Equine asthma 2020 style..

[tankgirl1]

So this summer Equihaler was approved, at £250 a pop, meaning that vets can no longer prescribe cheap generic inhalers under the cascade.
My mare was just diagnosed recently - help - every treatment seems to be extortionate and she's not insured

I'm changing her management to soaked hay and dust extracted bedding (from dry hay and straw). The other option is iv or im dex, but she's a fat native on previcox and steroid induced lami is a risk.

Can't keep her out 24/7 because of yard rules and lami risk.

Thoughts please?

 

[SEL]

It's also quite tricky to use!

It's worth trying some of the herbal formulas on offer. A friend has had great results with Trinity Consultants.

 

[Mule]

I'd move to fiield livery. Some don't even need medication once the source of the allergen is removed. I feel your pain. Mine is on prednisolone tablets, which are costing me a fortune but he already lives out and ventipulman hasn't worked. Another horse I had was managed on ventipulman and when I stopped feeding hay she stopped needing it. She had been fed wet hay but the spores from the dry hay the others were getting set her off.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

Mine doesn't even need medication anymore. He lives in a stable attached to a paddock that is hard standing. He gets soaked/watered hay, and dust free bedding. He does get MSM in his feed which is said to help with inflammation and allergies, but I've no idea if it does, but it is inexpensive and he eats it. He's also kept in work. The more fit he is, the better he fairs.

He does have a Flexineb that I haven't used in ages. However, I only give him steroids through this and not oral or IM. The dose is smaller and less laminitis risk. Plus, it goes directly through the airway.

If you can keep them fit and manage the environment, it really helps, IME.

 

[BBP]

My companion pony is allergic to everything, hay, pollen, the rust spores on grass at this time of year, he’s a nightmare. I hadn’t heard this about inhalers, that’s gutting as they really help him but he needs them year round.

 

[Goldenstar]

I have just used an equihaler on my new cob who arrived with a cough .
Very easy to use once you have the knack ,worked as in it stopped the issue .
Worth the money because of the decrease in laminitis risk .

 

[BBP]

Jeeze, I’ve just read that it’s£240 for just 10 days worth of treatment, must be used within 12 days of activation.

 

[CanteringCarrot]

So what's wrong with a Flexineb then? I think it's about £800 - I got mine on one of their many 10% off sales. Then the meds, here anyway, aren't terrible. I've used Dex, Pulmicort, Atrovent, and I think one other I cannot recall.

Maybe it's cheaper in the long run than the inhaler?

I did use a product called Balsamic Air once. Just syringed it orally, and that also got rid of his cough quickly after he'd been fed dry straw.

 

[Goldenstar]

It’s was expensive but a bout of laminitis would be catastrophic , and this one fat cob

 

[GoldenWillow]

Can you move to haylage and dust extracted shavings? My cob with equine asthma doesn't tolerate soaked hay. Having used a babyhaler with generic inhalers we use a flexineb and it has been a game changer. Although the initial outlay is expensive, mine was fortunately paid for through insurance, the meds themselves work out fairly cheap and there is a very low risk of laminitis as steroid is going directly to lungs.

The equihaler wouldn't work for us as although through the winter the management we have means he is fine he is also badly affected by pollen which means we use the flexineb usually from May to October, the cost with the equihaler for that would be unsustainable whereas flexineb costs between £35 - £70 a month depending on level of meds.

 

[Sail_away]

Mine got diagnosed with equine asthma a couple months ago. Things that helped - moving to haylage (timothy for good doers), dust extracted shavings, really thorough clean out of his stable, and the flexineb. It is expensive, I think all told it was 950 for us with the fast nebulising cup and not covered by insurance but it's made a huge difference. Ventipulmin and oral steroids did very little comparatively. If it's summer pasture associated and fairly mild you may get away with only nebulising during the summer and just with saline solution so running costs would be minimal after the initial outlay. Long term it will be far cheaper than the equihaler.
To be honest keeping her out 24/7 may not have helped so I wouldn't worry about that - my horse's issues started on 24/7 turnout having been on box rest for 4 weeks a month prior with no issues (well, not relating to the asthma at least).

 

[tankgirl1]

So what's wrong with a Flexineb then? I think it's about £800 - I got mine on one of their many 10% off sales. Then the meds, here anyway, aren't terrible. I've used Dex, Pulmicort, Atrovent, and I think one other I cannot recall.

Maybe it's cheaper in the long run than the inhaler?

I did use a product called Balsamic Air once. Just syringed it orally, and that also got rid of his cough quickly after he'd been fed dry straw.

I just can't afford it unfortunately

 

[tankgirl1]

She's not coughing just has heaves

 

[Sophstar]

Well that sucks as I've already paid £1200 of treatment for my clydie's breathing (not insured) and he got prescribed the EquiHaler to see if it made any difference. It's easy to use but by day 5, he was hacked off at it and it became a precarious struggle not to spray it and see £ signs floating into the air as he wrestled his head! Didn't make blind bit of difference to him and was hoping for cheaper inhalers. Luckily he can live out but when he has come in, his stable has been immaculate and he has soaked hay. I have found the fitter he is getting, the better his breathing is and shall try some supplements once the bank balance has recovered.