lets just do an endoscopy, which is booked for Tues, I have to trailer him to the vets. Following on from this he said he was lame on the near fore and off fore one worse than the other (at this point I will say he has been diagnosed with navicular when he was 8yrs and was dealt with) I have owned him since Dec 08 but still in touch with previous owner who had him from Birth so she knows him best. She advised that he has never been sound on the lunge in circles. Anyway the vet said he would also nerve block him on Tues under the endoscopy as he was excluded for any navicular lameness. Since then (last wk) it looks like he has knocked an old splint injury and has some swelling, warm but not hot I guess he knocked when being lunged hence why he was probably struggling. Since being diagnosed with ND he has done team chases, hunter trials, fun rides and hunting, he was also just outside the rosettes in the Ridden Hunter class at Devon County Show in 2004. What I am trying to ask is do you think the vet is being rather extreme? I am going to get a second opinion on the cough tomorrow.
 
My lad had a cough couple yr ago,he had it pretty much all winter
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,i firstly put it down to the hay,so soaked it..still coughed when worked(didnt cough any other time only when doing trot work/canter etc),put him on haylage and he still coughed when worked
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Got our vet out in the end,he couldnt find anything other than lymph glands under the jaw slightly swollen,said it was a virus that he was struggling to shift,not to worry and keep working him,said if he coughed in trot just walk him
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It cleared once the weather picked up tbh!
 
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Nothing as drastic as an endoscopy then!

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No,he checked his lungs etc which were all fine,he did say however to give him about 8 wks and if no better to ring back and he would then investigate further,didnt need to,it cleared on its own!
He said it was highly likely that he was a little run down due to the weather(a little like us, get a bit depressed and it takes longer to shift a virus),and once the sun got on his back he would pick up again..he was bang on!
I would definately go with the 2nd opinion
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,if nothing obvious and he seem s healthy other than the cough then you would think they would give it a little time and see if it clears itself(Oooo,mine did say i could put him on ventipulmin etc short term,but said it would be expensive and probably a waste of time as it would clear itself eventually)
 
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