Endoscopy, what to expect?

[mattilda]

My big ginger lad is being scoped tomorrow. He has been coughing for a while and abs failed to work so vet is going in for a look see. He's being done at home so not too stressful for him hopefully. I, on the other hand, am a nrevous wreck!! Have n idea what to expect so anyone been there done that?

 

[xxRachelxx]

I recently did work experince at an equine vets and saw lots of horses being scoped. You dont need to worry at all. It is actually a very common thing for vets to do (I saw it loads!!!) and 99% of the horses seemed fine with it. Some do end up with quite bad nosebleeds but that doesnt seem to worry them. Honestly - he will be fine - try not to worry and good luck!

 

[mattilda]

Thankyou. I know he'll be OK. Normally I'm fine with things but for some reason am getting worked up over this. Think it might be more that I'm worried about what they find. Hopefully just an allergy which is what she suspects.

 

[Box_Of_Frogs]

He'll be fine hun. They'll sedate him and walk him into the padded crush. The tube goes up his nose and he might find that a bit uncomfortable. The vets might try to have a good look in his gutteral pouch which can be tricky if he's very sensitive. Then the tube continues down into the lungs. They will probably do a wash, where they suck some of the secretions up and send them off to the lab. My horse Sunny has a severe tree pollen allergy and he's been endoscoped twice. His worse problem is the massive amount of sticky secretions that clog his lungs and prevent inhaled drugs getting to the right spot. I thought last winter would be his last due to quality of life issues but he has started on a new drugs trial - no more options really so I've got my fingers crossed. I can't relax for about another 3 weeks but I'm going to post the results on here as they may help other horses/owners. The drug is Cavalesse and it's marketed only through vets as a sweet itch product. But the manufacturers told my vets that the effect on the histamine producing mast cells works the same for pollen allergy sufferers. Sadly for your horse, you have to start the drug about 3 weeks before you expect the pollen reaction to begin and then you have to give it at the same time every day. You might try ringing Fidavet but I think any benefit would have to wait til next spring.

 

[mattilda]

Thanks for the reply BOF. Fingers crossed for Sunny. They cause us so much worry but we wouldn't be without them would we?

 

[Maesfen]

Be prepared to feel a bit queasy when you see them going back and to with the scope. I was fine watching it on the screen go down but when they then did a few up and down views at speed, I had a few 'hot' moments, it was like being on a big dipper - which I'm not keen on anyway!
Good luck, horse will be fine and hope they can find and fix the problem.

 

[mattilda]

He was absolutely fine and, I'm pleased to say, so was I!! Maesfen, he was done at home so no big screen thankfully. I can now say I have seen the inside of my lads throat 'cos I had a peek down the endoscope!!
There was nothing obvious to see so just have to wait for the results of the sample she took. He starts on his inhaler tomorrow so hopefully I can ride again in a week or so. It's been 6 weeks since I last sat on him apart from one very quiet hack!! This cough is doing nothing foe his waistline.