Help with cough medicine please

[lochpearl]

I know other members have mentioned on here before about giving their horses 'human' cough medicine for coughs, benilyn (sp) for one and I just wondered which type was best - chesty or dry? My horse has a bit of a cough and it is costing me a fortune with the potions sold in the tack shops. thanks in advance x

 

[shazza283]

It's pretty unecessary usually to use cough medicine - coughing is a protective mechanism and is usually necessary to clear the trachea of mucus. Supressing the cough mechanism can lead to problems - ie the uncleared mucus can lead to local inflammation and decrease the airflow through the lungs. It would be better to find out why your mare is coughing and treat / manage that - sometimes it's as simple as a mangement change - bedding , soaking hay etc etc
It'd be better to treat the cause rather than the symptom - I'd suggest having a word with your vet - they will give advice over the phone free (or most will !!

)

 

[xnaughtybutnicex]

You could try leaving your horse out in the field for a few nights if possible the fresh air might help

 

[lochpearl]

thanks for your ideas, I will speak to the vet again, it was them that did suggest using a cough medicine but thought that I would ask on here too. H's not coughing all the time and normally has one cough at the beginning of exercise and he is on dust free bedding and soaked hay or haylage. He wont stay out overnight - we aren't allowed to at yard and he's ready at the gate from 3 onwards - silly horse. The only thing it could be is the horse next door to him is on straw so the dust could be travelling to his stable. On a better note we are moving to a different yard soon which is totally dust free so that should also help him.

 

[kellyeaton]

i would use equimis cough power booster is is fab and made for horses and it is natural!