Equine asthma and sinusitis

[Wilsocl]

I have an 11 year old welsh cob mare who was scoped for an on off cough a few years ago. Vet said it was equine asthma. I purchased a haygain hay steamer as I had read about dust in hay being a trigger and this helped greatly. Respiratory problems started again in April this year when I noticed her breathing heavily in field at rest (45 breaths per minute) She was scoped again and vet said she had inflammatory airway disease, was rotten with mucus and gave me tablets which I ground into powder and put in her food. She was fine then until June when she developed a thick smelly one sided yellow nasal discharge. She was prescribed doxycycline. No more bother then until two weeks ago when thick yellow nasal discharge came back. She got head xrays to see if rotten tooth root but none. Vet said it was primary sinusitis and could do sinus flush but was an awful operation and not always a success. She was prescribed pen strep and discharge cleared but still breathing avaerage 25 breaths per minute at rest. Last couple of days breathing below 20 but tonight nasal discharge back and smelly and breathing back to 25 breaths per minute. I’m wondering if sinusitis and asthma are related or are these two separate problems I’m dealing with here and is there anything else I can do for her. Just seems to be a never ending battle ?

 

[shortstuff99]

I would have the sinus flush if you can, for humans it works really well not sure why he thinks it wouldn't for a horse.

 

[Equi]

I suffer from sinusitis/allergies. Of course my chosen life of horses and cats is not great for the condition. This year is the first i have ever used a nasal lavage/netipot because i was always too afraid to before but holy hell the difference it has made to me! Its wonderful and i don't know how/why i didn't do it before.

 

[Mule]

Yes, sinusitis and asthma are linked. Mine has asthma and has had sinusitis in the past. My horse was to have the surgery but the vet tried him on a course of prednisolone and that successfully treated his sinusitis on several occasions. Dosage was 500mg prednisolone daily for 3 weeks. You could ask your vet about it.

Despite not getting sinusitis anymore he is now on a maintenance dose of prednisolone as he was recently diagnosed with asthma. Interestingly, the prednisolone worked for both sinusitis and asthma. His asthma wasn't controlled by changing his diet or by taking ventipulmin.

I obviously still avoid allergens like hay and dust. I find haylege easier to manage than steamed hay. Also he lives out which helps massively.

This website describes a sinus flush procedure that doesn't require invasive surgery. My vet brings in a specialist vet to do the procedure rather than do it himself.

http://www.hendersonequineclinic.com/our-blog/2013/11/4/chronic-sinus-infectionsflushing.html.

 

[TinseLeneHorse]

My horse has recently had a sinus flush but her sinus infection was due to a cracked tooth so maybe slightly different. She had the tooth removed at the vets under standing anaesthetic and they put in a sinus drain which involved drilling a hole in her forehead and running a tube along her neck. She had to get flushed twice a day for a week with dilute iodine which got pumped up the tube using a pressure pump. The fluid then came down her nose and you could see if there was still any pus. The procedure seems to have been successful and she has shown no more discharge. It wasn't a cheap bill and not all vet practice could do it themselves, they may have to refer horse to vet hospital. Another horse at the yard had similar and they went down the antibiotics route at first but it kept coming back and it had to go to the vet school for a sinus operation. The pus was so compacted it had to be scooped out rather than flushed. Hope that's not too much information! Hope you get a solution for your horse .
Eta that I just saw mules post and that sounds much more relevant to your situation - definitely worth asking your vets

 

[ycbm]

Yes, sinusitis and asthma are linked. Mine has asthma and has had sinusitis in the past. My horse was to have the surgery but the vet tried him on a course of prednisolone and that successfully treated his sinusitis on several occasions. Dosage was 500mg prednisolone daily for 3 weeks. You could ask your vet about it.

Despite not getting sinusitis anymore he is now on a maintenance dose of prednisolone as he was recently diagnosed with asthma. Interestingly, the prednisolone worked for both sinusitis and asthma. His asthma wasn't controlled by changing his diet or by taking ventipulmin.

I obviously still avoid allergens like hay and dust. I find haylege easier to manage than steamed hay. Also he lives out which helps massively.

This website describes a sinus flush procedure that doesn't require invasive surgery. My vet brings in a specialist vet to do the procedure rather than do it himself.

http://www.hendersonequineclinic.com/our-blog/2013/11/4/chronic-sinus-infectionsflushing.html.

I thought that operation had been routine for years. I don't know why the OPs vet thinks it's an awful operation? A neighbour's horse had it done at least 20 years ago and she flushed it at home. The horse lived many more years.

It sounds like your horse needs that op, W.

 

[Goldenstar]

You need to consult a different vet .

 

[Mule]

I thought that operation had been routine for years. I don't know why the OPs vet thinks it's an awful operation? A neighbour's horse had it done at least 20 years ago and she flushed it at home. The horse lived many more years.

It sounds like your horse needs that op, W.

Maybe it's an old article on the website. My vet didn't say it was new either come to think about it.

 

[Milliechaz]

I would definitely recommend a flush, my little 11.2 h ad it after recurring tooth infections/extractions caused sinusitis, she also had mild COPD and was on a baby spaced inhaler for that. The flush really didn't bother her at all, nor me when I had to flush her twice a day when she came home.

 

[TinseLeneHorse]

Milliiechas that's what mine had too. She tolerated it really well - I was sure she would try to rub her head and dislodge the drain but thankfully it stayed put.

 

[Uliy]

Sorry to bring this thread back up, but I suspect my horse may have sinusitis (unilateral discharge, however it is white/clear (although thick) and has no smell). She’s had an endoscopy which was totally clear so it must be higher up

Roughly how much does the sinus flush operation cost (pm if you prefer)? Was this a last resort after trying other management eg soaked/steamed hay or haylage? Finally, did it leave a terrible scar (least important but to prepare myself!)?

Thanks!

 

[TinseLeneHorse]

Mine was £2k including initial visit to yard and a couple of follow ups. It did include the tooth removal at the vets and two nights stay at the vets which might not be the case with yours. If there is no foul smell from the discharge it may be something completely different. Mine never had any previous breathing issues or copd - it was purely a broken tooth causing the sinus infection. My girl now has the tiniest mark on her forehead where the drain went in. Her good looks are unspoiled.

 

[Quigleyandme]

My horse Quigley developed primary sinusitis. Many courses of antibiotics and two trepanning procedures with three/two daily flushing failed to cure him. He died under sedation when the flush penetrated his brain due to the chronic nature of the infection eroding his sinus. The thing with Quigley was we usually failed miserably to get the flush to drain out his nose. We suspect he had a malformation and he was going to have his sinus lasered to improve the drainage. His discharge was profuse, white and did not smell. That is normal. The hole closes really quickly once the foley is removed and scarring is minimal. My vet fees including a head CT scan at Bristol, radiographs, referral to specialist, hospitalisation and about 200 sachets of Trimadiazine were in the region of £5,500. My son and DIL are both vets so I got some help FOC. I’m sure most horses have a much happier outcome but sinusitis is serious and no changes of management are going to cure it unfortunately.

 

[Uliy]

My horse Quigley developed primary sinusitis. Many courses of antibiotics and two trepanning procedures with three/two daily flushing failed to cure him. He died under sedation when the flush penetrated his brain due to the chronic nature of the infection eroding his sinus. The thing with Quigley was we usually failed miserably to get the flush to drain out his nose. We suspect he had a malformation and he was going to have his sinus lasered to improve the drainage. His discharge was profuse, white and did not smell. That is normal. The hole closes really quickly once the foley is removed and scarring is minimal. My vet fees including a head CT scan at Bristol, radiographs, referral to specialist, hospitalisation and about 200 sachets of Trimadiazine were in the region of £5,500. My son and DIL are both vets so I got some help FOC. I’m sure most horses have a much happier outcome but sinusitis is serious and no changes of management are going to cure it unfortunately.

I admit I did stalk your posts to follow your story and I am so sorry that you had such a tragic outcome. They’ve made me realise that it is pretty serious so I think I will ask the vet to do at least a head x-ray so we can figure out what is going on.

thanks for your reply and sorry op for hijacking the thread!

 

[Looloo2711]

My horse has recently had a sinus flush but her sinus infection was due to a cracked tooth so maybe slightly different. She had the tooth removed at the vets under standing anaesthetic and they put in a sinus drain which involved drilling a hole in her forehead and running a tube along her neck. She had to get flushed twice a day for a week with dilute iodine which got pumped up the tube using a pressure pump. The fluid then came down her nose and you could see if there was still any pus. The procedure seems to have been successful and she has shown no more discharge. It wasn't a cheap bill and not all vet practice could do it themselves, they may have to refer horse to vet hospital. Another horse at the yard had similar and they went down the antibiotics route at first but it kept coming back and it had to go to the vet school for a sinus operation. The pus was so compacted it had to be scooped out rather than flushed. Hope that's not too much information! Hope you get a solution for your horse .
Eta that I just saw mules post and that sounds much more relevant to your situation - definitely worth asking your vets

Hi, is there any chance you could contact me? I have a small pony in a similar predicament, two rounds of antibiotics have not touched it and vets have recommended a sinus flush.