Does this sound like COPD?

[Saxon_Jasmine]

I have started doing fast work, jumping and some competing after bringing my horse back to work. She finished racing 6 months ago, had 3 months off, then started work again.

When she canters, gallops and jumps she occasionally makes a whistling noise. It's not continuus, just one or two whistles when she is warming up or occasioanlly if she has to try hard for a fence.

She doesn't seem to have any breathing difficulties and her heart rate is normal (had a heart moniter test done on her in slow and fast work). She also doesn't cough or heave.

I have done an unaff ODE on her as she didn't have any problems. She is hacked for 1/12 hrs and doesn't get tired, display breathing difficulties.

I was reading about COPD and one of the symptoms is a whistling noise, could she have this?

Thank you.

 

[Sam22]

Unlikely to be COPD with no cough/heaving. Copd horses make a whezing sound. Whistling is more likely to be coming from the larynx - a likely reason the horse left racing. You would need it investigated by endoscopy whilst being exercised to know exactly what is going on but a vet will be able to confirm it is larynx rather than lungs. Speculative but I would guess she has already had surgery as she was a race horse and its not worked 100%.

 

[Saxon_Jasmine]

Not sure that she would have had surgary, she only raced a few times (national hunt) and retired as she wasn't very good at it. Poss. because of larynx problems?

I've looked up laryngeal paralysis and think she could have a minor case of this. It is very occasionally that she whistles so I think I will only get the vet out if it worsens.

Does anyone have any experience with laryngeal paralysis? Is it progressive? Can I continue to compete her? Is it heredotary?

Thank you.

 

[Sam22]

Laryngeal paralysis is performance limiting because it increases the effort and time required to fully breath in - inspire, is seen in TB's. Racehorses usually have surgery as soon as it is observed so they can reach their potential. There are several conditions of the larynx that can cause problems not just paralysis. It is a good sign that your horse only does it very occasionally and you have competed at a fairly demanding level so hopefully it is intermittent enough not to be performance limiting. A word of warning about investigating, because she only does it occasionally it will be hard to assess. Endoscopy will have to be done at the time she actually makes the noise ie, with a dynamic system that is worn whilst you ride her. Unless she does it after being lunged really hard. As it seems to effect certain breeds more I am fairly sure that it is hereditable. I am not certain on progression, depends on cause but I think it porgresses slowly. Probably worth a chat to your vet and hopefully they will agree to investigate if it gets worse - don't let your insurance run out though - do it within the year. I expect they would be reluctant to investigate whist it is so infrequent anyway.
If you want to confirm it is upper respiratory tract, and when she breaths in, check that the noise is made as her front feet hit the ground when cantering.